Lost Child: A Gripping Psychological Thriller

by D. S. Butler

  I remembered seeing Daniel that morning with his colleague, smiling and drinking coffee and a thought struck me. “When did Daniel find out?”

  “He said the police telephoned him first thing this morning to let him know about the article. They don’t believe Robin Vaughan was involved in Jenna’s disappearance, but they are still investigating. So far the only evidence against Robin Vaughan has been the images on his computer.”

  I stayed crouching beside Mum, even though I could feel pins and needles tingling in my foot from my awkward position. He’d known. Daniel had known about Robin Vaughan when I’d seen him that morning.

  The fury that flooded my system scared me. I could feel it bubbling away in my chest, itching beneath my skin. Anger was a destructive emotion. I stood up slowly and stiffly.

  I didn’t mention it to Mum because I thought there was no point in upsetting her further. Plus, she was right about one thing. We couldn’t focus on Daniel’s callous, selfish behaviour. That wouldn’t help us track down Jenna, and flying off the handle wasn’t going to help anyone.

  But things had shifted. For one thing, we now had a solid suspect. A dirty pervert who lived only a few minutes away, and he had been there the day Jenna disappeared.

  I’d also learned that I could never trust Daniel again. I was done feeling sorry for him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  We sat in the kitchen waiting for the police to call us back and tell us what the hell Robin Vaughan had been getting up to right under our noses. Had he stopped at collecting obscene images of children or did he do more than that? We needed answers, and we needed them soon. My mind rebelling at the very idea Jenna had been taken away by somebody like Robin Vaughan, it was impossible to subdue the panic and keep calm.

  I’d overreacted when I’d found out Daniel already knew about Robin Vaughan and upset Mum further. When would I learn to hold back? Maybe for once, I should put her feelings before my own. Furious with myself and sick with the thought that Robin Vaughan might have taken Jenna, I sat at the kitchen table in silence with my legs bouncing beneath the table with nervous energy.

  Mum hadn’t moved from the kitchen table either, and she looked worn down by the events of today. Her shoulders were slumped, and her light application of mascara was now smudged beneath her eyes. She hadn’t bothered to reapply her lipstick as she usually did throughout the day.

  Mum finally looked up at me and hesitated for a moment before saying, “There’s something else we should talk about, Beth.”

  “What?”

  The sharp ring of the telephone made us both jump.

  Mum grabbed the phone, and from the look on her face, I could tell it was the police.

  I waited anxiously, chewing my nails, as she spoke on the phone. She told them we didn’t want a family liaison officer in our home, but we wanted to be informed of all relevant developments over the telephone.

  When Jenna went missing, we hadn’t appreciated having the family liaison officer. I had nothing against them and realised it couldn’t be an easy job, but there was something horrible about going through the worst experience of your life and having an outsider hovering around all the time, watching you and making endless cups of tea.

  I listened as Mum made it clear that we wanted to be informed separately from Daniel. Daniel was Jenna’s next of kin, so it made sense that they’d told him about Robin Vaughan. I suspected the police thought Daniel would tell us himself.

  Mum asked them specifically about Robin Vaughan and whether they thought he was involved in Jenna’s disappearance. I held my breath as we waited for the answer, and then Mum let out a long breath and relief sagged through her body. It was clear the officer on the other end of the phone had told her they didn’t think he was involved.

  That didn’t mean we could definitely rule him out, though. It was a huge coincidence to have someone like that living just round the corner when Jenna disappeared. I tried to remember if he’d looked at her strangely when we’d been at the fête. I hadn’t noticed anything, but then I hadn’t been looking out for a depraved pervert. I thought we were safe.

  I was so lost in thought, trying to remember every moment I’d seen Robin Vaughan at the fête, I didn’t notice Mum had put down the phone until she stepped in front of me.

  “What did they say?” I asked.

  “They apologised for not letting us know and promised that they’d update both us and Daniel with all future developments. They don’t think Robin Vaughan had anything to do with Jenna’s disappearance. There is no evidence to suggest he ever had any contact with Jenna, but of course, they can’t rule anything out at this stage.”

  I rubbed my hands over my face. Could this day get any worse? “Did they say anything about the photograph of Jenna? Have they tracked down where it came from yet?”

  Mum shook her head as she slumped down into the chair beside mine. “No, they still haven’t found out who sent it.”

  The trail was growing colder and colder as each hour passed. I wished whoever sent the photograph would contact me again.

  I glanced back at Mum, remembering she’d been about to say something before the phone rang. Before I could ask her about it, the phone rang again, and Mum quickly snatched it up before handing it to me. “It’s Luke.”

  I took the phone and then paused for a moment to try and collect myself. My mouth felt dry, and I didn’t really want to talk to him or anyone else at the moment, but as Mum had already told him I was here, I tried to sound as normal as possible as I said,“Hi, Luke, how are you?”

  “Good. I was just calling to see if you wanted to meet up for a drink tonight at The Black Prince. I’m getting off work early today.”

  “Oh, I’m not sure about tonight… Mum and I have got plans. Sorry.”

  Mum was frantically flapping her hand at me.

  “Hang on a minute, Luke. Mum’s trying to get my attention.”

  I pressed the mute button on the handset and then looked at Mum. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing is wrong. I think you should go. It will do you good.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to. I’m definitely not in the mood to go out for a drink tonight.”

  Mum’s eyes closed briefly, and her nostrils flared as she exhaled. “Please, Beth. I think it’s for the best. Daniel said he was going to pop round after work, and I can’t handle a scene.”

  In other words, she didn’t want me around because I might upset precious Daniel.

  Of course, that put my back up, and it was with great effort that I managed not to snap when I replied.

  “Why do you want to see him?”

  “It’s complicated, but now is not the time for us to fall out. We just have to put our differences aside and focus on getting Jenna back. I’m not putting the blame solely at your door, Beth. I’m asking you to go out to avoid any arguments.”

  I thought it over for a second and then nodded, released the mute button on the handset and apologised to Luke for keeping him waiting.

  “Not a problem,” Luke said, as easy-going as ever. “I should be in The Black Prince for about five o’clock. Do you want to meet me there?”

  “Sure. See you soon.”

  I hung up and then looked reproachfully at Mum. I couldn’t help feeling hurt, but it was unfair of me. She wasn’t picking Daniel’s side over mine. She was trying to do what was best for all of us and would give us the best chance of working together to get Jenna back.

  Mum could read me like a book. “Don’t sulk, Beth. I’m only doing what’s best. You know you won’t be able to control your tongue with Daniel around. You’ll end up saying things we will all regret.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “There’s certainly some things I’d say. I wouldn’t regret them, though.”

  Mum gave an exasperated sigh that took me right back to my teenage years. “Please, Beth.”

  I put my hands up. “It’s fine. I won’t be here. I said I’d meet Luke at the pub. I’d better go and get ready.�
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  I headed to my bedroom to drag a brush through my hair and apply a little powder and lip gloss in an effort to look half-way human. I glanced in the mirror on the dressing table and cringed. My face looked white and pinched.

  A short while later, I grabbed a warm jacket and headed out. The Black Prince was at the other end of town, set back on the main road, next to the river. It was a picturesque, old pub and had even featured in Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse series, the first book in fact.

  Inside it had kept many of its old-fashioned, charming features, even though it had been refurbished since I’d gone to Dubai. The ceilings were low, and the windows were small, but the decor was a little brighter than the typical English pub.

  Luke hadn’t arrived when I got there, and there were just a couple of locals propped up at the bar.

  I ordered a gin and tonic from a young barman I didn’t recognise and then added a pint of Doom Bar to my order so Luke’s drink would be ready when he got here. I carried the glasses over to a small table by the window and sat down, pulling out my new mobile phone.

  I tapped on the screen and found I had enough signal to download my emails. There was one email from Sylvia, telling me that she hoped I was sorting out my family problems and she was looking forward to seeing me soon. She also mentioned that my boss was running around like a headless chicken and was lost without me.

  I’d had no messages or missed calls. I wondered how many people had seen my Facebook post with my new number. Had the person that sent the photograph of Jenna seen my new number? I hoped so and wished they would get back in contact.

  I settled back in the cushioned chair as the warm May sunshine streaming through the window made me feel sleepy. I’d only taken a couple of sips of my gin and tonic when a shadow fell across the table, and I looked up to see Luke grinning at me.

  “Thanks for getting the drinks in,” he said, sitting down before lifting his pint and taking a long sip.

  “You’re welcome. So how was work? I didn’t realise you worked part time these days,” I said, smiling to show I was only teasing.

  “The clinic usually shuts up shop at half-past five, but my last appointment cancelled. So it was your lucky day.” He winked at me.

  I rolled my eyes. “ How fortunate.”

  “So, how have you been settling back into Woodstock? Is it like you’d never been away?”

  Luke’s friendly, open face and his warm smile made me want to confide in him and tell him about Jenna, but I couldn’t do that yet. Instead, I told him about Robin Vaughan.

  He nodded, his face serious. “I heard about that. Sickening, isn’t it? Has he been charged?”

  I nodded. “Yes, he was taken in for questioning last week, and then charged a few days later.”

  Luke put his pint carefully down on the table, avoiding eye contact, and I sensed he was building up to ask a question… “Have you spoken to the police about it… I mean, could he have…”

  Luke struggled over his words, and I took pity on him. “You mean, could he have had anything to do with Jenna’s disappearance?”

  Luke winced and then nodded. “Yes, sorry. That wasn’t a very tactful question.”

  “It was the first thing I wondered when I heard, too. But Mum has spoken to the police, and they don’t think he was involved.” I shrugged. “But we don’t know anything for sure.”

  “God, how awful,” Luke said and reached over to put his hand over mine and squeezed gently. “How is your Mum bearing up?”

  “Considering everything that’s going on, she is coping very well, but of course, she’s upset.”

  Luke nodded and removed his hand from mine, picking up his drink again. “Poor Daniel. This news must have knocked him for six.”

  At the mention of Daniel’s name, I tensed.

  Anybody else would have missed my reaction, but not Luke. He picked up on it straight away.

  “What is it? Are you and Daniel not getting on?”

  I tried to make out the light of it. “Did we ever?”

  Luke returned my smile. “No, not really. But you have to feel for the poor guy, though.”

  I wished he’d drop it. I didn’t want to talk about Daniel. So, I changed the subject and mentioned I had seen his brother in Oxford.

  “Yeah, Phil said he would be in Oxford. I think he stayed overnight at his old college. I usually try and meet up with him when he is here, but he said he was leaving early today.”

  “The weird thing is, your brother completely blanked me.”

  Luke frowned. “Really? Well, don’t take it personally. You know what he can be like. Totally lost in his own thoughts. A typical academic.”

  I shook my head slowly. “No, it wasn’t like that. I called out to him, he saw me, and then he just turned and walked away really fast, as though I was the last person he wanted to see.”

  Luke looked at me for a moment without saying anything. “That is odd.”

  “I can’t think why he would have reacted like that. We always got on quite well, didn’t we? I mean, I always liked him. Maybe the feeling wasn’t mutual.”

  Luke sighed. “It’s not you, Beth. I think I mentioned yesterday that he’s not quite back to his old self yet. He’s never been very sociable, and well, after everything that happened, he retreated back inside his shell even more.”

  “So, he reacts that way to everyone, does he?”

  Luke shrugged. I’d meant that as a joke, but he didn’t smile. “He hasn’t kept in touch with any of his old friends. He sees and interacts with colleagues at work, but he’s lost a part of himself. My guess is that he avoided you because you’re part of his past. You know what happened to his wife and daughter. He still can’t talk about it.”

  I wanted to say I wouldn’t have dreamed of being so insensitive as to mention his wife and daughter, but knowing me, I probably would have brought it up. I’d already talked about it to Luke yesterday, even though I knew it was a painful subject. After everything my family had been through with Jenna, I should have been more understanding.

  “It’s not a big deal. I just hope he is all right. When you see him, tell him I said hello.”

  Luke drained his pint. “Will do. Another?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  I stayed in the pub with Luke for another hour and had two further drinks. Although I had gone to the pub to avoid seeing Daniel, once I was there, I started to relax and enjoy Luke’s company. Of course, it was impossible to completely switch off, and I kept my phone on the table beside me just in case.

  Luke told me stories about his veterinary clinic, and we reminisced about the past. I told him about Pippa’s visit and Mum’s strange reaction.

  “Pippa was incredibly friendly, but Mum was cold with her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her react like that to anyone. I tried to find out why, but she didn’t want to talk about it.”

  “Maybe it’s hard for your Mum to see Pippa because it’s a reminder that Kate isn’t around anymore.”

  “You’re probably right. Every memory I have of Pippa involves Kate. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I keep thinking everyone has these ulterior motives and secrets they’re keeping from me.” I blurted out the words before I realised what I was saying. The alcohol had loosened my tongue.

  “It’s understandable,” Luke said. “My brother is the same. Once you’ve been hurt, you put up your guard, and even when someone does something nice, it’s hard to trust them. With Phil, it’s almost as though he doesn’t think he deserves anyone to be nice to him.”

  I stared down at the table and reached for my drink. That was a depressing thought.

  After we had said our goodbyes, I walked back home slowly. It wasn’t even dark yet, but I hoped I had given Mum and Daniel enough time to talk in private. On the way, I decided to take a detour and call in at the Parsons’s house. I wasn’t sure whether it was the Dutch courage from the alcohol or the fact I was feeling guilty for not talking to Dawn, despite telling her mother I would
.

  Dawn Parsons was a victim of circumstance. She’d been bullied and had turned into a bully herself, but her life hadn’t turned out well. Surely I could show her a little compassion, for her mother’s sake, if nothing else.

  I took a left at the end of the High Street so I could take the long way around, which would take me past the Parsons’s house on the way back home.

  The sun was low in the sky, and swifts swooped above me in their crazy dance to catch insects on the wing. Despite the late hour, the birds hadn’t yet stopped chirping. A blackbird appeared in front of me, darting across the road.

  Some vehicles were parked up along Rectory Lane, but there was hardly any traffic at this time of night. As I approached the cluster of thatched cottages, I shivered. It was a warm evening but a chill prickled over my skin. As I got closer to the Parsons’s cottage, I started to doubt myself. Was this really a good idea? I didn’t want to interrupt them in the middle of eating dinner.

  When I got closer to the cottage, I could see there was a flickering light coming from one of the downstairs rooms. It wasn’t a warm light generated from a normal bulb, but a colder hue that made me think it could be from a television or computer screen. There was no sign of Mrs Parsons’s car in the driveway. I didn’t really want to see Dawn on her own, but I had come this far and decided I may as well get it over with.

  Taking a deep breath, I walked forward, opening the small gate and heading up the garden path towards the front door. I glanced in one of the downstairs windows, the source of the flickering light. There was a bulky figure sitting in front of a computer screen. Dawn Parsons. For a moment, I just stood there on the garden path, staring in at her. The bluish glow from the computer screen picked out highlights in her dark hair and created a blue-tinged aura around her.

  For some strange reason, I had the urge to turn around and run. But then Dawn shifted in front of the computer. It was too late now. She knew I was there. I couldn’t back out.