Now You See Her

by Paul J. Teague

  ‘Look, I'm pleased you told me, Bianca. I know it's hard. But when you're out working with me, you're safe, okay? If you need anything, just let me know. I'll act as a witness—bullies like Dean Tarrant don't scare me. And I don't care who his dad is.’

  ‘Thanks, Cory,’ she said. ‘It feels good to discuss it with somebody. I don't talk about it with Mom and Dad anymore. Dad thought he might lose the business if word got out. He's already struggling with all these internet realtors; he can do without a local scandal.’

  ‘I understand the pressure to keep it quiet, Bianca,’ Cory replied, shocked by her story. ‘But if there's one thing working as a journalist has taught me, it's that the truth always surfaces, one way or another.’

  Chapter Twenty

  As Cory and Bianca approached Westview, the trees started to thin at the side of the road and they began to drive past industrial developments at the far end of town. Cory's phone buzzed a couple of times.

  ‘We're out of the cell phone dead zone,’ he announced. ‘Could you scan the numbers and see what came in while I've been driving?’

  He took one hand off the wheel, passing his phone over to her and activating the screen with his thumb print in order to give her access.

  ‘Two voicemails,’ she said. ‘Both Shallow Falls exchanges.’

  ‘Can you play them? There's nothing private in there.’

  Bianca tapped to access the voicemails.

  ‘Voicemail PIN?’ she asked.

  ‘Don't laugh,’ he smiled, ‘but I don't have one. There's never anything private on there anyway.’

  The first message began to play.

  Hey, Cory, it's Oliver. A couple of messages to pass on from the office. I've emailed this to you, too, so hopefully you'll pick up one of these. Still no word on Poppy Norman. The police have put official posters up now and Chief Tarrant was all over TV and radio this morning getting the word out. Kelsey Baker is fine, he's been discharged from the hospital, but he didn't see anything…

  ‘At least Kelsey's fine,’ Bianca said.

  ‘Thanks to you,’ Cory replied.

  …whoever it was struck him from behind. As for Ernie Winters, his crane driver, he'd received a call purporting to be from one of Kelsey's family, saying the junkyard was closed for the day and not to come in. Take care out there, Cory—this thing is beginning to stink.

  ‘There's something going on in this town, I'm telling you,’ Bianca said, accessing the second voicemail.

  ‘I think you're right. I keep trying to explain it away as coincidence, but it sounds to me like somebody’s trying to cover something up.’

  He was interrupted by another familiar voice coming through the speaker of his phone.

  Hello, Mr. Miles, it's Imogen from the library. I just wanted to let you know that the planning documentation has arrived and it's ready to be picked up whenever you can pop in. I'll be in the library until nine o'clock today. Just give the front door a bit of a shove—we're closed to the public at that time, but I'll still be around. I think you're going to be very interested in what's in the paperwork. See you later, bye.

  ‘If my hunch is right, we'll have a better idea about what's going on once I've spoken to Imogen,’ Cory said.

  ‘But how is it connected to Poppy going missing?’ Bianca asked, handing the phone back to Cory.

  ‘I'm not sure that it is. I just think that I may have found a way that we can help Reece out a bit. I don't think it's related to Poppy, though—I don't see how it can be.’

  ‘Do you want me to make myself scarce while you're at your son's event? I don't want to cause any trouble.’

  Cory thought about her suggestion. Things had been a bit tense last time he saw Nadia.

  ‘Nadia can't be there today, but I’ll have to drop Zach off at the house afterwards. Maybe you could hang back in the car while I do that. Let's see how the land lies today—hopefully things will have cooled down a bit. And you're okay to see Reece's ex before we head back for Shallow Falls? Your mom and dad know you'll be back late?’

  ‘All good,’ Bianca confirmed.

  Cory parked the car on the road outside Zach's school. He was relieved that the replacement starter motor appeared to have done the job, even if its procurement had not been without a considerable amount of drama.

  ‘How does the cut on my face look? It doesn't look like I've been in a fight, does it?’

  Bianca took a close look at Cory's cheek.

  ‘It's still a bit raw, to be honest with you, but it's not too bad. Just tell your wife that you got the scrape in the junkyard. It's the truth.’

  Cory laughed. He'd leave out the bit about nearly getting crushed to death if he had to explain it to Nadia. If she thought for one moment that his lifestyle might put Zach at risk, she'd give him a hard time. She'd be justified in doing it, too.

  Zach's game passed uneventfully, with the exception of a brief encounter with Principal Clinton.

  ‘Nice to see you here supporting Zach,’ she'd said as she passed by. ‘His head looks fine after the accident yesterday, which is more than I can say for your cheek.’

  She had registered Bianca, too. It suddenly occurred to him that she might think she was a new girlfriend. His face reddened at the thought. Surely she'd see the age difference and assume it was a professional or family connection?

  ‘My cheek was an accident. And Bianca is an intern at the paper,’ he'd clumsily blurted out, as if explaining himself.

  ‘No need to explain anything to me, Mr. Miles, what you do in your own time is your own business.’

  ‘But she really is an intern.’

  ‘So long as we don't have a repeat of the incident on the school premises yesterday, there’s no need for me to get involved in your private life, unless somebody new will be coming to pick Zach up from school. We need to know that for child welfare purposes.’

  There was a cheer and Zach came running towards Cory with a big grin on his face.

  ‘What happened?’ he asked Bianca.

  ‘Zach just scored.’

  Principal Clinton had moved on, leaving Cory feeling like he was still ten years old and just got into trouble for something he didn't do.

  The game passed without further incident, but Cory was annoyed that he'd missed Zach's goal. It didn't seem to bother his son, who'd taken to Bianca immediately. He was happy to share all the details of his game and the day at school as they sat eating a burger in one of the local fast food restaurants. Then they headed back to Nadia's house, the house they used to share together.

  As they pulled up outside the house, Nadia was speaking to a neighbor in her driveway, briefcase still in hand. It was Dan Sweeney, local pain in the neck. It looked to Cory like he'd caught her on her return home from work.

  As Cory stopped the car beside them, he watched as Nadia bent down a little to get a good view of who was sitting in the rear seat with her son. For a moment, he saw her expression change as she recognised Bianca from yesterday.

  He got out of the vehicle, then opened the door for Zach. His son reached over to give Bianca a hug before he got out, as if they'd been best friends for years.

  ‘Nice to see you, Cory,’ Dan said. ‘Is that your new girlfriend in the back with young Zachary? She's a bit young for you, isn't she?’

  Cory cringed.

  ‘That's Bianca, she's an intern at the newspaper. We're working together,’ he began a little too emphatically.

  ‘So you keep telling me,’ Nadia said. ‘Zach seems very comfortable with her already.’

  ‘She's just like that with kids,’ Cory replied. ‘They seem to gravitate towards her.’

  ‘Kids don't seem to be the only ones,’ Nadia muttered under her breath.

  Cory didn't respond; it was best to change the subject.

  ‘I scored a goal, Mom,’ Zach declared as he ran over to hug her.

  ‘Nice to see you're getting lots of sports in still,’ Dan said. ‘It's important to carry on doing boyish things even wh
en you haven't got a dad in your life.’

  Cory couldn't keep his mouth shut this time.

  ‘He has got a dad around,’ he cut in sharply. ‘Where do you think I've just been?’

  ‘Steady, Cory,’ Nadia cautioned, ‘I'm sure Dan didn't mean it that way.’

  ‘I'm pretty sure that's exactly how Dan meant it,’ Cory replied.

  ‘I only meant that it's important for a child to know who its parents are. It can be confusing when girlfriends get involved, kids get muddled.’

  ‘For the last time, Bianca is an intern. She is not my girlfriend.’

  Cory couldn’t help shouting, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do with Zach around.

  ‘If you must know, the only woman I've seen socially since we split up is Louise Powell, and that's for professional…’

  He instantly knew he'd said too much. Nadia had suspected for some time that Louise carried a torch for her husband. Cory was oblivious to it, but it hadn't stopped her from commenting.

  ‘You've said enough, Cory. Just say goodbye to Zach and leave now. And I'm sorry, Dan, I apologize for my husband's behavior.’

  Cory opened his mouth to defend himself again but thought better of it. He apologized, said his goodbyes to Zach, and got back in the car. Bianca was already back in the front seat, having climbed through the gap while the others had been talking. Her cell phone buzzed as he sat in the driver's seat. He slammed the door.

  ‘I'm sorry you had to see that again,’ he began, looking over at her. She wasn't listening. Instead, she was reading a text that had just come in on her phone. Her face was white. Cory could read it clearly from where he was sitting.

  Want to meet up sometime for a replay? You know you like it, even if you play hard to get.

  There was no name, just a number. Cory didn't need a name to know who'd just contacted Bianca. It was Dean Tarrant.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  ‘I've found where he lives on the map. Are you sure you're up to this?’

  Cory looked away from his phone. Bianca had just had a shock and he didn't want to push her too hard. He had to keep reminding himself she was only eighteen. He already thought of her as a colleague.

  ‘I'm fine, honestly. It's not the first text he’s sent like that. He uses one of those cheap throwaway cell phones—he's not so stupid to do it on his own phone or use his name. If I report it, it’ll only look like I'm causing problems again, and I can't prove it's him sending them.’

  ‘Why does he have your number?’ Cory asked.

  ‘People I knew at school have my number, it was never a big secret. He's only just started sending these. But you're right—I need a new number.’

  ‘Save those texts, don't delete them,’ Cory advised. ‘They may come in handy as evidence if he slips up. Right, let's go and see Jerry Hunter. He's Toni's father, right?’

  They chatted in the car as Cory drove through Westview. Many of the streets were familiar, reminding him of his married life in the town. This was where he and Nadia had met, where they'd fallen in love, gotten married, and had Zach. It was also where everything had gone wrong.

  He wasn't familiar with the area where Jerry lived, but it was more affluent than he'd expected. They pulled up at a large, detached house surrounded by a well-kept yard. Cory guessed it had four or five bedrooms. It was nice—he wouldn't have minded living there himself.

  ‘This might get difficult, so let me take the lead. We call this door-stepping. It can go either way, but sometimes it gets a bit hostile. Just follow my lead and stay behind me. And be prepared to pack up and go at a moment's notice if it turns sour.’

  They walked up the short driveway and Cory rang the bell. He followed it up moments later with a loud knock.

  Voices came from inside: a man's, then a woman's, then the sound of someone thumping down the stairs. The door opened.

  ‘If you're trying to sell something, then you can get lost.’

  This had to be Jerry. Cory took an immediate dislike to him, for the leering expression on his face and his unkempt appearance. His beard was in need of a trim and he smelled of stale sweat. He looked past Cory, staring at Bianca with a predatory look in his eyes. He was only wearing boxer shorts and an undershirt, and he had nothing on his feet.

  ‘I'm from the local paper…’ Cory began.

  ‘You want to talk to me about my stupid bitch of an ex-wife? You got ID?’

  The man had barely spoken more than twenty words and already Cory's hackles were up. How could such an unpleasant man have fathered such a lovely kid? He knew the answer, of course. It was because of Reece; it looked like the father had very little to do with it.

  Cory pulled his ID card from his back pocket and handed it to Jerry, who proceeded to study it with great care.

  ‘What's this about? Poppy?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, I'm just doing a bit of background on the story. Mind if we come in? This won't take long.’

  Jerry looked Bianca up and down, smirked, and indicated that they should step through the door.

  The living room was tastelessly decorated, with prints of sports cars hung unevenly around the walls, and the biggest television that Cory had ever seen in the corner. White leather couches were marked with what he assumed were beer stains. Jerry didn't offer them a seat; he put on a pair of pants that were draped over the back of one couch. Then he walked over to a desk in the far corner of the room and took something out of the drawer, putting it in his pocket.

  A high-pitched voice came from upstairs.

  ‘Who is it, Jerry?’

  ‘Stay in bed—I'll be back up in a couple of minutes.’

  He looked at Bianca.

  ‘Unless you want to join us?’ he leered.

  Bianca flushed, and Cory stepped in.

  ‘If we can just ask a couple of straightforward questions, we'll be out of your way.’

  ‘Shoot,’ Jerry said, putting his hand down his boxers to adjust himself. Cory was pleased Jerry wasn't the sort to shake hands.

  ‘Nice house,’ Cory said, looking around.

  ‘What of it?’ Jerry replied, immediately defensive.

  ‘You've done well for yourself,’ Cory continued.

  ‘Yeah, I have,’ came the smug reply.

  ‘What do you make of Poppy's disappearance?’ Cory asked.

  ‘Take a seat,’ Jerry said at last, waving them both towards the couch opposite the TV set. ‘It's been a long time since it's had someone as good-looking as you sit on it,’ he said to Bianca with a wink.

  Cory came in quickly with a follow-up question, desperate to get Bianca out of the house as quickly as possible.

  ‘Do you have any idea what might have happened?’

  ‘It's that stupid bitch of an ex-wife who's to blame. The dumb woman would forget her brain if left on her own long enough. She probably left her somewhere and now she's trying to blame someone else.’

  ‘Do you ever see your daughter? Toni, isn't it?’

  Cory could feel Bianca's discomfort. She already knew men like this; he would never have brought her along if he'd known.

  ‘Nah, I don't have time for stupid kids, if you know what I mean?’

  He sneered again and nodded his head towards the bedroom upstairs.

  ‘Do you pay child support?’ Cory asked. He knew he was pushing his luck.

  ‘Now look here,’ Jerry said, immediately riled at the question. ‘If that stupid bitch was dumb enough to get pregnant, that's on her. She was supposed to be on the pill or something; it was just a bit of fun as far as I was concerned. I didn't want no kids…’

  ‘But you were together long enough to get married.’

  ‘Yeah, and it was too long, as far as I was concerned. Two years too long.’

  ‘Did you know Reece at the time the main house was there—before the fire?’

  Cory could see from his face that he remembered that, all right.

  ‘Yeah, we lived together in the house when we were a couple. Nice li
ttle house, too—crying shame it burned down. Spoiled a good thing.’

  ‘How long were you around after the fire?’ Cory asked. ‘Did you ever live in the trailer?’

  ‘Hey, if it wasn't for me, that stupid bitch would be homeless. It was me who ordered that trailer and got it placed there. I handled the electric and everything. She can't even read, the stupid bitch. I had to do everything for her.’

  ‘How long did you stay around afterwards?’

  ‘I was out of there the moment she told me she was pregnant. That's not what I signed up for. She already had that snot-nosed little brat Megan when we were together. Her previous husband had died. Probably of boredom.’

  He laughed at his own comment and Cory sensed Bianca tensing on the couch. He gave her a glance, silently urging her not to venture a challenge to Jerry.

  ‘So, do you even know Toni?’

  ‘Nope! Never really seen her. Don't want to, either. I like my freedom, if you know what I mean?’

  Once again, he smirked and looked up towards the bedroom.

  Cory shuffled a little, and after a pause, asked his next question.

  ‘What happened with the insurance money after the fire? If you were the one who could read, surely you handled everything after the accident?’

  ‘What are you saying?’ Jerry replied, immediately defensive. His hand moved toward his pocket. ‘You said you were here to talk about Poppy. I've seen the police—they asked me their questions, so they know I didn't do nothing. Who are you, IRS or something?’

  ‘Not IRS, Mr. Hunter, just the local paper. But I'm following up a lead that Poppy's disappearance may be related to Reece's land in some way.’

  Jerry drew a small gun on them. Bianca jumped in her seat. Cory knew he had to stay calm, even though a drop of sweat ran down his forehead as he tried to assess if Jerry was the kind of man to do something stupid.