The Missing Marriage

Other surfers had the same idea and they came at each other suddenly, figures in black manoeuvring their boards through the water, slightly irate now. Nobody wanted to come off; nobody wanted to be left in the water.

When she finally got back to shore, she stood shivering on the beach, holding the board against her. The headland shielding Cullercoats Bay to the north was lost. She waited a while – for the red and black kayak to come nosing through the fret – but it never did.

‘I didn’t see him again,’ Anna said, ‘but by then I could barely see the end of my own board.’

The Inspector was standing in the doorway to the sitting room, watching her with a blank face, the skin pockmarked across the lower cheeks as though someone had repeatedly attempted to puncture him there.

‘Sir, this is Anna Faust – a friend of the family,’ DS Chambers said, starting to cough again. ‘I think we’ve got a last sighting.’

The Inspector nodded at her – Anna wondered how long he had been standing there – introducing himself in a rapid mumble as, ‘Detective Inspector Laviolette.’

His re-appearance had created a sense of expectancy, and focus.

His coat and hair were soaked with rain and Laura Deane’s eyes automatically followed the drops as they ran off his coat and onto the solid oak floor. Her eyes unconsciously checked the hallway behind him as well – for footprints – because this wasn’t a house that encouraged people to leave a trace.

‘It’s raining outside,’ he said to her. Then, suddenly, ‘D’you mind if we go over a few more things, Mrs Deane – in light of this new statement?’

He shuffled forward awkwardly, the soles of his shoes squeaking on the polished wood floor.

After a second’s hesitation and a brief smile he sat down on the same sofa as Martha, who automatically pushed herself further back into the corner.

‘Haven’t we been over everything?’

Ignoring this, Laviolette said, ‘When did Bryan say he’d be home by?’

Anna had the impression that he was doing this for her benefit – that he wanted to question Laura in front of her.

Laura took a while to answer, looking momentarily distracted – as if she had far more important things to attend to than her husband’s disappearance.

‘Around seven,’ she said, pronouncing the words as carefully as she had when she spoke to Anna before. ‘We had lunch in Tynemouth then I went into Newcastle and he took the kayak out.’

‘And you haven’t been in contact at all since lunch?’

Laura was thinking. ‘He called me – around three thirty – but that’s it.’

‘What time did you get back from Newcastle?’

Laura shrugged. ‘I can’t remember – it must have been before eight because Strictly Come Dancing’s on at eight, and we watched that.’

Turning to Martha, Laviolette said pleasantly, ‘You like Strictly Come Dancing?’

‘I think it’s shit.’

‘Martha!’ Laura interceded sharply, losing her composure for the first time.

‘When she says “we”,’ Martha explained, ‘she’s talking about the dog – Roxy. They watch it together.’

They all turned to stare at Roxy who, becoming conscious of the sudden attention, raised her head from Laura’s ankles and panted expectantly.

‘Did you check the garage when you got home – to see if his kayak or his wetsuit were there?’

‘Not until later, no.’

‘And his car wasn’t on the drive?’

‘No.’

‘When did you first try ringing Mr Deane?’ the Inspector asked after a while

‘As soon I came in and realised he wasn’t here.’

‘And he didn’t pick up?’

‘I left a message. Then I rang two of his friends – ones he sometimes meets at the pub – in case he’d gone there – and they hadn’t seen him.’

‘You’ve got their names and details?’

This was directed at DS Chambers, who’d been looking at Laura.

‘And the pub he sometimes goes to?’

‘The Shipwrights Arms,’ DS Chambers said. ‘We’ve already been there – nothing.’

‘You’ve got all this,’ Laura said, openly hostile now.

‘Sir, we’ve done a full open door search – this isn’t a voluntary disappearance.’

Inspector Laviolette turned suddenly to Anna. ‘When did you find out that Mr Deane hadn’t come home?’

‘Six minutes past midnight. Mrs Hamilton told my grandmother, who then phoned me. They’re old friends.’

‘Six minutes past midnight,’ Laviolette repeated as something close to a smile crossed his face so rapidly Anna wouldn’t have noticed it if she hadn’t been looking. ‘And then you drove over here –’

‘To give a statement. I saw Bryan Deane this afternoon down on Tynemouth Longsands – as you heard.’

Laviolette turned back to Laura, without comment.

‘So Bryan was meant to be home around seven, and you phoned his two friends roughly when?’

‘Around eight – I was worried.’

‘Around eight,’ Laviolette repeated. ‘He was an hour late at that point – when you phoned.’ The Inspector was silent for a moment. ‘Is he not usually late?’

‘He’s not – no.’ Laura’s stance was becoming increasingly defensive. ‘Look, I told you – they said he was never there. His car wasn’t on the drive and his kayak wasn’t in the garage,’ she carried on, raising her voice and looking genuinely upset. ‘He’s never not come home before. Why don’t you do something?’ she exploded. ‘Why aren’t you out there looking for him?’ She collapsed back in the sofa, her hand over her face.

Anna looked quickly at Martha, who was staring at her mother with a mixture of worry and what could only be described as hatred.

‘Look,’ the Inspector said sounding suddenly exhausted; apologetic. ‘I’m going to try and get this categorised as high risk.’