Читать книгу Schoolgirl Missing: Discover the dark side of family life in the most gripping page-turner of 2019 - Sue Fortin, Sue Fortin - Страница 10

Neve hadn’t slept well that night, despite the evening’s talk to Poppy about the dangers of going off on her own being a marginal success. Poppy appeared to listen and, indeed, agree with Neve and Kit that disappearing wasn’t a good idea and talking to strangers was a no-no. Although, Poppy maintained that Lee was her new friend and she liked him, despite Neve pointing out that it was the first time Poppy had met Lee and had then tried to explain to Poppy how it takes time to get to know a person. Neve wasn’t really sure Poppy grasped the notion that not everyone she met should be regarded as a friend straight away. None of this had sat well with Kit, but to his credit, he had remained calm and accepted that Poppy hadn’t been able to really appreciate the danger she could put herself in.

Neve knew Poppy found it hard to understand the point they were making. She simply didn’t have the cognitive development to grasp exactly what they were saying. It had to be broken down into simplistic terms to gain any meaning for Poppy.

The catalyst for Neve’s broken sleep however, was Poppy’s new friend, Lee. Or, as Neve knew him, Ashley Farnham. A face and a name from Neve’s past. One she didn’t associate with happy events.

It was bizarre that he had reappeared here in the little village of Ambleton. Surely that was more than a coincidence. Whatever his reasons were for going by the name of Lee, the fact he’d made contact with her daughter troubled Neve. Did he know Neve lived in Ambleton? Did he know of her connection with Poppy?

She had tossed these questions around all night, unable to settle on an answer. Long held but tucked away memories of Ashley Farnham invaded her thoughts. In the end, she had got up and gone downstairs where she’d poured herself a glass of Kit’s whiskey in a bid to help her sleep.

It had worked but when she had woken this morning, she instantly knew something was troubling her. It took her a few seconds to remember and her heart dropped when she did. It was no good, she couldn’t carry on in this state of uncertainty. She had to find out what he was doing here.

Neve jotted down the phone number from the picture she had taken of Jake’s computer screen and added it to her contacts under the name ‘Laura’, who was one of the mums from school. Neve knew it would be a good cover if she happened to have a text come through and someone, Kit in particular, noticed the alert flash up on the screen.

Neve picked up her phone, tapped out a text message and pressed send. She watched the little blue line race across the top of her screen, followed up by a ping – confirmation her message had been sent. The word ‘Delivered’ appeared under the message. Satisfied, Neve slipped her phone into her bag and called up the stairs for Poppy to hurry up. ‘We don’t want to miss the bus!’ Neve gave Willow a couple of dog treats and settled her in her basket. ‘Stay there. Good girl.’

Poppy clomped her way down the stairs. ‘I’m ready.’

‘You’ve got toothpaste in the corner of your mouth,’ said Neve, handing Poppy a tissue.

‘Can you take me today?’ said Poppy as she rubbed the tissue round her mouth and then scrunched it up, leaving it on the hall table.

‘In the bin, please,’ said Neve, slipping her feet into her shoes. ‘And I am taking you. I always do.’

Poppy shuffled off to the kitchen and after disposing of the tissue, came back to put her own shoes on. ‘I meant take me to school. Not the bus stop.’

‘But I never take you to school.’

‘I don’t want to go on the bus.’ Poppy tugged the Velcro strap across the top of her foot.

‘Why?’

Poppy shrugged. ‘Just don’t.’

‘Well, that’s not a reason, is it?’ said Neve. She knew from past experience, the key with Poppy was consistency. If you let Poppy call the shots too often, then it became a battle for her to be compliant about the smallest of things. Everything became an issue, which ultimately turned into an argument. ‘Anyway, your dad’s paid for the bus. They’ll be expecting you and I can’t be driving backwards and forwards into town every day.’

‘You’ve got nothing else to do,’ said Poppy, her bottom lip sticking out as she stood up and picked up her bag and hockey stick.

Neve gave a small laugh as she checked her mobile phone. ‘Oh, I’ve got plenty of things to be getting on with. How do you think this ship keeps sailing?’

‘It’s not a ship. It’s a house.’

Neve sighed inwardly. Her mistake. Metaphors didn’t figure in Poppy’s world. ‘Well, what I mean is, if I’m not at home, then who is going to do all the housework, shopping, cleaning, washing and everything else that needs doing? They don’t get done on their own.’ She placed a hand on Poppy’s back and shepherded her out the door.

Neve checked her phone again as she slid into the driver’s seat. No reply to her text message yet.

‘Why do you keep looking at your phone?’ asked Poppy, sitting beside her.

‘I don’t,’ said Neve, although she knew to refute it was pointless.

‘Yes, you do. That’s twice since I came down.’

‘I’m just waiting for a reply to a text message. From my friend, Lucie, you know, who runs the coffee shop. I was waiting to see if she’s free to meet up.’ Neve mentally crossed her fingers and said a silent apology for the lie as they drove off towards the centre of the village.

Within a few minutes, they rounded the corner, the war memorial in sight where the school bus stopped to collect Poppy.

As usual, Neve pulled up a little further down the road from the bus stop. Poppy liked to walk the last twenty or so metres on her own and Neve was happy for her to do so. It gave Poppy the sense of independence and helped her self-esteem. A small act that some children wouldn’t think anything of, but for Poppy, was a big deal.

‘I’ll wait in the car,’ said Poppy, shrinking into the seat.

‘What’s up?’ asked Neve. ‘You usually can’t wait to get out of the car.’ Neve looked over towards the bus stop. There were half a dozen kids there in the local secondary school uniform. Four boys and two girls. She thought she recognised a couple of the lads. It was hard to tell their exact ages, but one of them was definitely Poppy’s age. Ben Hewitt. She remembered him from primary school days when Poppy had attended mainstream education. The others, although they were familiar in that she had seen them around the village, she wasn’t entirely sure of their names. Neve looked back at Poppy. ‘Do you want me to come over with you?’

‘No!’ Poppy practically shouted. ‘No. Don’t.’

‘OK. That’s fine. We can just wait in the car a little longer.’ Neve eyed the group of youngsters again. They seemed to have noticed her and Poppy now, looking over towards the car before turning away and laughing amongst themselves. Pretending to check her phone, Neve stole a glance at Poppy who was focused intently on the footwell of the car.

‘Can you drive me to school?’ asked Poppy without looking up.

Neve grimaced. ‘I’m sorry, Pops, I can’t today. I’ve got to meet my friend. Remember?’

‘Can’t you meet your friend later?’

‘They haven’t got a phone. I won’t be able to let them know.’

‘I thought you said you had texted them?’

Neve gulped down her unease. ‘That was a different friend.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘Err, excuse me. Who do you think you’re talking to?’

‘A liar.’ Poppy grabbed at the door handle and pushed it open.

‘Poppy! Wait.’ Neve reached over but Poppy was too quick and was out of the car, slamming the door before Neve could say anything else.

Neve’s automatic reaction was to jump out of the car and go after Poppy, but she paused, her hand resting on the door handle. Despite the fact that she hated the thought of parting on bad terms, Neve was painfully aware that when Poppy got into one of her moods, no amount of talking would lift her out of it. Poppy needed time to process her anger. Neve was also aware that causing a big scene in front of the other kids probably wouldn’t go down well either.

Reluctantly she sat back in her seat and acknowledged this fall-out was her own fault for lying to Poppy in the first place, but what choice did she have? Neve watched Poppy approach the bus stop. The other kids turned and standing on the edge of the kerb, followed Poppy’s progress. Poppy kept her head down and huddled into her jacket, tactics Neve knew her daughter used when she felt uncomfortable in certain social situations.

Ben Hewitt seemed to be holding court and whatever he was saying appeared to highly amuse his friends as they all broke out into laughter. Just as Poppy reached the kerb Ben stepped down in front of her. He was tall for his age and his physique was already showing signs of developing into a man. From where Neve was sitting, his face was smiling and in any other circumstance Neve would assume that his approach was welcomed, but there was definitely something about Poppy that told Neve otherwise. Poppy sidestepped Ben Hewitt who then turned his back on her and returned to his friends.

Neve relaxed again. They didn’t seem interested in Poppy now. Perhaps they were just saying hello to her after all. Neve checked her watch.

Shit.

She was going to be late. When she told Poppy she was meeting a friend this morning, she hadn’t been lying. Neve took another look at Poppy who had settled herself on the bench, away from the other kids.

Neve switched on the engine ready to go as soon as the St Joseph’s bus turned up. Typically, it was late today. Of all days, when she knew being late could be a problem. She took the decision to slowly turn the car around and head off for her meeting. She looked over in Poppy’s direction, hoping her daughter would look up so Neve could gauge her level of stress. But Poppy looked firmly at her feet. The group of pupils had swelled in numbers now, none of whom seemed in the least bit interested in either Poppy or Neve.

Neve took one final glance in the rear-view mirror as she steered the car around the corner. Something made her look back a second time. She couldn’t swear to it, but she thought she saw one of the kids walking towards Poppy. Too late, Neve was around the corner and the group were out of sight.

Perhaps she was over-reacting. Poppy would be all right. The kids weren’t interested in her now their other friends were there. Neve tried to reassure herself as the distance between her and Poppy grew. But no matter how she tried to rationalise it, disturbing thoughts of Ben Hewitt confronting Poppy wouldn’t leave her.

‘Sod it,’ she said out loud and pulled the car over to the side of the road, reversing into the opening of a field and wheel-spinning her way out, back towards the centre of the village.

If she hurried, she would be there before the bus.

As Neve brought her car around the corner, the bus stop came into view and she could see the group of kids standing around the bench that Poppy had been sitting on. She couldn’t see Poppy. Perhaps the bus had already been.

But the crowd of youths weren’t standing around in a huddle having a cosy chat. There was something about their stance, menace oozing from the collective.

Neve accelerated and sped towards the bus stop, screeching to a halt and charging out of the car. She pushed her way through the group of kids.

‘Get out of the way,’ she shouted. The burgundy blazers parted like a stage curtain. Only one boy remained oblivious to Neve’s presence. He was standing leaning over Poppy who was huddled on the bench, her school bag pulled close to her, hugging it like a comfort blanket, and her hockey stick grasped in one hand. Poppy was looking down at the ground, but Neve could see streaks of tears on the girl’s face.

She grabbed the shoulder of Ben Hewitt and spun him round. ‘Get the hell away!’ she growled through clenched teeth, in a voice she barely recognised. Her vocal chords contorting with rage. He was easily as tall as Neve and his broad shoulders seemed at odds with the schoolboy uniform.

‘Hey! Don’t touch me,’ exclaimed an indignant and cocky Ben Hewitt. ‘You’re not allowed to do that.’

‘I don’t give a stuff what you think. You stay away from her.’ Neve shot back at him. She crouched down and looked up at Poppy. ‘It’s OK now. Come with me.’ She eased Poppy to her feet. ‘You keep away from my daughter.’ She looked Ben Hewitt straight in the eye. ‘Don’t you dare come anywhere near her again. I don’t want you even breathing the same air. Got it?’

‘I wasn’t doing anything,’ said Ben, insolence plastered on his face.

‘Don’t give me that crap,’ said Neve. She looked round at the other faces of the group. ‘And that goes for all of you too. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Bullies, the lot of you.’

‘We weren’t doing anything. We were just asking Poppy about her bag. Weren’t we, Poppy?’ Ben went to touch Poppy’s arm, but Neve was quick and swiped his hand away.

‘I told you, stay away from her,’ she snarled.

‘Or you’ll do what? Tell my mum? Ooh, I’m scared.’ Ben laughed and looked round at his contemporaries. A few of them sniggered.

‘Just keep away, you little shit,’ said Neve. Her temper finally unleashing itself from her hold. ‘Now, get out of the way.’

‘Say please.’ Ben folded his arms.

Neve felt the crowd close ranks. She took a steadying look at Ben and when she spoke, her voice was low but full of controlled power.

‘Piss. Off.’ She pushed Ben with her hand and the lad stumbled back.

‘Oi!’ he shouted. ‘Like I said, you can’t do that. That’s assault.’

‘What are you going to do? Tell tales to your mum?’ said Neve, and then mimicking the boy. ‘Ooh, I’m scared.’

This elicited another ripple of laughter from the crowd.

Ben’s face flushed red. ‘Stuck-up bitch with your half-wit daughter,’ he said.

Neve stopped in her tracks. She counted to five. Increased the count to ten. God, it was taking all her effort to restrain herself from turning around and smacking that little shit right in the face. She let out a long slow breath. When she spoke, she was amazed at how calm she sounded.

‘Come on, Poppy, get in the car.’ Neve opened the door and as Poppy climbed in, Neve took the hockey stick from her, before walking slowly back to the group of youths and coming to a halt in front of Ben Hewitt. Their eyes were level and Neve purposefully stood in his personal space. ‘You, Ben Hewitt, have been warned.’ She lifted the hockey stick and let it fall into the palm of her other hand. ‘Stay the fuck away from my daughter. Got it?’

Ben Hewitt swallowed. Neve could see the look of uncertainty and surprise on the boy’s face.

‘You’re a psycho,’ said Ben, looking down at the hockey stick and taking a step back.

Neve, sensing she had the upper hand, took a step forward. ‘And you are pushing your luck.’ She gave the hockey stick the slightest of twitches and was satisfied when Ben Hewitt flinched.

As she walked calmly back to the car, she was aware the other kids were watching her all the way. Hopefully she had made her point.

‘You want to watch your back!’ Ben Hewitt’s voice trailed after her. ‘Both of you. Nasty things can happen, even in a quiet little village like this.’

Neve ignored the jibe. The little prick was just trying to regain some credibility from his cronies. The pinging of her mobile phone took her attention away from the scene and pausing before she got into the car, she saw she had a reply to her earlier message.

I wondered when you’d contact me. When and where?

Despite everything and her long-held desire never to have anything to do with Ash again, an undeniable shot of adrenalin raced through her. This must be what it was like for addicts when they weighed up a glass of wine, a line of coke, a betting slip, a cigarette. The rush, even if for just a split second, was always there. Apprehension followed as she sent her reply.

Old boathouse on the other side of the bridge. Today. 1pm.