Her Missing Daughter: A Gripping Psychological Thriller

by D. S. Butler

  But I was being ridiculous. If I wanted to find out what had happened to Nicole, the family liaison officer would be the best person to tell me.

  “Let’s go somewhere quiet, shall we?” Lizzie gestured for me to follow her and walked confidently into the living room. I felt a flicker of irritation at the way this woman was taking control and walking around Nicole’s house as though she owned the place.

  That was ridiculous. What was the matter with me?

  As we walked through the sitting room, I noticed Nicole’s mother, Marilyn, huddled on the sofa being comforted by her daughter, Janet.

  I stopped beside them. “I’m so sorry, Marilyn. It’s just awful news.”

  Marilyn sniffed loudly and took a few shaky breaths. She was struggling to compose herself for my benefit and I felt guilty. If she wanted to cry, then she should be able to do so in peace. She didn’t need to be bothered with platitudes right now. It wasn’t as though I could say anything to make her feel better.

  Nicole’s sister, Janet, looked up at me and her eyes narrowed. She’d never been close to Nicole growing up. There had been a great deal of sibling rivalry between the two of them, although their contentious relationship had mellowed as they got older.

  Janet was two years older than Nicole, and when we’d been children, I’d had some sympathy for her. Nicole was a sweet person and very likeable. She’d been popular at school, whereas Janet found it hard to make friends. Nicole flourished academically in her teens, but Janet had struggled and needed a tutor after school. It wasn’t hard to see why resentment had built up between the sisters during their school years.

  To be honest, I’d always felt a little sorry for Janet, even though at times, she’d been cruel to me. She’d teased Nicole and me mercilessly, she’d stolen Nicole’s pocket money, and once when we were going to a concert, she offered us a lift to the station but actually turfed us out of the car two miles away so we’d missed the London train. Luckily, we made the next one and got to the concert only a few minutes late, but Nicole had been furious with her sister, and so had their mother. Janet had been grounded for a week.

  All these thoughts were running through my mind as I stood in front of Marilyn, feeling helpless, wishing there was something I could do to ease her grief. In the end, I decided to do what Nicole would have done and knelt down beside Marilyn before wrapping my arms around her.

  She sobbed into my shoulder as I hugged her tightly.

  It was hard to decipher what she said because her voice was muffled by my jumper. I think she said something along the lines of, “It’s not fair.”

  After a little while, Marilyn's crying grew quieter, and she pulled away, dabbing her tearstained cheeks with a tissue. “I’m glad you’ve come back, Abbie. Nicole would have appreciated it.”

  Before I could reply, I heard the family liaison officer behind me clear her throat.

  When I turned, she said, “Let’s have a chat in the dining room, Abbie.”

  Janet looked up sharply. “Why do you want to talk to Abbie? She doesn’t know anything. She hasn’t even seen Nicole for the past five years.”

  Her voice sounded bitter. I knew she was hurting so I didn’t point out she was wrong. Even though I hadn’t returned to the UK for five years, I had met up with Steve and Nicole in Thailand two years ago. They’d been on a two-week holiday and I flew in to join them for a weekend.

  Images flashed through my mind, Nicole and I wearing brightly-coloured sarongs and sipping fruit-flavoured cocktails as we sat on sun loungers at the edge of the beach, watching the crystal clear water lap the shore.

  I remembered it as though it were yesterday. I could almost hear Nicole’s laughter as I described my attempts to change a tyre at the side of the highway in Kerala, almost getting myself arrested.

  Lizzie looked pointedly at Janet, and I could tell she wasn’t the soft, wimpy type I’d first assumed. “I’d like to talk to Abbie all the same. We’re just gathering information at this stage.”

  “Information? That’s not much use to us, is it?” Janet jabbed a finger towards the window. “You need to be out there, looking for whoever did this.”

  When she replied, the officer’s measured, calm tone told me she’d dealt with many distraught relatives in the past. “We have a team of officers working very hard to find out what happened to Nicole.”

  “I can tell you what happened,” Janet said. “Some nutter blew her brains out.”

  I felt the blood drain from my face, and for a few seconds, I just stared at Janet. Shaking, I stood up and turned to the officer.

  “Nicole was shot?” I asked in disbelief. Shootings didn’t happen around here. They were rare in the UK. Shootings were only reported as inner-city gang-related incidents, or occasionally suicides, but people didn’t get shot in Finchampstead.

  I shook my head. “What happened?”

  Marilyn began to cry again, and Janet, obviously sick of talking to me, gave a snort of disgust, stood up and stalked out of the room.

  I turned to Lizzie, waiting to see if she would answer my question.

  “Yes, Nicole was standing on the bridge over the Ford on New Mill Lane when she was shot with a shotgun.”

  “What was she doing there?”

  Lizzie shook her head. “We don’t know yet. Nobody seems to know why she was there.”

  “Was she walking Charlie?” I asked, thinking of Nicole’s black Labrador.

  Lizzie shook her head. “No, she left the dog at home.”

  “Do you have any idea who did it? Was it an accident?”

  She shook her head. “We don’t know yet.”

  “Sienna must be devastated. Is she here?” I looked through the open doorway towards the stairs, imagining Sienna in her room, curled up on her bed, crying. She’d be listening to music. Since she was tiny, Sienna had always listened to music when she was upset.

  The family liaison officer paused and then tilted her head to the side. “Sienna is missing, Abbie. She hasn’t been seen since her mother’s murder.”

  Chapter Seven

  I stared at the family liaison officer. Sienna was missing. Why had no one told me?

  “I watched the news. They didn’t mention Sienna,” I managed to say eventually.

  Lizzie gave me a sympathetic smile. “We haven’t released that information yet.”

  Marilyn gave a loud sniff, and Lizzie said, “Let’s go into the dining room. We can talk there.”

  I followed her into the dining room and sat down at the huge table opposite the display cabinet, loaded with spirits and crystal glasses. An ornate, silver candelabra sat in the centre of the polished wood. They never used this room. Nicole had told me they preferred to eat in the kitchen. The table was too big for just the three of them, and more often than not these days, Nicole and Sienna ate alone as Steve worked long hours.

  I placed my hands flat on the table to stop them shaking. “Can you tell me what happened to Nicole?”

  The woman nodded. “Yesterday afternoon, Nicole was shot. She—”

  I flinched. I’d intended to keep quiet and let Lizzie tell me what happened, but I couldn’t help interrupting to ask, “Did she die immediately? She didn’t suffer, did she?”

  The woman pursed her lips. I’d asked her a question she didn’t want to answer. “By the time the emergency services got to the scene, it was too late to save her.”

  “And Sienna? Was she with her mother?”

  My mind was racing through the possibilities. Maybe Sienna had been hurt… Maybe she’d been abducted.

  “We don’t know where Sienna is. There’s no evidence to suggest Sienna was at the crime scene. We think it’s likely the news of her mother’s death scared her. She may be staying with a friend.”

  “But wouldn’t she come back home to be comforted by her grandmother and Steve?” As I asked the question, I realised I hadn’t seen Steve yet. “Where is Steve?”

  “He’s in the garden. Look, Abbie, I know you’ve been living a
broad for a while, but you spoke to Nicole regularly, didn’t you?”

  I nodded.

  “When did you last speak to her?”

  “Friday night. About nine thirty my time, so about five p.m. here.”

  “Did Nicole confide in you? Did she seem worried about anything?”

  “No, she seemed…normal. She’d had a glass of wine. She said it had been a tough week and she’d earned it.”

  Lizzie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Did she say why she’d had a bad week?”

  I bit down on my lower lip. Nicole had been ranting about one of the mothers from Sienna’s school. It was just her way of letting off steam, but I didn’t want to tell the police officer about it. It felt disloyal.

  “Something to do with Sienna’s school, I think.” I paused, feeling stupid.

  The police were trying to find Nicole’s killer. The officer sitting in front of me wouldn’t think any less of Nicole for bitching about one of the other mothers at Sienna’s school.

  “She had a disagreement with the mother of one of Sienna’s friends at school. The woman wanted Nicole’s support on a petition and was upset with Nicole when she refused to sign.”

  “Do you know this woman’s name?” Lizzie waited for my response with her pen hovering above her notepad.

  “I’m sorry. She may have mentioned a name, but I can’t remember.”

  “Do you happen to know what the petition was about?”

  I tried to think. I should have paid more attention. “Something to do with the school, but I don’t remember exactly.”

  She looked disappointed. “Don’t worry. You might remember later. DI Clarkson is heading up the enquiry, and I think he’ll want to talk to you at some point.”

  I pushed my hair back from my face and tried to focus. “Of course. Can I help with the search for Sienna? I guess you must have spoken to her friends?”

  “Some of them. Steve and Sienna’s grandmother managed to give us a few names. But no one has seen her.”

  The calm, matter-of-fact way she delivered the news, irritated me. “Sienna is only fifteen. I thought you’d have a search team out looking for her.”

  The Family Liaison Officer narrowed her eyes. “We are concerned about Sienna’s safety, of course, but this isn’t the first time she’s gone missing.”

  I shook my head. What was she talking about? She must have confused Sienna with someone else. “I think you must be mistaken. Sienna had never run off. Nicole would have told me.”

  I was certain I was right, absolutely convinced, so when the Family Liaison Officer said, “Sienna has run away from home on two other occasions in the past six months, Abbie,” it really took the wind from my sails.

  Nicole always confided in me, so why hadn’t she told me about something so important?

  A shiver ran through me as I remembered the last time I’d been in this house. It had been the day after Nicole and Steve’s wedding. I was flying back to India that evening, and Marilyn was staying at Yew Tree House to look after Sienna while her mother and new-stepfather were on their honeymoon. Sienna came up to me while I was packing.

  “Do you have to go?” Sienna tugged on her hair and pouted.

  I’d thought she didn’t like the idea of being left at Yew Tree House while everyone else jetted off to exotic places. I’d stopped packing, sat down on the bed and patted the duvet beside me.

  “Come and sit with me. I’m going to miss you.” I pushed her light coppery curls away from her forehead. “I wish I could stay longer, but I have to go back to work. You’ll have fun with your grandma.”

  Sienna looked down at her lap and didn’t respond to my smile. She’d been quiet all weekend, but I put that down to the fact she was getting older. Now, I worried something was bothering her. “What’s wrong?”

  She shrugged. “I wish things didn’t have to change.”

  “Sometimes things change for the better.”

  “Not this time.”

  I twisted around on the bed, so I faced her. “What do you mean? What’s upsetting you?”

  “Mum and I were fine. I don’t see why we had to move in with him.”

  “I thought you liked Steve.”

  “He’s okay.”

  I looked down at her sad face and thought I’d figured it out. “You know you’ll always be the most important person in your mum’s life, don’t you? That won’t change. The new house will take a bit of time getting used to, but soon you’ll forget all about your old house.” I hesitated. “Is there anything else? You can tell me anything. Steve… is nice to you. He doesn’t make you … uncomfortable, does he?”

  She shook her head impatiently, “He’s fine. It’s just not the same.”

  I hugged her then and stood up to continue packing. “I know, kiddo, but things can’t stay the same forever. Give it a little while, and I bet you and your mum are happier than ever.”

  She watched me finish packing. When I left, she and Marilyn waved me off, but there was a look on Sienna’s face that I’d put out of my mind until now.

  She looked like I had let her down.

  Angie Macgregor came into the dining room with a tea tray and gave me a meaningful look as she set it down on the table. I had no idea how to interpret that look. Did she want me to go and find her when I’d finished with the Family Liaison Officer so we could talk? We thanked Angie for the tea, and she left the room with one last glance over her shoulder.

  After Angie closed the door, I poured some tea. My throat was parched. Lizzie shook her head when I offered her some.

  “Do you think it was an armed robbery gone wrong?” I asked.

  Lizzie shook her head slowly. “Nicole was still wearing an expensive watch, and her purse was in her pocket.”

  “Where was she shot?”

  “The chest area.” She traced her fingers along her breastbone. “But the head shots killed her.”

  I paused to take a deep breath. “And she was on the bridge over the ford?”

  “Yes. New Mill Lane, do you know it?”

  I nodded but couldn’t hide my confusion. “Why would Nicole be there?”

  My earlier theory that she had been walking Charlie had been wrong. The officer had already said she didn’t have Charlie with her. I should have known that. It was a long walk from Yew Tree House, along a winding road that had no pavement.

  “Do you know if Nicole had a connection to the place?” Lizzie asked, breaking my train of thought.

  “Um, not especially. She did work there years ago. She worked in the kitchen when it used to be a restaurant. I think the New Mill has been converted into a private residence.”

  “Yes, some years ago.”

  “I can’t think of any reason why she would go there alone.”

  The ford cut across the road, so there wasn’t much through traffic. There was only a pedestrian bridge over the River Blackwater, and I couldn’t think why Nicole would want to go there alone.

  “Okay.” The officer drew a line under her notes. “I know you’ve had a long day travelling, so we’ll leave it there for tonight. You should get some rest. Where are you staying?”

  I hadn’t even thought about that. “I’m not sure yet, probably a hotel nearby.”

  I picked up the tea tray. “I’ll take this to the kitchen.”

  I needed to talk to Angie Macgregor. She wanted to tell me something. I was sure of it.

  Unfortunately, when I left the dining room, Marilyn called to me. I put down the tea tray and walked to where Marilyn stood with her daughter in the large hallway. Both wore their jackets and Janet jangled her car keys.

  “Abbie, dear, where are you staying tonight?” Marilyn asked.

  “I’m going to book into a hotel.”

  “Oh, that won’t do, at all. You should stay with me, shouldn’t she, Janet?”

  Janet looked like she’d sucked a lemon. Clearly, she thought that was a bad idea.

  “It’s fine,” I insisted, trying to defus
e the tension. “I’ve already arranged something. But I appreciate the offer, Marilyn. Are you going home now?”

  Marilyn sniffed. “Yes, there’s nothing more we can do tonight.”

  “Do you think Sienna has run away? The Family Liaison Officer said she’d done it before, but Nicole never mentioned it to me.”

  “And why would she?” Janet asked, raising her eyebrows. “You were in India. There wasn’t anything you could do to help.”

  I couldn’t respond. Janet was right. Some godmother I’d turned out to be. Had Nicole not wanted to burden me? I’d left the UK, but I should have made more effort to remain part of Sienna’s life.

  “You’re right,” I said, and Janet looked surprised at my reply. “Where do you think she’s gone?”

  Janet glanced at her mother then back at me. “She’s probably with that awful boyfriend of hers.”

  “Boyfriend? But she’s only fifteen!”

  Janet smirked. “Yes, and you were going out with Gary Stewart when you were fifteen, Abbie. I don’t know why you’re so surprised she has a boyfriend.”

  I was surprised because I was just coming to realise how little I knew about recent events in Nicole and Sienna’s lives.

  “What’s her boyfriend’s name?” I asked.

  Janet handed her mother the car keys and said, “Mum, wait in the car, would you? I want to have a private chat with Abbie.”

  Marilyn hesitated, and I wondered whether she would refuse, but in the end, she said, “Goodbye, Abbie,” kissed my cheek and walked out of the front door.

  When she was out of earshot, Janet said, “I know you see yourself as some kind of heroine, riding in to save the day, but the holier than thou act doesn’t cut it with me, Abbie. You know nothing about Sienna, and you’ve not seen Nicole for years. It is bloody inconsiderate of you to turn up out of the blue like this.”

  I was too shocked to reply immediately. Janet had just lost her sister, and her niece was missing, so I chose my words carefully. “I just wanted to help, Janet. I don’t want to upset anyone.”