16
Theo hurried back towards the car and drove as fast as he could, away from the police and his daughter’s digs. He drove into Cleevesford and along the high street until he found the pub, the one Amber worked in.
He charged through the heavy door and made his way to the bar. Maybe he should have come earlier, checked out where his daughter was working but she’d told him to stay away and he’d respected that. He glanced at the collection box and swallowed. They must have thought a lot of Amber, too.
‘What can I get you?’ The woman with bright red lips that matched her nails leaned on the bar, waiting for an answer. Her leopard print top flapped open as a button slipped from the hole. His instinct was to tell her to do it up, just like the many times he’d told Amber to change before she went out with friends. That had caused a lot of arguments between them. In any other circumstances, he might have tried to chat this woman up but right now, all he needed was a drink.
‘A pint of Wonky Elm, please?’
‘Good choice.’ As she turned to pour it, her heels clipped on the tiled floor behind the bar. Too spiky and too showy, she wasn’t his type at all. He stopped himself from thinking about when he confiscated half of Amber’s clothes and shoes for this very reason. And now, he’d finally taken a look in her wardrobe, never daring to do so before in case the clothes she was wearing were despicable. The short skirts, the tight dresses, the high-heeled thigh-length boots – and she had a vibrator in her bedroom drawer. He shook his head trying to cast all these images out of his head. His Amber. His little girl.
‘One Wonky Elm. Can I get you anything else? We have a brunch menu.’
He shook his head. ‘I’m good thanks. Thank you for what you are doing.’ He pointed to the collection tin. ‘I’m Amber’s father.’
‘I’m so sorry. We all loved her here. She was such a lovely—’
He held up his hand to end the conversation. He couldn’t talk about it, not yet. Taking the pint, he found a quiet corner in the pub and stared into the fireplace, watching as the flames licked the edges. A breeze blew through the chimney. Little flecks of black swished along the hearth until one piece hit the carpet.
Pulling the phone from his pocket, he clicked on the app one more time and stared at his daughter’s face. His beautiful girl had been ‘looking for a good time’. Holding his finger on the app, he dragged it away, deleting it forever. He no longer had to watch over her. Swigging the ale, he felt his emotions beginning to spill. He swallowed them down, closed his eyes and slowed his heart rate down with a few controlled breaths. The app was deleted and no one would know he’d ever used it.
He should never have gone there, to that place within himself that he tried so hard to bury. It was unforgivable. Some things can’t stay in a box. They escape, consuming you until you let them out and now he could never forgive himself.
17
Gina read through the messages again, sent from multiple people. This time she read all the replies to the original messages.
BigBoz
Amber, I really lurved last night. You do something 2 me that I can’t explain. Fancy a repeat performance? Just tex if u do.
No reply and no further messages to BigBoz.
NoName
I need to speak to you. Please, Amber.
Amber
What we did wasn’t right and you lied to me. Don’t message me again.
NoName
Don’t do this to me. Answer your phone. I need to talk to you.
NoName
Why aren’t you answering?
NoName
There’s someone else, isn’t there?
Amber
You’re stressing me.
NoName
