FIFTY-TWO
Thursday 10 December
Nancy paced the kitchen, constantly looking up at the window. The rain had eased. She’d had a call from Mr Whitman saying that Lara had been found, hiding out at the reservoir. She was safe and well. The police were bringing her straight home.
The relief had been immense. Nancy had sunk into a chair. Then Mr Whitman had gone on to say that as soon as Lara felt settled, they needed to both come in for a chat. It was part of the policy on absconding from school. He suggested the following day, if Lara was up to it. Nancy, who hadn’t even seen her daughter yet and couldn’t think straight until she did, had been non-committal and then hung up. She’d rested her head in her hands, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. It would be the post-adrenalin comedown, she knew; emotional, she burst into tears. She quickly blew her nose and got up. Now was not the time to fall apart. Lara would be back at any moment.
She was still looking out of the window when she saw the police car turn into her circular driveway. Nancy glancedanxiously and could see her daughter’s small white face in the back seat. She rushed to the front door and pulled it open.
Lara was getting out of the car. She was clutching a paper cup, Nancy noticed, and it seemed bizarre, as if she’d been on an outing to a cafe with these two police officers. The female officer escorted Lara over.
‘She’s a little bit cold but otherwise right as rain,’ said the female officer cheerfully.
Nancy put her arms gently around her daughter. ‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘for looking after her.’
‘Thank you,’ called Lara, all grown-up, as the police officers made their way back to their car. They waved big, generous waves then got in and drove off.
‘What’s that?’ asked Nancy, pointing at the cup.
‘Hot chocolate,’ said Lara. ‘From the cafe. They got it for me.’
‘That’s nice,’ said Nancy.
‘Yes.’
‘Are you OK?’
Lara looked up at her, her eyes fragile. ‘Yes. I’m sorry, Mum, for running away from school.’
Nancy stroked her daughter’s cheek. ‘You want to tell me why?’
Lara shrugged. ‘Rosie. Saying mean things. And then tripping me up in assembly.’
Nancy felt her blood boil. ‘Didn’t the teachers say anything?’
‘They didn’t think it was on purpose. Rosie made sure she apologized in front of them.’
‘But surely theyknow,’ said Nancy.
‘She’s too sneaky,’ said Lara. ‘They might suspect, but they don’t have any real evidence.’
‘Hmm,’ said Nancy. She would be making sure Mr Whitman was aware of the deviousness of this child when they went in to talk to him. ‘We’ll make them see,’ she said to Lara.
As she turned to lead Lara inside, she saw a disturbed patch of earth at the side of the house. She hadn’t noticed it before. She took a step closer then started as she saw a few bedraggled feathers sticking up out of the ground. ‘What’s that?’
‘Oh. It was the bird,’ said Lara.
‘What bird?’
‘The one that flew into the window. On the day we moved in.’
Nancy thought back. The bird with the red patch on its head. ‘But...what happened? Why’s it in the ground?’
‘It died. It flew into the window again, only this time it didn’t get up.’ Lara paused. ‘I buried it so you didn’t see. I didn’t want you to be upset,’ she added.
Nancy was taken aback. ‘I wouldn’t be upset.’ She looked down at the feathers, could see now that it was the edge of a wing. Poor bird, she thought, dead in the ground. ‘How do you know it’s the same bird?’ she asked.
Lara shrugged. ‘It looked like it.’
