Gone (29 page)

He finally found the street he was after and parked down a side street before locating Ben’s house. He knocked and waited. There was a car on the drive, someone had to be home. He wondered if she was there, with Ben, watching him from the window like the old days. Would either of them call the police? Unlikely. He knew what they’d done, they’d want to see the cops as much as he did.

Lucas was about to knock again, but thought better of it and headed round the back. None of the windows looked particularly secure but if he couldn’t open them any other way, a brick would do.

He saw a figure moving in the darkness of the kitchen, near the back door. Lucas pushed against it as Ben lunged forward, realising too late the mistake he’d made leaving the door unlocked.

Ben tried to slam the door but Lucas was too quick, pushing it back and forcing his way in. He banged the door shut with one hand and shoved Ben against the wall with the other.

‘Hello, Ben,’ he said.

‘What do you want?’ Ben asked, not looking Lucas in the eye.

‘No “hello”? No “how’s it going”?’ He slammed Ben into the wall again. ‘Have it your way. Where is she?’

Ben was breathing quickly. ‘Who?’ he said and Lucas pulled him up straight, dragging him through to the living room. As he threw him to the floor, Lucas looked around, trying to work out if she’d been there.

‘Who?’ Lucas spat at him. ‘Who do you fucking think?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Don’t fucking lie to me.’ Lucas loomed over Ben, his eyes never leaving him. ‘Now, I’ve warned you once. Where is she?’

‘I don’t know,’ Ben said. ‘I swear.’

Ben flinched as Lucas raised his foot, letting it linger over Ben’s body. ‘Once more,’ he said. ‘Where is she?’

Ben closed his eyes. ‘I don’t know,’ he repeated and Lucas brought his foot forward, kicking him in the ribs.

‘I
will
find her again,’ Lucas said. ‘I’ve done pretty good so far. So you might as well just tell me.’ He bent down and grabbed Ben’s face, squeezing, making Ben look at him. ‘You’ll only make it worse for yourself.’

‘I don’t know where she is,’ he said.

Lucas raised his foot again but this time used it to push Ben’s head down, pressing against his neck. Ben gasped for air and tried to prise Lucas’s foot away but the more he struggled the harder Lucas pressed. Eventually Lucas stepped back and Ben gasped for breath, grabbing at his throat. He curled up, protecting himself.

‘So you don’t know where she is,’ Lucas asked. ‘But you know what I’m talking about, don’t you?’

Ben turned away from Lucas but he reached down and pulled him up straight. Lucas crouched in front of Ben and smiled.

‘See, I was wondering how she’d done it, how someone like her had done something like that and then I realised. Of course, she had you,’ Lucas said. ‘But what I want to know is
why
you did it.’ Ben said nothing. ‘I know you didn’t get laid,’ he said, squeezing Ben’s face again. ‘Cause you’re a poof, aren’t you? A fucking bender.’

Ben’s jaw clenched. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said and Lucas started laughing. He stood up and lit a cigarette.

‘What? You’re not a poof? Now I don’t believe that,’ he said and took a drag.

‘Please,’ Ben said. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

Lucas jumped forward and bent over in front of Ben’s face. He rammed the cigarette into Ben’s cheek, causing him to scream.

‘Stop telling lies,’ Lucas said, ‘and I’ll stop hurting you.’ He stepped back and picked up the cigarette butt. ‘Now that was a waste,’ he said and lit another. He sat in front of Ben, smoking, and then pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it up in front of Ben.

‘I found this in her house,’ Lucas said, putting his cigarette out on the carpet. ‘In her diary. Got me thinking maybe she was planning a trip.’ Ben still said nothing. ‘So either she’s on her way, in which case I’ll just hang around and wait until she gets here. Or else she’s already been and you’re lying to me.’ He shuffled towards Ben and put his face in front of his. ‘Either way, I think I’ll stay for a while,’ he said with a smile.

‘She hasn’t been here,’ Ben said. ‘I swear.’

Lucas nodded. ‘All right. Then I’ll wait.’ He stood up, glanced around at all the guardian angel shit, and started to walk out of the room.

‘Where’re you going?’ Ben asked him.

‘None of your business,’ Lucas said with a smile, walking into the kitchen. He was starving, wondered if Ben had anything worth eating. He was probably a vegetarian. He looked like one.

As he looked in the fridge, Lucas heard the door, the scrape of the wood across the floor as someone tried to pull it open. Was it someone coming back? It couldn’t be Ben, he wouldn’t be that stupid. Maybe it was her.

Lucas turned to check who was coming in and saw Ben disappearing out onto the driveway.

Emma stood across the street, watching the house, thinking it was stupid coming here. But where else was she going to go? She wondered if Ben would even want to see her. And who could blame him if he didn’t? After the things she’d made him do. She wouldn’t want to see her either.

She watched the house and wondered if Ben even lived there any more. It’d been such a long time since she’d seen him, since he’d given her a lifeline. Maybe she
should
just keep away from him. But she had nowhere else to go.

She stood staring at the house, wondering if she should just leave. Just start again like she had before.

And then she saw him.

The door opened and Ben came out. She almost smiled. Almost felt as if things would be okay. He always knew what to do.

But something was wrong. Ben ran down the driveway, slipping on the icy ground. She started walking towards him, almost called out. And then she saw what he was running from.

Lucas Yates.

Chapter 67

17 December 2010

Freeman followed Gardner out of the room and closed the door on Stewart’s voice, demanding a cup of tea if they weren’t letting him out any time soon.

‘So,’ she said.

‘You believe him?’ Gardner asked.

‘About what?’

‘Any of it.’

‘Well, I can’t see why he’d lie about living next door to Jenny. If he was trying to make a deal, surely making something up about Emma would be the way to go.’

‘All right, so he’s telling the truth about Jenny living there. What about the rest?’

Freeman shrugged. ‘If he’s right and Emma and Ben went in there for whatever reason . . . Then what? Things get out of hand and Emma ends up dead? Ben panics and buries the body?’

‘Might explain why he denied knowing Emma,’ Gardner said. ‘And you said it was no secret that Jenny hated Emma.’

‘Yeah, but enough to kill her?’

‘What about Ben? You think he could’ve killed Emma?’

Freeman glanced at him before walking away. ‘I don’t know. Maybe. But I wouldn’t be willing to base a case on what Stewart Thomas says.’

‘Who would?’ Gardner said, looking back through the window at Stewart. ‘You think it’s worth checking the flat?’

Freeman shook her head. ‘Knocked down a few years back.’ She sighed. ‘He knew Lucas Yates, though,’ she said. ‘It’s possible he still has a part in this. Maybe Stewart knows Lucas’s reputation and doesn’t want to be the one to grass him to the police. Maybe he’s lying about Ben.’

‘Maybe,’ Gardner said and checked his phone. One new message from Lawton, probably reminding him not to be late to the party. He slid the phone back into his pocket.

‘It just doesn’t feel right. Why would Emma go to Jenny’s flat in the first place? And if Ben was there, why would he just stand by idly while Jenny killed the girl he’d been helping?’ Freeman shifted her weight onto the other foot. ‘You think we could go upstairs and talk about this?’

‘I’d rather not,’ he said.

Freeman sighed and leaned into the wall. ‘It just doesn’t make sense.’

‘Is it possible Ben went to the flat to try and find Jenny if he was worried about her? You said she’d been going to the clinic for a while. Maybe Emma tagged along if he was also matey with her. And that’s when Stewart saw them?’

‘But Stewart said they were there for a while, that they went in.’

‘He could be mistaken. And even if they
did
go in it doesn’t mean anyone was murdered. Doesn’t mean he was carrying a body out later. I think maybe we need to speak to Ben again.’

‘Great. But first, I need to pee,’ Freeman said and headed back the way they’d come, leaving Gardner alone in the corridor. Despite there being no one else around he felt like he was being watched, conspicuous. He checked his phone again and listened to Lawton’s message.

‘Sir, it’s Lawton. Can you call me back as soon as you’re free? It’s about that address on Ayresome Street you stopped at the other day. Thanks.’

Gardner hung up. He started to call her back when Freeman returned.

‘Ready?’ she asked.

‘Hang on,’ Gardner said. ‘Lawton just called. Something about Jenny’s house.’

Freeman was about to speak, but he cut her off as Lawton answered. ‘Lawton, it’s me. What’s going on?’

‘I’m not sure, sir,’ she said.

‘Are you at the house?’

‘No. Someone came in not long ago saying his girlfriend was missing. His name’s Adam Quinn. He’d been away overnight so wasn’t sure how long she’s been gone but he said all her things were still there and the back door was left open, a window smashed. I didn’t think much of it but he left a photo of her, wrote his name and number on the back. Plus his address. I recognised it.’

‘This guy’s Jenny Taylor’s boyfriend?’ Gardner asked and Freeman’s ears pricked up.

‘He said she was called Louise Taylor,’ Lawton said. ‘I just thought I should let you know.’

‘Hang on a minute,’ he told her and held the phone to his chest.

‘What’s going on?’ Freeman asked.

‘Someone reported his girlfriend missing from Jenny’s address. Said her name was Louise Taylor.’

Freeman’s brain whirred. ‘Jenny’s middle name is Louise,’ she said. ‘So it is her.’

Gardner got back on the phone. ‘Lawton, can you send a copy of the photo to my phone?’ Lawton said she’d get on it and he hung up.

‘At least we know she was there,’ Freeman said. ‘Shame she’s not any more.’

‘Fuck,’ Gardner said. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have left a note.’

His phone buzzed as Lawton’s message came through. And Gardner’s face dropped.

‘Is it her?’ Freeman asked and turned the phone in his hand to see. ‘Shit,’ she said and looked at Gardner. ‘That’s not Jenny. That’s Emma Thorley.’

Freeman wondered if she looked as gormless as Gardner did at that moment. She stared at the photo again.

Emma Thorley was alive. Alive and apparently living as Jenny Taylor. Or Louise Taylor, to be precise.

‘Emma’s middle name was Louise, too,’ Freeman said. ‘I can’t believe this. I just . . .’ She turned and leaned her head against the cold wall. ‘It’s not her.’

‘So it’s Jenny?’

‘Has to be,’ Freeman said. ‘Why else would Emma be using her ID?’

Gardner blew out his cheeks and shook his head. ‘So now what? Are you looking at Emma as a suspect?’

‘For what? Murder?’ Freeman shook her head. ‘It doesn’t seem likely, but then . . . She’s using her identity. She had to know Jenny was dead. So maybe Stewart was right. She did go into that flat.’

‘You think she did it alone?’

Freeman shook her head again. ‘No, I can’t see it. She was a kid. She must’ve had help.’

‘Who? Lucas? Or Ben?’

‘Not Lucas. There’s no way. She didn’t have anything to do with him. But Ben? He’d helped her before.’