The Girl in the Rug

by K Leitch

  It was obvious though that there was nobody home today, so Frank made his way back round to the front of the house. He wondered if Linda had managed to get into the garden without being seen and if she had seen anything worth reporting. There was no sign of her here that was certain, so where was she?

  Frank was getting increasingly worried about her, Carla was right, these men that they were stalking were not the sort of men that would take interference into their lives lying down, in fact they would probably do all they could to stop it. Is that what had happened, had Linda been caught while she was snooping around, and if so…what would they do to her, rough her up a bit maybe, scare the living daylights out of her perhaps…or maybe even worse.

  Frank quickly headed back to his car, he needed to find Linda and quickly, Carla had to be made to see that she was another missing person and start the hunt for her as well as Tracy. Frank pulled out of the space he had parked in and headed up the road at speed, only to slam on the brakes a few minutes later…there parked a little further down the road was Linda’s car.

  His heart racing, he left his car in the middle of the road and ran over to the little red hatchback. Yes it was Linda’s alright, there was the scarf she had been wearing the other night when he had taken her out for dinner and there on the passenger seat was her mobile phone.

  ‘Shit,’ Frank muttered, he got back into his car and parked it further up the road, then walked back towards where Linda had parked. All along this end of the road was a high fence which belonged to the big house he had just come from, as he walked further he noticed a place where one of the fence panels had become loose and had been pulled to one side…this must have been how Linda had got into the garden. Frank pulled the panel open further and with a bit of a struggle (at six two he was considerably taller than tiny little Linda) he managed to squeeze his way into the garden. Almost immediately he spotted scuffed footprints and skids consistent with a struggle of some sort, brambles and weeds had been squashed down and branches broken. Frank tried to follow the trail of footprints but they soon disappeared the closer he got to the house. He was now convinced that Linda had been caught and taken somewhere, so he began again to look round the house, noting anything that looked unusual. He walked round towards the front again checking behind all the thick shrubs that clung to the walls of the house, trying to spot for any sort of disturbance that might give him a clue but could see nothing. So overgrown were some of the bushes that Frank completely missed the little row of steps that led down to a wooden door, at the side of the house. Frustrated at the lack of clues, Frank headed back to his car, he needed to speak to Carla and arrange for a warrant to search this place he was sure they would find some clues as to Linda’s whereabouts and maybe even Tracy’s…it felt like somehow the two disappearances were linked somehow…although he couldn’t think how.

  Thinking it would be quicker to get to his car if he went back through the broken fence panel, he pushed and struggled his way back through, catching his trousers on a nail as he did so and ripping them.

  ‘Shit, shit, shit!’ he swore looking at the hole at his crotch, of all the places to tear them, he would be teased to death back at the station. As he was fiddling about with the torn material his eye was caught by something lying in the thick grass a few yards away from him, he went to investigate…

  ‘Oh no…oh fuck!’ his heart sank as he recognised Linda’s camera and retrieved it from where it had lain ever since she had thrown it over the fence nearly two days before.

  Frank raced back to his car and phoned Carla explaining as calmly as he could what he had found.

  ‘Right get it to forensics ASAP Frank,’ Carla said. ‘And I will see if DCI Riley can get us a warrant to search the place…I haven’t been able to speak to messrs. Robinson I’m afraid it seems they’ve gone to Edinburgh for a conference, won’t be back till Thursday evening apparently. But I did get something from their secretary, a right snotty unhelpful cow, she seems to think the white van is used by Freddy Robinson’s handy man, although she didn’t have a name for him, he only works for Freddy it seems and doesn’t ever go to the office. So now we have to ask ourselves why Freddy Robinson would want to abduct Tracy, assuming of course that Nellie was acting on his bosses instructions and didn’t have some axe of his own to grind…’

  ‘And what did Linda manage to get that could have caused her to be abducted as well,’ Frank interrupted, ‘well maybe whatever is on this camera will tell us.’

  ‘We’ll treat Linda as a missing person too Frank,’ Carla was saying, ‘I’ll get the ball rolling when we get back. We’d better get forensics out to her car, if you say her phone is there you never know there maybe something on it that will lead us to her.’

  Frank drove back to the station in a panic, he was amazed at how scared he felt for Linda, how important she had become to him in such a short space of time. He had told her things that night at dinner, things he’d never revealed to another living soul and it had felt good to do it. He trusted her, trusted that she would keep his secrets and also trusted her that she understood and didn’t for one minute judge him. She had put her arms around him and held him close when the emotion had become too much, and he had taken strength from her…it had felt so right as if she was the one he had been waiting for all his life. And now she was missing…and he didn’t think he would be able to bear it if he lost her now.

  CHAPTER 50 - MAGGIE

  The house was in darkness when Maggie finally got home despite the fact that it was only eight thirty, winter was nearly upon them. It had been freezing walking around the town today handing out flyers with a smiling picture of Tracy emblazoned on the front, asking anybody that would stop if they had seen her. People were lovely Maggie thought, so many stopped what they were doing and looked carefully at the picture, asking about Tracy and wishing her luck in finding her. Quite a few had heard about it from the radio interview that DCI Riley had done the previous evening, but most of the ones that hadn’t were concerned that this lovely young woman had disappeared. Of course there would always be the other ones…the ones that ignored you as they raced by, too wrapped up in their own lives to give you a moment of their time or even worse the ones that pretended to listen but then offered their own crude opinions, the more vile the better it seemed.

  Maggie shook her head and went over and switched on the coffee machine. Simon had been beside himself with worry when Maggie had looked in on him on her way to pick up Helen, drawn and tired, he looked as if he hadn’t slept for days and that was probably the truth. He was going on television tonight to appeal for help and Maggie’s heart had broken for him as he told her that he didn’t know if he could do it without breaking down.

  ‘Oh sweetheart,’ Maggie had said putting her arms around him, ‘no one expects you to be strong at a time like this.’

  ‘I can’t function Maggie…I just can’t do it without her…’ he had sobbed in her arms and it had taken Maggie a good half an hour to calm him down. By that time WPC Irene Watkins had arrived, and she had spoken calmly and comfortingly to him, her down to earth common sense having more effect than Maggie’s sentimentality. Helen had been nearly as bad, red eyed and nervy, they were all so scared that something really terrible had happened to their friend.

  Maggie sat at the kitchen table with her coffee letting the warmth of the kitchen sooth her tired bones, she thought about making something to eat, but she just couldn’t be bothered, maybe she’d watch a bit of TV before having an early night. That got her all upset again when she started thinking about where Tracy was tonight, was she cold or frightened…was she lying injured somewhere and couldn’t get help…it was all too much for Maggie and she just put her head in her hands and cried.

  ‘Maggie?’ a voice jolted her out of her misery, and she hastily wiped her eyes as she saw Maylee standing in the doorway.

  ‘Maggie…are you ok, I’m sorry I heard you come in and I wanted to ask if you’d got any news,’ Maylee said coming furth
er into the room.

  Maggie looked up at her with tear filled eyes and shook her head.

  Maylee rushed to her side then and gathered her into her arms, ‘Oh sweetheart, oh honey…you poor thing you must be so worried,’ she soothed as Maggie relaxed into her embrace and allowed herself to be comforted.

  They sat there for a while, Maylee whispering soothing words as Maggie cried until finally Maggie lifted red rimmed eyes to Maylee and gave a watery smile, ‘I’m sorry…you must think I’m such a soppy cow,’ she said blowing her nose.

  ‘Don’t be silly hun,’ said Maylee giving her a squeeze before going to fill the kettle, ‘I can’t imagine how much you are worrying…I mean it’s been days now hasn’t it?’

  ‘I know,’ said Maggie, ‘I was so sure that she would just turn up wondering what all the fuss was about…but it’s got to the point now that I know she’s in trouble, and there’s nothing I can do to heeellppp heerr.’ Maggie dissolved into tears again, Maylee stopped what she was doing and came and gave her another hug.

  ‘Listen you stupid thing, you are doing everything you can aren’t you? I mean you must have spent the whole day today wandering around in the freezing cold handing out those pictures of her. And yesterday you were one of the last ones to come out of the woods…you must have covered every inch of that place.’ She turned Maggie towards her and looked her in the eyes, ‘You are doing your best love…now I am going to make you some of my famous hot chocolate and then you are going to have a hot bath and go to bed,’ she held up a hand when Maggie would have argued. ‘No arguments …you need a good night’s sleep. And tomorrow I will come out with you if you like, I can get the day off work…I’ve only got Mrs Herring’s roots at three tomorrow anyway, and to be quite honest with you her hair could do with the rest, talk about giant haystacks!’ And with that she carried on making them both a delicious steaming mug of frothy hot chocolate.

  They took their drinks in the living room; and Maggie looked over her mug at the girl sitting opposite her. She was amazed, she had never seen this side of Maylee before and she realised that she had seriously misjudged the girl. Oh yes she was sure that there would always be a side of Maylee that would grate on her, and yes there were still plenty of things about the way she treated Dom that wound her up…but who would have thought that beneath that hard materialistic exterior there was this soft kind girl.

  Maylee caught her staring at her, ‘What?’ she asked checking her upper lip for chocolate moustache.

  ‘I was just thinking how little I know about you that’s all,’ Maggie said.

  ‘Not much to know really,’ said Maylee shrugging, ‘born in Coventry, my dad was a butcher, owned his own shop actually…until a big supermarket was built on the outskirts of town that is. He couldn’t compete with their prices…lost the shop and ended up working for the big supermarket in the butchers department, how stupid is that?’ she said with a laugh.

  ‘What does your mum do?’ Maggie asked.

  Maylee shrugged her shoulders, ‘Who knows… she left us when I was about seven…ran off with an insurance salesman would you believe.’ She gave a hard smile, ‘We were better off without her, Dad and me, and I ‘spose she was better off without us, because I never heard from her again.’

  ‘Oh Maylee, I am sorry…’Maggie began.

  ‘I couldn’t give a monkey’s,’ she said in a hard voice waving a hand of dismissal, ‘she didn’t want us that was fine. I had Dad and he was all I needed…we were a team he used to say.’

  ‘Where does your dad live now…is he still in Coventry?’ Maggie asked draining the last of her hot chocolate.

  Maylee didn’t answer for a minute, ‘He died,’ she said eventually. ‘Cancer…we didn’t have much warning, one minute he was diagnosed and the next he was dead…and I moved down here to Redbank…got myself pregnant. I always wish Dad had seen Jukie, that’s a big regret…he would have loved him.’

  It was Maggie’s turn to give a hug this time, ‘Oh love I’m sorry…I didn’t know…’

  ‘Anyway now I’ve met Domie and you and things are looking up for me and Jukie,’ Maylee said briskly collecting up the mugs.

  Maggie followed her into the kitchen, ‘I’m so glad we’ve had this chat Maylee,’ she said, ‘and I wish in a way that we had spoken like this before now, it’s let me see you in a different light…you do tend to put up a huge barrier you know. If you’re going to be part of our family…you and Jukie then we need to see more of the real you. Because this Maylee,’ she put her arm round Maylee’s shoulders, ‘this lovely girl here, she would be an asset to any family.’ She paused choosing her words carefully, ‘I wish you and Jools could be better friends though…I think you two would get on like a house on fire if you would just give it a chance…’

  Maylee stiffened and pulled a mulish expression, ‘I’m quite happy to be friends with the girl,’ she said in clipped accents, obviously NOT quite happy to be friends with Jools. ‘But she always seems to try and make me feel like she’s your favourite and always will be and you two have so much in common…I just don’t think she wants me around Maggie, I think she feels threatened by me if you want the truth,’ she finished with a defiant look.

  It dawned on Maggie that this was all about her…and about how insecure Maylee was with regard to Maggie.

  She went over to Maylee and took her hand, ‘Look, of course I love Jools, we’ve known each other for years…but I’d love to get to know you too Maylee, and I don’t want my family at each other’s throats just because of my friendships with you two. I know, why don’t we go out, just the three of us have a girls day out somewhere, what do you think?’

  Maylee looked a bit reluctant.

  ‘We could try out that swanky new place in Brighton,’ Maggie said trying to tempt her.

  Maylee shook her head with a laugh, knowing exactly what Maggie was up to, but then she shrugged her shoulders. ‘Yeh why not…it might be a laugh and I could try out my new Gucci boots that Domie bought me for our fifteen week anniversary.’

  ‘You could indeed,’ Maggie said with a smile…’of course we’ll have to wait until Tracy’s back home…I will be fully tied up until then…’

  ‘Oh of course,’ said Maylee squeezing Maggie’s hand. ‘Now why don’t you go and have that hot bath and then get some sleep…we’ve got a lot of flyers to give out tomorrow.’

  ‘I will, I must admit I am exhausted…thank you Maylee, I’ll see you in the morning.’

  Half an hour later and up to her neck in scented bubbles, Maggie was just relaxing into a comfortable doze, when there was a tapping on her bathroom door.

  Thinking it must be Maylee she smiled and said, ‘Don’t even think about changing your mind, you’ve said you’ll come and that’s that…’

  ‘Maggie,’ Duncan’s deep voice came through the door, ‘Maggie it’s me, Duncan, I need to speak to you…’

  ‘Duncan!’ spluttered Maggie, swallowing a mouthful of soapy water and frantically trying to cover herself with a flannel, even though Duncan was on the other side of the door, ‘What are you doing here…how did you get in?’

  ‘Maylee let me in,’ said Duncan sounding far too close for comfort, ‘I’m sorry to disturb your bath, but I needed to speak to you.’

  ‘Oh my god is it Tracy…have they found Tracy, oh Duncan please don’t tell me…’

  ‘No…sorry honey no it’s not about Tracy. It’s about us…you and me, well mostly me I suppose and I suppose that in a way it is about Tracy, but not in the way you mean…oh bloody hell I am making a right pigs ear out of this aren’t I?’ he finished in a frustrated voice.

  Maggie started to get out of the bath, ‘Hang on Duncan I’ll be out in a moment, just let me get myself decent…oh bugger all the towels are out there can you grab me one honey…’

  ‘No no no…I don’t want to disturb your bath Maggie, just lie back and let me talk ok,’ Duncan said and Maggie could hear him sitting down next the door. ‘It will probably be easier t
o say what I’ve got to say if I can’t see you anyway.’

  Maggie swallowed hard and lay back down in the bath, waiting for him to end all her dreams of happiness. ’Ok,’ she said miserably, ‘I’m listening.’

  Duncan didn’t speak for a moment or two, but Maggie could hear him breathing on the other side of the door so she waited.

  ‘Um…oh god now I’m here I don’t know how to start,’ she heard him mutter, it was obvious that the man was trying to let her down gently… maybe she should just do it for him Maggie thought sadly.

  ‘It’s ok Duncan,’ she began, ‘I know why you’re here, and it’s fine sweetheart…I know I have been a bit of a pest hanging round you. Oh god I expect you have been cringing at how pathetic I’ve been, telling you I love you…when you have made it so obvious that you don’t feel the same. I’m so sorry, I will try not to be so weird…’

  ‘NO!’ Duncan almost shouted through the door, ‘Maggie darling that’s not why I’m here, I came to tell you that I love you, you silly cow, and I don’t think I can live without you.’

  Maggie stared at the door in shock, ‘What…um…what?’ she said at last.

  Duncan sighed, ‘Someone pointed out to me what a self pitying ignorant fool I was being…’

  ‘Who said that…how dare they…’ shouted Maggie crossly, sitting up in the bath so quickly that half the water sloshed out onto the floor.

  ‘Well it was Martha actually…’ Duncan said with a laugh, ‘and she was right darling, I have been so full of self pity and self righteousness that I was even beginning to make myself feel a bit nauseous. How dare I belittle your feelings for me, and how dare I try and tell you that I know what’s best for you…I am so sorry Maggie darling. I realised after spending this afternoon with Simon, who is terrified…absolutely terrified that he is going to hear the news that Tracy isn’t coming home…it made me think of how I would feel if I lost you…oh god Maggie I wouldn’t be able to go on. You are so special…so necessary to my well being…please forgive me darling, forgive me for being such a stupid bastar…’