“I didn’t know that. What did he do?” And was it linked to Cara’s disappearance? I read too many murder mystery novels to not link the two, although there could be no link at all. Sue flinched, her expression one of a woman who’d seen this many times before. “A gun related murder. He’s heavily involved with organised crime groups in the North-West. This is the fourth time he’s been incarcerated.”
“Oh. I only remember seeing him twice – when he’s stayed at Cara’s and I’d been passing in the morning. He’d been leaving. That was the second time. The first time was in the town when Cara was pregnant.” I remembered both times well, although I wasn’t sure why they stuck out. During summer, the number of tourists to Puffin Bay was high, so the faces of strangers could become a blurred mural. Sue nodded, her attention elsewhere somewhat. She probably had other things to get on with rather than listen to me prattle on.
“The police have managed to get a set of keys to Cara’s house from her landlord, so I wondered if you wanted to get some of Mia’s clothes and toys and things, if you’re happy for her to carry on staying with you for the time being.”
She looked at me hopefully, only I wasn’t sure why she needed to be hopeful. There was no way I’d say Mia couldn’t stay with us.
“Mia is fine to stay. I think she’d like to pick up her own things though.” I wanted to see how she acted when she went home too. There was something that suggested to me she knew more than what she’d said so far. Sue nodded, distracted with something on her phone. “How about we pick Mia up fromschool together and both go there. I need to have a chat with her on her own – it’s just procedure and there for her protection.”
So Mia had the chance to talk about whatever she wished without me being there. I understood and I had no problem at all with it, apart from Mia’s shyness with people she wasn’t familiar with worried me. She hadn’t used to be this timid.
“No problem. How about you take her for ice cream after we’ve been to Cara’s house and me and Heidi can take Mia’s things back, so I can talk with Heidi about Mia staying for longer.” I hadn’t had much one-on-one time with my daughter.
“That sounds like a good idea.” Sue put her phone away. “How was Mia before her mum disappeared?”
“She’s always been quiet. I think that’s partly why she and Heidi are good friends, because Heidi definitely isn’t quiet and Mia seems to trust Heidi to speak for her sometimes. She’s been quieter since Cara disappeared.” I felt better for having confided that.
“That’s not surprising. You’re okay with the special guardianship procedure? Shall I talk you through it?”
I nodded, although there was no need. I’d already researched what means needed to be taken to stop Mia from going into foster care away from her friends and town. There were searches, a few more intrusive ones than before, and a court had to agree to it, which could be problematic as I wasn’t related to Mia, but I knew I was the better option than her being placed with strangers at cost to the state. Sue spent the next hour going through the formalities, making notes as she did about me and Heidi and what our routine was like. There was information needed around my job, my extended family who I got on with well, but didn’t see much of as they were spread across Europe now.
“Are you seeing anyone at the moment?” she asked. “As in a relationship?”
For some reason, an image of Cassian found its way into my head. I felt my cheeks heat as I pushed the image away. I’d seen him briefly this morning when I’d dropped the girls off at school; he’d been at the gate, greeting the children as they came in, knowing a lot of their names already.
Like a few of the parents, I’d noticed his dark good looks, eyes two pieces of shiny coal in a face that was sculpted for editorial work in high-end magazines. The parents’ message groups had already been alive with comments about us now having eye-candy, some of the lines containing sentiments that would’ve had HR all over them if they’d been professionals in a school, I imagined.
There had been lots of comments about how much the kids liked him too, which was more important by a country mile. He was fun, the feedback had said, but fair, and he’d taught a few PE lessons, which had gone down a treat because the old head had sat in his office most of the day and only taken one assembly a week, which had been a similar format to what I remembered from decades ago.
Mr Caddick was modern in his approach and he smiled, something that most of the parents had noticed.
Including me.
“No. I’ve been single since my husband died. Heidi sees a lot of her gran – Joel’s mum. She’s called Mary McAllister.” I listed her address and phone number, knowing they’d want to speak to her about doing a check too. “Mary usually has Heidi stay with her one night a week or every two weeks to give me some time to myself. If it’s okay, we’ll plan the same for Mia too.”
“Will Mary be happy with having Mia too?”
That was an easy answer. “Mary’s never met a child she didn’t want to add as an extra grandkid. We went to her house for Sunday dinner. Mia was impeccably behaved – not an elbow on the table. Heidi was another story.” Heidi could barely sit stillbecause Mary had taken in another rescue dog. That would be something else I needed to tell the social worker. Sue made more notes, more time slipping away. We were closing in on school pick up time, which meant the chances of me getting through any work this afternoon were slimmer than the possibility of me appearing on a reality dating show.
Never going to happen.
I sent a silent whisper of thanks for an understanding employer.
“Are you planning on any holidays this year, Romy? Hopefully Cara will come home soon and we’ll be able to support her with Mia going home.” Her face told me this wasn’t the truth as such. Worst case scenario, she’d abandoned her child. Another worst case scenario she was being held somewhere against her will. I doubted that either situation would result in Mia being allowed home straight away.
“I was going to take Heidi to London for a few nights. I was thinking of going to Disneyland Paris in the October half term, as a surprise. I’m happy to take Mia with us, if we’re allowed.” I had no idea how these things worked.Sue made another note and closed her notepad. “You just need to clear it with me. If Mia’s still with you in October, then I’d agree for her to go with you, if all is well, and you’d have a signed letter and all of that, but we can go through that nearer the time.” She sighed, shaking her head. “The police are concerned about Cara’s whereabouts, although this isn’t the first time she’s left Mia alone – or with her aunt.”
“Really? When did she leave her on her own?” I wasn’t aware of this.
“Last year. The aunt reported it. I believe Cara got home just before social services arrived, but there was some story about a medical emergency that kind of checked out. It probably should’ve been followed up, I can’t lie and say it was bestpractice, but something more critical would’ve come through and maybe a social worker transferred and it slipped through the net. Not a good excuse, I know.”
I nodded, no idea what to actually say. “We should head off to pick the girls up. School’s nearly finished for the day.”
“Of course. Let’s go.” She put her notepad in her bag and winced as she stood up. “I never noticed my knees until I turned fifty, and don’t mention my hip.”
I smiled, wondering how old you were when your body started talking loudly to you.
Mr Caddick was at the gates again by the time we arrived at the school. It was an old building, typical of the area, with a large playground and a school field. The road it was set off was pedestrian only, apart from emergency vehicles, as it wasn’t made for cars. This was both a bone of contention with the parents as well as an acknowledged good thing, as it was definitely safer, but in autumn when the storms were a weekly event, it got a bit squelchy.
