Schoolgirl Missing: Discover the dark side of family life in the most gripping page-turner of 2019

‘Why do you keep looking at your phone?’ asked Poppy, sitting beside her.

‘I don’t,’ said Neve, although she knew to refute it was pointless.

‘Yes, you do. That’s twice since I came down.’

‘I’m just waiting for a reply to a text message. From my friend, Lucie, you know, who runs the coffee shop. I was waiting to see if she’s free to meet up.’ Neve mentally crossed her fingers and said a silent apology for the lie as they drove off towards the centre of the village.

Within a few minutes, they rounded the corner, the war memorial in sight where the school bus stopped to collect Poppy.

As usual, Neve pulled up a little further down the road from the bus stop. Poppy liked to walk the last twenty or so metres on her own and Neve was happy for her to do so. It gave Poppy the sense of independence and helped her self-esteem. A small act that some children wouldn’t think anything of, but for Poppy, was a big deal.

‘I’ll wait in the car,’ said Poppy, shrinking into the seat.

‘What’s up?’ asked Neve. ‘You usually can’t wait to get out of the car.’ Neve looked over towards the bus stop. There were half a dozen kids there in the local secondary school uniform. Four boys and two girls. She thought she recognised a couple of the lads. It was hard to tell their exact ages, but one of them was definitely Poppy’s age. Ben Hewitt. She remembered him from primary school days when Poppy had attended mainstream education. The others, although they were familiar in that she had seen them around the village, she wasn’t entirely sure of their names. Neve looked back at Poppy. ‘Do you want me to come over with you?’

‘No!’ Poppy practically shouted. ‘No. Don’t.’

‘OK. That’s fine. We can just wait in the car a little longer.’ Neve eyed the group of youngsters again. They seemed to have noticed her and Poppy now, looking over towards the car before turning away and laughing amongst themselves. Pretending to check her phone, Neve stole a glance at Poppy who was focused intently on the footwell of the car.

‘Can you drive me to school?’ asked Poppy without looking up.

Neve grimaced. ‘I’m sorry, Pops, I can’t today. I’ve got to meet my friend. Remember?’

‘Can’t you meet your friend later?’

‘They haven’t got a phone. I won’t be able to let them know.’

‘I thought you said you had texted them?’

Neve gulped down her unease. ‘That was a different friend.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘Err, excuse me. Who do you think you’re talking to?’

‘A liar.’ Poppy grabbed at the door handle and pushed it open.

‘Poppy! Wait.’ Neve reached over but Poppy was too quick and was out of the car, slamming the door before Neve could say anything else.

Neve’s automatic reaction was to jump out of the car and go after Poppy, but she paused, her hand resting on the door handle. Despite the fact that she hated the thought of parting on bad terms, Neve was painfully aware that when Poppy got into one of her moods, no amount of talking would lift her out of it. Poppy needed time to process her anger. Neve was also aware that causing a big scene in front of the other kids probably wouldn’t go down well either.

Reluctantly she sat back in her seat and acknowledged this fall-out was her own fault for lying to Poppy in the first place, but what choice did she have? Neve watched Poppy approach the bus stop. The other kids turned and standing on the edge of the kerb, followed Poppy’s progress. Poppy kept her head down and huddled into her jacket, tactics Neve knew her daughter used when she felt uncomfortable in certain social situations.

Ben Hewitt seemed to be holding court and whatever he was saying appeared to highly amuse his friends as they all broke out into laughter. Just as Poppy reached the kerb Ben stepped down in front of her. He was tall for his age and his physique was already showing signs of developing into a man. From where Neve was sitting, his face was smiling and in any other circumstance Neve would assume that his approach was welcomed, but there was definitely something about Poppy that told Neve otherwise. Poppy sidestepped Ben Hewitt who then turned his back on her and returned to his friends.

Neve relaxed again. They didn’t seem interested in Poppy now. Perhaps they were just saying hello to her after all. Neve checked her watch.

Shit.

She was going to be late. When she told Poppy she was meeting a friend this morning, she hadn’t been lying. Neve took another look at Poppy who had settled herself on the bench, away from the other kids.

Neve switched on the engine ready to go as soon as the St Joseph’s bus turned up. Typically, it was late today. Of all days, when she knew being late could be a problem. She took the decision to slowly turn the car around and head off for her meeting. She looked over in Poppy’s direction, hoping her daughter would look up so Neve could gauge her level of stress. But Poppy looked firmly at her feet. The group of pupils had swelled in numbers now, none of whom seemed in the least bit interested in either Poppy or Neve.

Neve took one final glance in the rear-view mirror as she steered the car around the corner. Something made her look back a second time. She couldn’t swear to it, but she thought she saw one of the kids walking towards Poppy. Too late, Neve was around the corner and the group were out of sight.

Perhaps she was over-reacting. Poppy would be all right. The kids weren’t interested in her now their other friends were there. Neve tried to reassure herself as the distance between her and Poppy grew. But no matter how she tried to rationalise it, disturbing thoughts of Ben Hewitt confronting Poppy wouldn’t leave her.

‘Sod it,’ she said out loud and pulled the car over to the side of the road, reversing into the opening of a field and wheel-spinning her way out, back towards the centre of the village.

If she hurried, she would be there before the bus.

As Neve brought her car around the corner, the bus stop came into view and she could see the group of kids standing around the bench that Poppy had been sitting on. She couldn’t see Poppy. Perhaps the bus had already been.

But the crowd of youths weren’t standing around in a huddle having a cosy chat. There was something about their stance, menace oozing from the collective.

Neve accelerated and sped towards the bus stop, screeching to a halt and charging out of the car. She pushed her way through the group of kids.

‘Get out of the way,’ she shouted. The burgundy blazers parted like a stage curtain. Only one boy remained oblivious to Neve’s presence. He was standing leaning over Poppy who was huddled on the bench, her school bag pulled close to her, hugging it like a comfort blanket, and her hockey stick grasped in one hand. Poppy was looking down at the ground, but Neve could see streaks of tears on the girl’s face.

She grabbed the shoulder of Ben Hewitt and spun him round. ‘Get the hell away!’ she growled through clenched teeth, in a voice she barely recognised. Her vocal chords contorting with rage. He was easily as tall as Neve and his broad shoulders seemed at odds with the schoolboy uniform.

‘Hey! Don’t touch me,’ exclaimed an indignant and cocky Ben Hewitt. ‘You’re not allowed to do that.’

‘I don’t give a stuff what you think. You stay away from her.’ Neve shot back at him. She crouched down and looked up at Poppy. ‘It’s OK now. Come with me.’ She eased Poppy to her feet. ‘You keep away from my daughter.’ She looked Ben Hewitt straight in the eye. ‘Don’t you dare come anywhere near her again. I don’t want you even breathing the same air. Got it?’

‘I wasn’t doing anything,’ said Ben, insolence plastered on his face.

‘Don’t give me that crap,’ said Neve. She looked round at the other faces of the group. ‘And that goes for all of you too. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Bullies, the lot of you.’

‘We weren’t doing anything. We were just asking Poppy about her bag. Weren’t we, Poppy?’ Ben went to touch Poppy’s arm, but Neve was quick and swiped his hand away.

‘I told you, stay away from her,’ she snarled.

‘Or you’ll do what? Tell my mum? Ooh, I’m scared.’ Ben laughed and looked round at his contemporaries. A few of them sniggered.

‘Just keep away, you little shit,’ said Neve. Her temper finally unleashing itself from her hold. ‘Now, get out of the way.’

‘Say please.’ Ben folded his arms.

Neve felt the crowd close ranks. She took a steadying look at Ben and when she spoke, her voice was low but full of controlled power.

‘Piss. Off.’ She pushed Ben with her hand and the lad stumbled back.

‘Oi!’ he shouted. ‘Like I said, you can’t do that. That’s assault.’

‘What are you going to do? Tell tales to your mum?’ said Neve, and then mimicking the boy. ‘Ooh, I’m scared.’

This elicited another ripple of laughter from the crowd.