Some days, I stay behind at school and make up some rubbish to ask her. There’s no way I needed her to explain something as simple as adding fractions up but I like being close to her. Sometimes I get that close I can smell her.
It seems like ages ago now I was riding my bike up towards the industrial estate on my way to visit Nan and I saw her with her little girl. I never imagined she’d live in a house like that. A semi-detached cottage in a row of cottages. It was small. Maybe her husband isn’t as successful as he makes out on social media. All muscles, no brains, maybe. That’s my edge. I have brains and Annabel is impressed by brains, and one day I’m going to be someone. The next Brian Cox, maybe. A part of me knows I’m destined for more than the average person. I feel myself harden as I think of her and I can’t help it.
‘Omar, sweetheart. Hurry up. I need some help with the shopping.’
‘Mum, do I have to come?’
She bursts in, giving me no privacy at all. I drop my hoodie in my lap to cover up my thoughts of Annabel, then I shut the screen down. If Mum sees me looking at my teacher on Facebook with a hard-on, she’ll never let me hear the end of it. She found one porno mag under my bed and she still bangs on about that.It objectifies women. It’s not real. They’re all airbrushed.She goes on and on and thinking about it is making my face redden. So, I’m a man now. I wanted to look at breasts. So what. I look on the internet now, instead. No more magazines for Mum to find. She’s giving me a funny look as I wriggle in my chair. Trying to distract her eye from my lap area, I bring up TikTok and laugh as two girls dance on roller boots. Playfully, she swipes my thick black hair and kisses my head. ‘Yes, you do have to come. Maybe when we’ve done the shopping, I’ll treat you to a hot chocolate with marshmallows.’ She looks at me and smiles. ‘My boy, you’re growing up so quickly.’
‘Mum.’ She’s really embarrassing me now. I am growing up, she’s right about that. I’m a man now and I’m man of the house. It’s time for me to step up for her. ‘I’ll be down in a sec.’ As she leaves, I get Annabel’s Facebook back up then a new post she’s tagged in appears on her wall.
If you see Annabel, please call the number below. Please be okay. We love you. Dad.
Attached is a missing person’s poster that has been shared from Cleevesford Police. I’ve seen the photo they’re using, she keeps it on her sideboard in the hall of her house. I think back to that day at school, when I saw and heard those private things. She begged me not to say anything. I would never betray her because I love her. Her secrets are all mine.
EIGHTEEN
‘It’s been an hour now and Grant still hasn’t come back for his car,’ Gina said as she and Wyre pulled on their crime scene suits. Gina acknowledged the police officer who had been guarding the cabin and she entered with Wyre close behind. Olive, the owner, had been briefed. They were looking for drugs and any sign of Grant having anything to do with the hit-and-run, and the abduction of his wife. Specifically, she was looking for something to link the scene of the crime to Grant.
‘He knows we’re after him and he must know we have his gym bag. He’ll come back for it.’ Wyre stepped into the kitchen area.
‘Let’s hope he doesn’t spot Smith parked a couple of rows back. It’s a good job Kapoor is with him. I can’t see Smith running if he takes off.’ Gina glanced down at the sweet wrappers.
‘Do you need me for anything?’ Olive popped her head through the door.
‘No, we should be okay. A forensics van should arrive soon, could you please point them in our direction?’
‘Of course.’ She paused. ‘I have more guests arriving soon. Will you be long?’
‘We hope not but I can’t make any promises.’
‘It’ll look bad, you lot here, dressed like CSI. People will think someone has been murdered.’
Gina bit her bottom lip as she thought of Jennifer in hospital. Her condition hadn’t changed and if she didn’t make it through, they could be investigating a murder. They were still no nearer to finding Annabel either. ‘We’re really sorry to put you through this.’
Olive dismissed her concern with a smile. ‘It’ll be what it will be. I hope you find what you’re after. I’ll be back at the shop if you need me.’
‘Thanks.’ The woman turned back and Gina left Wyre in the kitchen, rooting through the bin.
Heading to the one and only bedroom, she entered and the first thing that hit her was the smell. Taylor had been right about how drunk she’d been. There was a smear of vomit on the pillow and an emptied but soiled washing-up bowl by the side of the bed. The white sheets were mostly on the floor and an unopened pack of condoms were on the bedside table. Taylor’s belongings had gone but Grant’s remained; not that there was much. A polo shirt had been thrown on the floor and next to that, a pair of worn underpants. She kneeled down and checked under the bed – nothing. She opened the bedside table drawers – empty. Maybe forensics would find something by swabbing the surfaces. Large glass doors led to a small terrace. Gina slid the door open and instantly spotted the nub end. With gloved hands, she lifted it and sniffed. Weed. She pulled an evidence bag from her pocket and placed it inside before heading to the bathroom. There was nothing personal in there at all. Taylor must have been existing out of her holdall. She bagged the only thing she could find, a toothbrush that must belong to Grant. Leaning over, she checked the waste bin. It was empty.
Joining Wyre in the kitchen, she glanced around. What they really needed was to search Grant’s house. He was now a person of interest after running from the police. ‘Have you found anything?’
‘No, guv. I’ve checked the cupboards and fridge. They haven’t used the bin, it looks like they used the floor instead.’
‘Have you been on the decked area?’
‘Not yet.’
Gina sidled past the log burner and opened the bi-fold doors to a wooden patio area to a view of dense woodland that looked like it went on forever. She pulled back the hot tub cover and the smell of chlorine hit her. Birdsong filled the air. As she turned to go back in, she spotted a waste bin in the corner. Rifling through, she pulled out a wad of paper tissues with what looked to be smears of blood on them. ‘Wyre, we have blood. Get this place properly cordoned off. No one can enter or leave now except for Bernard’s team when they arrive. These need to go to the lab ASAP. We need to know whose blood this is. It should be a quick match if it’s one of them.’
Gina’s phone rang. ‘Jacob, what have you got?’
‘It’s Grant’s bag. After swabbing it, we found traces of amphetamine sulphate.’
She ended the call and turned to Wyre. ‘At the very least, we will be bringing Grant in to discuss the traces of speed on his bag. At the most, if that blood turns out to be Jennifer’s or Annabel’s, we can put him at the scene. Best get those tissues to the lab now. Then let’s head to his house. We need to call her father to make sure he can be there. I know he called the station earlier to say he was taking Cally to his house. Grant is in the middle of all this. Get a rush on that blood and organise a warrant to search his house.’
NINETEEN
