‘I woke you.’
‘It’s okay. I did call you first. You okay?’
‘Yes,’ she replied as she lay back and booted her laptop up. ‘I just saw the missed call. Is everything alright?’
‘Something I thought you’d want to know before you conduct any interviews tomorrow. It’s about Susan Wheeler’s car.’
Gina’s heart began to race. A break in the case would be well worth the late call, not that Briggs ever needed an excuse. She liked him calling her even though their relationship was going nowhere. She liked to hear his voice. She liked to picture sleepy Chris Briggs, lying in his bed, in the bed they’d both rolled in a few times.
‘It was fitted with a tracker. Without investigating further, we have to consider that someone wanted to know where she was at all times.’
‘I’m glad you called.’
‘You called me,’ he replied.
‘Only because you called me first.’
Her laptop whirred into action. ‘Are you working?’
‘You can tell?’
He went silent. ‘You sound a little worried. Is something bothering you?’
A tear began to fill her eye. ‘No, nothing’s wrong. I was just half asleep, that’s all.’
‘I’ll catch you tomorrow, then. Sleep well.’
‘You too.’ She ended the call and placed her laptop to the side, the side where Briggs used to lie and she stared at the ceiling, hoping for morning to hurry while she allowed her mind to wander, running scenarios about how the tracking device ended up in Susan’s car, and what the red liquorice meant.
Forty-One
Phoebe walked along the path in her thick coat. Her dad had popped out. After leaving them alone for who knows what the previous night, Phoebe thought he came home looking worn and tired, holding his head like her mother would do during times of stress. While he’d been gone, she’d put some music on for Jasmine as she mulled over her mother’s message. Her dad had been angry with the noise when he eventually returned home. She’d kept them safe, kept the curtains closed and the door locked. And all he could do was shout at her, just like he always shouted at her mother.
She kicked a can along the pavement and it slipped over the edge, into a puddle that had pooled over a blocked drain. It floated gently away without a care in the world.
A dog barked in the distance. She missed home and could think of nothing more than going back and being with her mother.
Leaning against a lamppost at the next turning, she pulled out her phone and smiled. Another Snapchat message must have arrived while she’d been walking. A gust of wind blew her curly hair into the sky and a drop of rain splashed onto her cheek. She shivered as she opened the message.
Phoebe, honey. Please meet me at the park, you know, your park. Where you were the other night. I need to tell you something but don’t bring anyone else. I’m in danger and you have to help me. I know I can rely on you and trust you. I love you my big munchkin. Be there in one hour. I love you loads. Mum. Xxx.
Her heart began to thud about in her chest. She began typing a reply but her mother had already left the chat group. She needed to get away from Jasmine without arousing suspicion. It had been her mother watching her that night, after school. Her mother knew of the park, they’d talked about it. She checked the time. It would take her fifteen minutes to get to there. She’d have to hurry. She almost slipped in a puddle as she ran back to the apartment and burst through the door.
‘Jasmine, I’m going to hang out at Ava’s for a bit.’
Jasmine turned the volume down on Ariana Grande’s music as she shoved the last bit of chocolate into her mouth. ‘Who’s Ava?’ Mouth open, she churned the chocolate around as she waited for an answer.
Who was Ava? Phoebe hadn’t really thought that far ahead. ‘A girl, my age. She lives just over there. Past the houses at the end. I’ll only be an hour. She’s had a…’ she paused ‘… a dog, a puppy and I want to see it.’
‘Can I come? I want to see the puppy.’ She jumped up and wiped her hands together.
‘No. Ava’s my friend, not yours. Just stay here because Dad will wonder where we both are when he comes home.’
‘Okay, leave me out as usual.’ Jasmine turned away from her.
‘Grow up. I’m just going to see my friend. I won’t be long. Just tell Dad I’ll be back for lunch.’
‘Where does she live? You know Dad will ask.’
