‘A bit after ten. He briefly popped into the bedroom. I don’t know the exact time but I’d just got into bed. He came in and lay next to me but I told him I was too sick to do anything.’
‘Do anything?’
‘You know? Too out of it for sex. He then said that I must like someone else and that I was cheating on him. He says that a lot but I don’t take any notice. He stomped around and then left me to it with the washing-up bowl next to the bed.’
Gina swallowed as she tried to picture Grant angry at not getting his way. Did he then look to see where his wife was on the locator app and leave in a temper? Maybe he’d hoped to talk to her, then saw that she was with Jennifer.
‘You know Annabel was shagging someone else?’
‘Who’s that?’
‘I don’t know. Grant said she was and I said I was glad as she’d be happy when he left. He seemed angry about it though and told me to stop saying that all the time. I don’t think he wanted another man to become Cally’s father. That’s all it was. He said I don’t understand these things as I’ve never had a child.’
‘Did you ever hear Annabel speaking to this person?’
‘Nah. Look, I don’t know anything. I’m only guilty of falling in love. He loves me. I love him. Annabel’s obviously found out and run off in a strop.’
Gina felt her patience wearing thin. ‘Taylor, a woman is seriously injured in hospital and she might die. Annabel is also missing and we can’t find Grant. This isn’t looking like a strop.’
Her cheeks reddened. ‘What am I meant to do?’ She drank a few more gulps of water.
‘When did you and Grant get together?’
Taylor’s cheeks puffed out and she exhaled slowly. ‘Just after Christmas. I know Annabel and Grant had been arguing as I’d heard them. He went on about some party on a boat that she went to, but he won’t talk to me about it. The party was just before Christmas, I think. I reckon he found out about this other man then. I didn’t hear everything, it was just snippets when they’d both got home from work, while I was finishing up for the day or saying bye to Cally. Anyway, the one evening, she stormed out and said she needed some space and he was so upset. I stayed behind and ate their dinner with him. That’s when he kissed me. He told me he’d liked me since I started working for them and I liked him, a lot. I felt sorry for him too. He’s a really nice guy and she cheated on him. He deserved something more, someone loyal.’
‘Like you.’
‘Yes, like me. I wouldn’t cheat on him. If you want to look into something, look into that party she went to. He said that something happened and that Annabel hadn’t been the same since and he knew she’d been cheating. Maybe her boyfriend took her. Have you thought about that?’
‘Your aunt said that you were moving out of her annexe.’
‘Yes, Grant is finding us a place to rent.’
‘Have you tried to contact Grant this morning?’
Taylor scratched her torso and nodded. ‘I’ve called him over and over again but it keeps going to voicemail. I didn’t worry too much. I just thought he was with Annabel and couldn’t talk. Something’s happened to him too, hasn’t it?’
‘We don’t know that but as I said, we really need to locate him.’
‘If he’s not coming back, I’m stuck here. I don’t want to be here on my own. Can you give me a lift back to my aunt’s? I haven’t got my car.’
Gina sighed. ‘I can give you a lift back to Cleevesford Police Station where we’d appreciate a formal statement. We now have two missing people and we need to find them.’
She nodded rapidly and began to throw her things into a carrier bag. ‘I’ll do whatever. I want him found. You’ve got me worried now.’
‘Taylor?’
The girl stopped packing. ‘What?’
‘Why do you have a photo of Annabel in your car, the one with her face scribbled out?’
She stared at Gina, then at Wyre and began to sob. ‘I just want Grant to be mine. I told you. It must have something to do with Annabel’s boyfriend. She’s with him. Maybe they’ve run away.’
‘Whoever took her nearly killed another woman. How much did you want Annabel out of the way?’
She held her head in her hands and sobbed. Maybe an interview at the station would reveal more. They had to put her under pressure. ‘You’re right. I did want her out of the way and I’m glad she’s gone, but I didn’t hurt her.’
Gina wondered if she could believe anything Taylor was saying. As they left, she turned to Wyre. ‘Please call Olive while I get her in the car. Ask her if we can search the cabin before she cleans it.’ Wyre nodded.
