Page 19 of Her Hidden Shadow

‘Just another question, who called and booked the taxi?’

‘That I can help with. I was at the office when it came through. Bert has trouble hearing so he answers on loudspeaker. It was a man and he booked it for Lauren.’

So, Robbie had booked the taxi. Gina could conclude that he had used Lauren’s phone. She was beginning to build a picture of last night. In her mind, she imagined Robbie wanting Lauren to go out because Sienna was coming over. If he had to take the three women to Birmingham, it would have eaten into his time, so he called them a taxi. He would have had the evening to himself to murder Sienna. Robbie fled the scene after Lauren returned. Maybe he was in the house, trying to work out what to do with the body. He panicked and fled. She thought back to the cupboard and imagined Sienna trapped and trying to escape, while she wondered if Robbie was going to kill her. Had she demanded more maintenance? She’d recently had sex and they had assumed it was with Robbie. She really needed the lab results on the semen and blood to come back fast.

‘Is there anything else?’ Ulrich stood.

Gina shook her head, knowing they would follow up with Bert the taxi office controller and if it turned out that Ulrich had lied, she’d be back. ‘We will need you to come into the station to make a formal statement. It is a serious crime, so I’d be grateful if you came today.’

He nodded. ‘I’ll get dressed and go there right away. I want to help, and I should have knocked when I heard Lauren crying.’

As Gina and Jacob headed back to the car, Gina fired a message to Wyre, asking her to verify Ulrich’s alibi. Another message popped up. It was from Kapoor.

Guv, the door-to-door officers have just spoken to Lauren Cross’s next-door neighbour. He said his little girl claims to have seen a figure jumping over Lauren’s fence and disappearing onto the path at the back. This was a short while after Lauren called the police. She doesn’t have a description unfortunately as it was too dark. An officer is on their way to take a statement.

That message confirmed what Ulrich had just told them. Lauren had been in the bungalow crying at the time, so it had to be the murderer. Everything pointed to Robbie. And he was on the loose. Gina had to find him before someone else got hurt. He was now on the run and desperate, which made him dangerous.

Twelve

Nancy

‘Come on, my love. Let’s get you into the car and away from this horrible place.’ Nancy held her daughter’s hand as she led her across the hospital car park.

‘Thanks, Mum.’ Lauren sat in her mother’s tiny car and put her seat belt on. ‘Can we stop off at a shop. I need some things. They won’t let me back in the house. I don’t even have my phone.’

‘No need, Mum’s thought of everything.’ Nancy smiled sympathetically as she pulled away, taking her daughter away from the horror of everything that had happened. She was going to look after Lauren. Once they got back to her little house in the peaceful country setting, Lauren could rest while Nancy made her daughter’s favourite dinner, lentil cottage pie. From the minute she set eyes on that man, she knew that Robbie was no good. She hadn’t trusted him for a second. He was just like Lauren’s other boyfriends. She remembered the loser that Lauren was set to marry a few years ago, just before she met Robbie – he was a loser too and he was definitely no good for her beautiful only daughter. Then there was that stupid boy at school, the one who thought he was going to be a footballer. Lauren had been with that idiot for a whole six months. Nancy had been right. Footballer he was not. She’d seen him while out shopping, trailing around his four kids with a sweary woman. She placed a hand on her daughter’s knee and patted it, knowing that from the moment she gave birth to Lauren, she’d only wanted the best for her. ‘I’m going to look after you. We’re going home.’

Lauren sighed. ‘It’s only going to be for a few days, then I’m going back to the bungalow.’

‘Nonsense. How can you want to go back? Sienna was murdered in your bed. I’d be worried sick. And the memories. It will never be the same again, love.’ Nancy swallowed. She couldn’t bear to lose Lauren. ‘What if Robbie comes back and kills you too? He’s got nothing to lose now. He’s done it once, might as well go down for two murders instead of one.’

Lauren began to sob. ‘Where is he, Mum?’

‘Hiding, that’s where he is. But don’t worry. The police will catch him, and they’ll bang him up. He’s a coward and that so-called friend of yours… and him. I never did like Sienna. I did try to warn you, but as usual you never listen. I wasn’t lying when I said I saw them flirting and now you know.’

Lauren’s choking sobs filled the car. ‘How could I not see it? I should have listened to you, Mum.’

‘You’re just too trusting, my love. People take advantage of kind, beautiful souls like you. I’ve always had to look out for you. Remember your ex? If I hadn’t have seen that text pop up on his phone from the other woman saying how much she enjoyed their night of passion together, you’d have married him. And then you went on to meet another cheat. Not only that, he’s also a murderer. I want you to see that you’re better than them. You’re an amazing woman and—’ Nancy felt her grip on the steering wheel tightening. No one messes with her daughter like Robbie did and gets away with it. Finally, Lauren had seen the man for what he was. ‘I just hate seeing you get hurt like your dad hurt me. He was a cheater too. It’s not always the act, it’s the lies and the mind games. You know you’re right and they make you doubt yourself and before long, you’re losing your mind. I’ve been there. Maybe we’re both the same. Maybe it’s my fault. You’re getting drawn to the same type of losers that I got drawn to all those years ago.’

Lauren blew her nose. ‘It’s not all about you, Mum.’ She paused. ‘I was so happy; so, so, happy and she ruined it.’

‘They both ruined it.’ Nancy swallowed. It was easy to blame a dead woman without knowing everything, but her daughter’s so-called best friend had shattered Lauren’s dreams and that was unforgivable. ‘Come on. Everything will be alright. We’ll be fine. They’ll catch Robbie, charge him, and you can get on with your life.’ She regretted that sentence as soon as it came out. It was ridiculous to think it would be as easy as that, if the past was anything to go by. Lauren pined for months over past break-ups and no doubt, this one would be ten times harder to handle. Why was she saying such ridiculous things? She was nervous, that’s all. Nervous, worried and scared.

Lauren slapped a hand on the dashboard. ‘How can you say that? As if it’s easy. Yes, just catch him, bang him up and all will be fab – woohoo. Then Lauren will be happy. How can I ever be happy again? My fiancé killed my best friend, and they were both dirty rotten cheats. I’m sad, so bloody sad and I feel as though there is this huge hole in my heart because Sienna is dead, but I hate her too. I hate her,’ Lauren yelled, as another flood of tears came forth. ‘Robbie killed her, and I hate her, not him. Why do I feel like this?’

Nancy pulled up on her drive and glanced at the Malvern Hills beyond the cottage. ‘I can’t pretend to understand, but I love you and I’m here for you. It’s me and you against the world, like it always has been.’ Nancy leaned across and placed an arm over Lauren’s shoulder. ‘Come on, let’s go in and get you out of those joggers they gave you at the hospital. You can borrow some of my clothes until we can get yours.’

Lauren shrugged her off and got out the car.

Nancy followed, knowing her daughter hated staying at her cottage and she’d hate wearing her clothes even more. Being so far from a bus stop or even a shop made Lauren feel penned in. It had been the same when she’d been growing up. Her daughter had always nagged her to move to the centre of Malvern or Worcester so she could ‘have a life’, but Nancy liked nature. She liked her home-grown veggie garden when she’d kept one. She now enjoyed watching the foxes and badgers at night and seeing the stars. Nancy unlocked the door and led the way. As she did, Fifi yapped at her ankles and jumped-up Lauren’s lower legs. ‘Shall I make us both a hot chocolate? I’ve got the stuff you like and there are sprinkles.’ Nancy stroked the white terrier’s head.

Lauren ignored her question. ‘Have you still got your tablet or a laptop? I need to be able to message my friends and the police have my phone.’

‘I’m so sorry, my love. You know me and technology. I have my phone but it’s an old thing and doesn’t even have the internet. I’ll pop out in the morning and get you a cheap one. The police have the landline number and our address so if there is any news, they’ll let us know.’

‘I don’t care about them. I want to call Max.’

‘You can borrow my phone. Make as many calls as you like.’ Nancy pulled her phone out of her bag and held it out.

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