Page 12 of Then She Vanished

‘Actually, I recall that some of his loyalty cards were found nearby. The burglar had ditched them.’

Gina wondered if their dead man had simply found the library card on the path and decided to use it. Maybe he wasn’t actually the burglar. ‘Where were these cards found?’

‘Just outside the back garden.’

‘Can I take a look?’ Gina asked.

‘Of course. If you think it will help, but it was such a long time ago.’ Josie stood and led Jacob and Gina through the narrow-fitted kitchen, out of the bifold doors.

‘What’s behind the gate?’

‘Resident parking spaces – we all have a space allocated to us there. There’s no space on the road. It’s also a courtyard with only one way in, so no one comes here apart from residents and guests of residents. It was the same when my dad lived here.’

Gina walked to the end of the garden and peered over the gate. She wondered if the person who picked up the library card had been a resident. ‘Where exactly were the cards found?’

Josie opened the gate, her slippers slapping on the road with each step. ‘Here, right next to my dad’s parking space. Dad didn’t have a car, he preferred the bus; he liked to chat to people.’

‘Did he have many visitors?’

‘Only one around that time, and police couldn’t find him after the burglary. He used to like playing chess with this man who popped over now and again. Dad used to like him and they sometimes met at the pub.’

‘Do you know his name or anything else about him?’

‘Not really. He lived close by and would park in Dad’s space when he visited. I know he had a daughter, too, and he was always asking dad’s advice as he was struggling to look after her on his own.’

‘Did you ever see him?’

‘Sorry, no. I know he had a Transit van – Dad mentioned this friend had picked up a second-hand bed for him.’

‘Did your dad say how old this man’s daughter was?’

‘No, she was disabled, though, which is why he never brought her out. I know my dad had invited her around with him and he thought it odd that his van wasn’t equipped for a wheelchair user. Oh, Dad mentioned that he home-schooled her, too.’

It sounded like the same man Rona had been describing, but this was years before. ‘Which pub did your dad meet this man at?’

‘Always the Angel Arms. He loved that pub. That’s where the chess club used to meet.’

Gina knew that none of the current staff at the Angel Arms had worked there back then, so there was no point asking them. Then she thought about the group of older men who were always playing dominoes. Maybe they would remember Calvin Harris and this friend who played chess with him.

A flutter of panic filled her chest as she thought about John Doe’s daughter.

Rona mentioned that her daughter, Molly, had seen a picture of a girl in a wheelchair, but Calvin Harris and this man were friends nearly twenty years ago.

Something was terribly off, and Gina knew she had to find this girl – or woman –before it was too late.

The items in John Doe’s boot suggested he should have gone back to her and he hadn’t.

How long would she survive without him?

EIGHT

GIRL

Today, I’m eating Mum’s home-made pizza. She makes the dough with yeast – I know that because I help her. We roll it out and wait. While we wait, we make the tomato sauce, slowly reducing fresh vine tomatoes with garlic, fresh basil and olive oil. Mum is a chef and she has tried so hard to teach me things. She said that nothing in life is as good as fresh, wholesome food.

As it comes together and the cheese grills, the kitchen is filled with the most amazing smell and my mouth waters. When I grow up, I want to be just like Mum. She said we can have our own restaurant – Mum and daughter making the best food ever. I can hang my artwork up in it to sell.

As I bite, I allow each flavour to roll around my tongue before I begin chewing. Appreciating every bite is what Mum and I do. We don’t watch movies while we eat, we savour our food. Mum says food needs to be enjoyed to its fullest. We are so alike it makes me want to cry. Did I say how much I love my mum?

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