Page 70 of Then She Vanished

His rough fingers begin prising my lips open, but I do my best to keep them clamped shut.

What does he want with me?

His hands smell like baby lotion, and the taste begins to make its way around my mouth, making me want to throw up again. I heave, but there is nothing left in me. My arms are so weak, I can’t even lift them to fight him. Instead, I clasp my teeth together as a warning to him to keep his fingers away from my mouth.

‘Stop it or I will break your neck,’ this man yells. Where is he, the man who I love? It’s not him. His hands are soft and his voice is a little higher. This man speaks almost monotone, even when he shouts.

I recognise this voice from my past.

I can’t breathe. He is upon me, pinning me down on the bed, his fingers once again trying to prise my mouth open.

I don’t want him to break my neck. I just want the love of my life back, and all I can do is cry.

‘Open your mouth or I swear to God I will slice your bony throat open and feed you to the pigs.’

My loud sobs are now filling the capsule, I open my mouth and feel something slightly choke me then the water comes, spilling everywhere, making me cough and splutter.

He lied. He’s going to kill me anyway.

All that broke me and built me back up, all that made me feel a love I never felt possible, it will soon be gone. I will be gone and no one will know or miss me.

I am no one, just a star in the sky, twinkling away in the hope that someone will notice me amongst the other million stars.

I am a no one.

Girl – no one.

FORTY-FIVE

Jacob knocked on Eric Hathaway’s front door. Gina checked her messages as they waited.

‘Are there any updates, guv?’

She scrunched her eyes to read the writing on her phone. ‘The search of Gary Pritchard’s house hasn’t brought much else up, and there is still no further news on the contents of his computer. Wyre has left Kapoor with the missing persons’ files and gone with O’Connor to Gary’s place of work. They’re at the farm now.’

Jacob shook his head. ‘We badly need a break.’

‘Oh, Briggs has just called a press release appealing for witnesses at the nature park last night. Someone has to have seen something. Teens sometimes hang around there.’ She popped her phone back in her pocket.

The sound of feet thundering down the stairs came from behind the door. A tall, smart, grey-haired man answered. ‘Hello.’ He sighed and pointed to the tiny sign on his wall beside the door:no sales, junk mail, religion or politics.

‘We’re not any of those.’ Gina held her identification up. ‘I’m DI Harte, this is DS Driscoll. May we come in?’

He glanced back. ‘Err, what’s this about? We’re a bit tied up at the moment. Our daughter is in labour and we have to get her to the hospital.’ He dropped the large bag he had looped around his arm onto the carpet.

‘I’ll try not to keep you but it is important. You’re currently in a relationship with Ruth Pritchard?’

He swiftly stepped onto the coconut doormat and closed the door. ‘Okay, you want to talk about Ruth. I don’t have long because our daughter’s waters have already broken, so we need to get her to the hospital.’ He led them towards his double garage and stopped just far enough away from the house where his wife wouldn’t hear them talking.

‘Ruth Pritchard has gone missing and we have reason to believe that she’s been taken against her will.’

He slowly breathed in and paused. ‘What? Someone has taken Ruth? Are you sure?’

‘She’s gone missing under suspicious circumstances and you were in a relationship with her.’

His shoulders dropped. ‘I can’t believe it. Ruth is the nicest person ever. Who would take her?’ His right fist clenched. ‘Her ex-husband is a psycho. He’s damaged my car on more than one occasion. Have you spoken to him? His name is Gary and he lives directly opposite her.’ He shook his head. ‘He moved out of their marital home and bought the house opposite so he could watch her all day like a creep. He stands in the window, staring, and making her uncomfortable.’

Gina was disappointed that they still didn’t have Gary in custody. ‘Do you have a key for her house?’

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