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

‘Hi, sweetheart,’ he said, as she came into the office. She was still wearing the pretty blue dress which pleased him, and he noticed she’d applied fresh make up and tied her hair up in a bun with a few loose tendrils around her face, just as he liked it. ‘You look gorgeous.’ He drew her in and kissed her on the mouth, ignoring her resistance. She was still pissed off with him but the fact that she’d agreed to come over was, he regarded, a good sign.

‘You smell nice,’ she said.

Kit grinned. ‘A birthday present, from an admirer.’

‘Is that right? She raised her eyebrows a fraction.

‘Neve,’ began Kit, taking her hands in his. ‘I’m really sorry for upsetting you earlier. About what I said last night and how I haven’t been very considerate of your feelings.’

There was a look of mild surprise on her face, but she didn’t pull away and didn’t launch into a verbal attack. Another good sign.

She gave a sigh. ‘I don’t really know what else to say. I thought last night you meant it when you said you’d think about it but now I realise it was just to shut me up, so you didn’t miss out on a shag.’

‘What?!’ He stopped himself from feigning indignation, it probably wouldn’t go down too well right now. ‘I’ve never shagged you,’ he said. ‘I’ve always, always, made love to you.’

‘You know what I mean.’

‘I’m sorry. I can’t help it. You’re so bloody gorgeous and I’m a hot-blooded male. I apologise, I let my …’

‘Dick rule your head,’ said Neve, finishing the sentence for him.

‘Guilty as charged,’ said Kit. ‘Look, let’s go out on the boat. I picked up a hamper earlier from that little Italian bistro in town. I don’t want to argue anymore and I promise, absolutely promise, cross my heart and hope to die promise, that I’ll think more about it.’

‘Is there any point?’ said Neve. ‘In promising, I mean. Will you really think more about it?’

‘I will. But if you’re asking me to promise I’ll change my mind, I can’t do that.’

‘We’re at a stalemate. An impasse.’ She looked down at their hands and back up at him. ‘I guess it’s a game of brinkmanship to see who blinks first.’

‘I’ll think about it as much from your perspective, if you promise me you’ll think about it as much from mine,’ said Kit. He waited while she gave a resigned sigh.

‘I don’t really have much choice.’

‘It’s been a stressful morning. Come on, let’s forget about the world and its troubles.’

‘Our troubles.’

‘You don’t seem to be buying into this,’ said Kit, unable to tamp down the feeling of being a little peeved at her lack of enthusiasm. He didn’t like to admit it, but Neve’s shift in attitude, her more assertive stance, unsettled him. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was getting coaching from someone else. OK, coaching might be a little strong, but certainly something, or someone, was influencing her, even if it might only be subconsciously. ‘Is there anything else bothering you?’

‘No. I’m sorry. Nothing. I think I’m just jaded from it all. You’re right, let’s check out of the world for an hour.’

He kissed her again. ‘Excellent. We’ll speak to Poppy this evening, and tomorrow I’m going to pay The Forum a visit and find out who that bloke was with Poppy today.’

‘No! Don’t do that.’

‘What? Why not? Aren’t you bothered? You didn’t see him, Neve, he had trouble written all over him. I know you think I can be a stick in the mud at times, but he’s bad news.’ Kit picked up his jacket from the back of his chair. ‘Anyway, enough of all that, remember, we’re forgetting about the world for an hour.’

‘I know but …’

Kit put his finger to his wife’s lips. ‘No buts, let’s go.’

Chapter 5 (#u56023287-049c-5ee3-a97c-911d542d6da8)

Neve hadn’t slept well that night, despite the evening’s talk to Poppy about the dangers of going off on her own being a marginal success. Poppy appeared to listen and, indeed, agree with Neve and Kit that disappearing wasn’t a good idea and talking to strangers was a no-no. Although, Poppy maintained that Lee was her new friend and she liked him, despite Neve pointing out that it was the first time Poppy had met Lee and had then tried to explain to Poppy how it takes time to get to know a person. Neve wasn’t really sure Poppy grasped the notion that not everyone she met should be regarded as a friend straight away. None of this had sat well with Kit, but to his credit, he had remained calm and accepted that Poppy hadn’t been able to really appreciate the danger she could put herself in.

Neve knew Poppy found it hard to understand the point they were making. She simply didn’t have the cognitive development to grasp exactly what they were saying. It had to be broken down into simplistic terms to gain any meaning for Poppy.

The catalyst for Neve’s broken sleep however, was Poppy’s new friend, Lee. Or, as Neve knew him, Ashley Farnham. A face and a name from Neve’s past. One she didn’t associate with happy events.

It was bizarre that he had reappeared here in the little village of Ambleton. Surely that was more than a coincidence. Whatever his reasons were for going by the name of Lee, the fact he’d made contact with her daughter troubled Neve. Did he know Neve lived in Ambleton? Did he know of her connection with Poppy?

She had tossed these questions around all night, unable to settle on an answer. Long held but tucked away memories of Ashley Farnham invaded her thoughts. In the end, she had got up and gone downstairs where she’d poured herself a glass of Kit’s whiskey in a bid to help her sleep.

It had worked but when she had woken this morning, she instantly knew something was troubling her. It took her a few seconds to remember and her heart dropped when she did. It was no good, she couldn’t carry on in this state of uncertainty. She had to find out what he was doing here.

Neve jotted down the phone number from the picture she had taken of Jake’s computer screen and added it to her contacts under the name ‘Laura’, who was one of the mums from school. Neve knew it would be a good cover if she happened to have a text come through and someone, Kit in particular, noticed the alert flash up on the screen.

Neve picked up her phone, tapped out a text message and pressed send. She watched the little blue line race across the top of her screen, followed up by a ping – confirmation her message had been sent. The word ‘Delivered’ appeared under the message. Satisfied, Neve slipped her phone into her bag and called up the stairs for Poppy to hurry up. ‘We don’t want to miss the bus!’ Neve gave Willow a couple of dog treats and settled her in her basket. ‘Stay there. Good girl.’

Poppy clomped her way down the stairs. ‘I’m ready.’

‘You’ve got toothpaste in the corner of your mouth,’ said Neve, handing Poppy a tissue.

‘Can you take me today?’ said Poppy as she rubbed the tissue round her mouth and then scrunched it up, leaving it on the hall table.

‘In the bin, please,’ said Neve, slipping her feet into her shoes. ‘And I am taking you. I always do.’

Poppy shuffled off to the kitchen and after disposing of the tissue, came back to put her own shoes on. ‘I meant take me to school. Not the bus stop.’

‘But I never take you to school.’

‘I don’t want to go on the bus.’ Poppy tugged the Velcro strap across the top of her foot.

‘Why?’

Poppy shrugged. ‘Just don’t.’

‘Well, that’s not a reason, is it?’ said Neve. She knew from past experience, the key with Poppy was consistency. If you let Poppy call the shots too often, then it became a battle for her to be compliant about the smallest of things. Everything became an issue, which ultimately turned into an argument. ‘Anyway, your dad’s paid for the bus. They’ll be expecting you and I can’t be driving backwards and forwards into town every day.’

‘You’ve got nothing else to do,’ said Poppy, her bottom lip sticking out as she stood up and picked up her bag and hockey stick.

Neve gave a small laugh as she checked her mobile phone. ‘Oh, I’ve got plenty of things to be getting on with. How do you think this ship keeps sailing?’

‘It’s not a ship. It’s a house.’

Neve sighed inwardly. Her mistake. Metaphors didn’t figure in Poppy’s world. ‘Well, what I mean is, if I’m not at home, then who is going to do all the housework, shopping, cleaning, washing and everything else that needs doing? They don’t get done on their own.’ She placed a hand on Poppy’s back and shepherded her out the door.

Neve checked her phone again as she slid into the driver’s seat. No reply to her text message yet.