Page 47 of Then She Vanished

‘Did you see him after that?’ The children began running around upstairs and another one cried, protesting that he wasn’t tired.

‘No.’ She frowned as she ignored them. ‘Wait, I’ve seen him once since getting a pasty from the café, when I was going to the hairdresser’s on the high street in Cleevesford. He came out with it and went straight into the bookies. I must confess, I ducked into a doorway because I didn’t want to see him again. I had this awful dilemma: Tristan is a great man and if I said anything, it would blow our family apart and I don’t want that. My husband is also a great man and I hated keeping something so big from him. I decided not to say anything and I don’twantto say anything. My father-in-law was going through a hard time of it. He’s been stressed and, I guess, a bit lost.’

‘You’ve discussed this with Tristan Moore?’

‘Yes, after Colson left that day, he came down looking all sheepish and ashamed. We had a long chat about how he felt my mother-in-law, Moira, had seemed distanced from him, that I didn’t understand what it was like to feel invisible. He said he’d met Colson at the Angel Arms one night when my mother-in-law was away visiting family. He’s been a bit depressed lately. I actually felt sorry for him. Please don’t break up their marriage. It’s already on thin ice. They’ve both cheated on each other in the past.’

That wasn’t what Gina had been expecting.

‘Are you sure they didn’t see each other again after that?’

‘My father-in-law was devastated, so I think it was over after that.’

‘We will need to speak to him down at the station.’

‘Can I tell him? When they get back?’

Gina glanced at Jacob and nodded. ‘First thing tomorrow morning, I need him there.’

‘Okay, I’ll bring him myself.’

Gina pulled the artist’s drawing of John Doe from her bag. ‘Do you recognise this man?’

‘I’m not sure.’ One of the children started shouting and the running around started again. ‘Sorry, they’re a nightmare to get to sleep.’ She half glanced back at the drawing, then looked up at Gina. ‘He could be anyone my in-laws use for their projects but I don’t think so. I see so many people come and go around here.’ She leaned towards the stairs. ‘Mummy will be up in a minute.’

‘Sorry, love,’ Morgan called down the stairs, then the kids started shouting and giggling as they ran up and down the stairs.

‘Do you know of a girl called Luna…’ Gina almost wanted to put her fingers in her ears to block out the mayhem as a piercing scream made them wince.

‘Mummy. I want Flopsy and Daddy has lost him,’ one of the kids yelled.

‘… or anyone with a large birthmark on her left cheek?’

‘Birthmark on a cheek, sorry, I can’t say that I do. There is something else about Colson, though, and this will embarrass my father-in-law, but I think it needs saying.’

‘Go on.’

‘Colson tried to ask him for money. They barely knew each other, and Tristan knew Colson was going through a hard time because he was living in a van. Colson asked to borrow two thousand pounds for a deposit on a flat.’

‘Did Mr Moore lend him the money?’

Keeley shook her head. ‘He said no. I mean, apart from the obvious of what they did, Tristan barely knows Colson. That day, when I caught Colson here and left him in the kitchen while I went upstairs, he took some money. Tristan didn’t report it because he didn’t want Moira to know. He had five hundred pounds for the scaffolder in the kitchen cupboard and Colson stole it. Tristan called Colson later that day, saying he wanted it back, and Colson said that if my father-in-law bothered him again, he’d tell my mother-in-law about their really long and passionate affair – that didn’t happen, by the way. He made it all up. There was no really long affair and I believe my father-in-law when he said it was a one-off.’ A crying little boy with a red face ran into Keeley’s arms. ‘I’m sorry, can we do this tomorrow? As you can see, we are dealing with a lot. I will come in tomorrow morning. What I will say is, Colson is dangerous and nasty.’

TWENTY-NINE

RUTH

After tearing down the camera and binning it, Ruth popped the stepladder back into the understairs cupboard, then she marched over the road to Gary’s house.

Darkness had fallen fast, even though the slight drizzle had stopped. If Eric messaged now, she’d tell him where to go. Gary was an idiot, but he was no danger to her. She had no idea who slashed Eric’s tyre – probably some kids or even a random person. It happened, even in nice, quiet villages.

She had decided to mention the message she received to Gary. It concerned him as much as it did her, and if there was the slightest chance she could see her daughter again, she was going to take it. The messenger sounded scared. Nerves fluttered in her stomach. There had been prank sightings over the years, but this one felt different.

Banging on the door, she waited. Why didn’t Gary have a doorbell like normal people?

She looked up at his duck-head knocker that was covered in muck. No way was she touching that thing. He was never that filthy when they lived together. Oh yes, that’s because Ruth did all the clearing up after him.

Gary might have been right about Eric playing her, but he was no better. He, too, had made her life a misery. At least she had found out what Eric was like now, so he couldn’t do the same.

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