Gone (32 page)

Adam flinched at her name. She wasn’t Emma. She wasn’t even Jenny. She was Louise. She would always be Louise to him. And he knew that Louise wouldn’t have hurt anyone.

‘Look, I’m not saying Emma killed anyone,’ Gardner said. ‘But she ran away for a reason. And whatever the reason she took this other girl’s identity, now it’s come back to bite her and she’s had to run again.’

Adam shook his head. ‘But what if she didn’t run? What if someone took her? What if whoever killed that girl came after her? That could’ve been who broke in.’

Gardner sighed again. ‘Maybe. But I think Emma had plenty of reasons to run on her own.’

Chapter 73

17 December 2010

Lucas sat in the pub watching some idiot lose all his money in the fruit machine. He could wait for the muppet to leave and then get up and empty the machine into his own pocket, easy. But he wasn’t in the mood. The buzz he’d felt with Ben had been immense. He hadn’t felt that way for a long time. But it soon faded away when he realised he was no closer to getting what he really wanted.

He wondered who’d called the cops – whether Emma had shown up and seen him there or if it was some nosy neighbour. Either way, he’d scarpered. Didn’t need the police on to him now. He didn’t know what to do. If Emma was yet to show up, the best place to be would be Ben’s house. But it was likely the cops would still be there, sniffing around. If Emma had been the one to call them, though, maybe she’d be at the hospital with Ben. He couldn’t go onto the ward, Ben would kick up a stink for sure. Maybe he should wait elsewhere, see if she showed.

He drained the pint of Coke he’d been nursing for the last hour and ignored the fools on the fruit machine.

He pulled up the hood on the coat he’d nicked from the stool beside him. It looked a lot warmer than his jacket. He fished around in the pockets, hoping for a wallet or something. But all he found was a used bus ticket and an empty cigarette packet. He threw them both in the bin and walked across the road towards the hospital.

He was going to find her if it was the last thing he did. The bitch had fucked him over one too many times. She’d dared to leave him. Killed his baby. And now she’d tried to frame him for murder. He wasn’t going to stop until she’d paid for what she’d done.

Chapter 74

17 December 2010

Freeman found Ben’s street and slowed down as she saw the police car in front of the house. She pulled over and jumped out. The house across the street from Ben’s had turned on their Christmas lights and the whole street had an eerie glow.

‘What’s going on?’ Freeman said, approaching a frozen-looking uniform. She flashed her ID and he looked her up and down as if he didn’t quite believe her. Cheeky bastard. ‘Who’s in charge?’ she asked and he nodded to a man in a crappy suit coming out of Ben’s house. Freeman walked over and showed him her ID too.

‘DC French,’ he said and stuck out his hand. Freeman shook it and then asked what was happening.

‘Got a call about an assault taking place. Arrived to find the guy on the kitchen floor. Pretty fucked up.’

‘Ben Swales?’

French nodded. ‘I think so. You know him?’ It was Freeman’s turn to nod. ‘He wasn’t really up to saying much. No sign of the assailant.’

‘Who called it in?’

French shrugged. ‘No idea. Anonymous call made from a phone box.’ Someone behind them shouted to him. ‘Excuse me,’ he said to Freeman.

A middle-aged woman came out from next door, an oversized sweater wrapped around her. ‘You lot caught someone yet?’

Freeman stepped closer to the woman and held out her hand. ‘I’m DS Freeman; did you see what happened?’

The woman looked at her hand but didn’t make a move to shake it. ‘Maggie Paulson,’ she said. ‘Terrible thing. I just saw them take him out on the stretcher. Looked awful. His mother too,’ she said, shaking her head.

‘Shit,’ muttered Freeman. So much for Williams doing her a favour.

‘Probably one of those smackheads he worked with. I don’t know why he bothers with them,’ Maggie said.

‘You saw who did it?’ Freeman asked, but Maggie shook her head. Didn’t matter, she knew who it was. ‘But you saw them take Ben and his mother to hospital? Do you know which one?’

‘Infirmary, it’d be,’ Maggie said.

‘Thank you.’ Freeman turned to go back to her car before stopping. ‘Wait,’ she said as Maggie was just about to close the door. ‘When you saw them take Ben away, was there anyone else here? Did anyone go with him? A woman?’

Maggie shook her head. ‘No.’

Before Freeman walked back to the car, she gave DC French Lucas’s name and bet him twenty quid he’d find his prints in Ben’s house. French looked at her like she was mental but she knew if Lucas was still hanging around, he’d be arrested fairly soon. In the meantime she was going to speak to Ben and find out what was going on.

Chapter 75

17 December 2010

Gardner excused himself as his phone rang. ‘What’s going on? Have you spoken to Ben?’ he asked as he answered Freeman.

‘Nope,’ she said. ‘Ben’s in hospital. I’m just heading over there now.’

‘What happened?’ Gardner asked.

‘I don’t have the proof yet, but I’d say Lucas Yates happened. No sign of Emma so far. How’s it going down there?’

‘Well, I’ve just broken the news to Adam Quinn that his girlfriend’s been lying to him for four years.’

‘He had no idea who she really was?’

‘Not a clue,’ Gardner said. ‘We’re running prints on the broken window here. You think that was Yates’ handiwork too?’

‘Probably. Looks like he’s on a roll.’

Gardner glanced through the gap in the door at Adam sitting there with Lawton and Lloyd. No one was saying anything any more. At least not anything important. Adam was in shock. Lloyd was talking about the weather.

‘Listen,’ he said. ‘I think I’ve got everything I’m going to get from Adam for now. I could head back up there. That seems to be where all the action is.’

‘Sure,’ Freeman replied. ‘Meet me at the hospital. Alnwick Infirmary.’

‘I’ll be as quick as I can.’ He hung up, opened the door and the three of them looked up at him expectantly.

‘Lloyd? Lawton? Can I have a word?’

They followed him into the hallway. ‘Lloyd, can you take me back to the station? I’m going to head up to Alnwick and meet Freeman.’

‘I could take you up there,’ Lloyd said.

‘No, no, then you’d have to bring me back later. Just drop me at the station and I’ll get my car. Lawton,’ he said. ‘Can you stay here with Adam? I think it’s unlikely but just in case Emma turns up I’d like someone to be here.’

Lawton nodded. ‘Sure,’ she said.

They went back into the living room and Gardner almost ran into Adam, who’d been standing by the door, listening.

‘You know where she is?’ Adam asked.

‘No,’ Gardner told him. ‘But we
will
find her. I promise. PC Lawton’s going to wait with you. I’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything.’ He nodded to Lloyd and they went to the door.

‘You think she’s in Alnwick?’ Adam said. ‘Why?’

Gardner just looked at Adam. If he really had no idea about Emma then he’d have no idea why she’d be up there.

‘We’ll be in touch,’ he said and closed the door.

Chapter 76

17 December 2010

Freeman’s head lolled against the back of the cracked plastic chair. She’d arrived at the hospital full of hell, ready to get the truth from Ben Swales by any means necessary. Instead she’d been told he had just gone into surgery. Apparently Lucas had really gone to town on him.

She’d called Williams and asked in a not-too-charming manner why the hell no one had been watching Ben’s house. Resources, she’d been told. It always came down to bloody resources. She’d spoken to French again but they still hadn’t run the prints. She could’ve saved them time if they’d just accepted it was Yates but things didn’t work like that. There’d be no conviction without some proper evidence.

So now she was waiting for Gardner, and for Ben. She’d drunk two cups of vile canteen coffee and wished she hadn’t. She’d dialled her GP twice and then hung up. She’d called Williams back and apologised and asked if she could put an APB out on Emma as well as Lucas. Just in case.

She’d almost fallen asleep when Gardner’s call woke her up.

‘Where are you?’ he said.

‘Waiting outside theatre. Where are you?’

‘Reception.’

‘I’ll come down,’ she said and dragged herself to her feet.

Gardner was on the phone again when she found him. ‘How long ago?’ he asked and then sighed. ‘All right, let me know if he comes back.’

‘Now what?’ Freeman asked.

‘Adam’s disappeared. Lawton went to the bathroom, came back and he was gone.’

‘Where?’

Gardner shrugged. ‘She said he’d been on his laptop but she’s checked it and he wiped his browsing history. She’s tried calling him but he’s not picking up. Left about half an hour ago.’

‘Maybe he needed some space,’ Freeman said.

‘Maybe. Anyway, what’s happening here? Have you seen Ben?’

‘No. They’d just taken him into surgery when I got here.’

‘Surgery?’ Gardner said.

‘Yeah. So let’s hope Lucas doesn’t run into Emma before we do.’

Chapter 77

17 December 2010

Adam felt a little sorry for PC Lawton. She’d been kind to him and now she’d probably get into trouble. But he couldn’t just sit there, waiting.

Before leaving, he’d Googled street names in Alnwick. He remembered the address began with M and the number, but that was it. Fortunately there were only a few streets beginning with M in Alnwick. It didn’t take long. He just had to wait for Lawton to leave him alone for a minute.

After what felt like hours of driving around, he finally found it. He parked the car and started walking towards the house, but stopped. What if she was here? What would he say to her?
‘I know you’re not who you say you are’
?
‘I know the police think you killed someone’
?

Maybe DI Gardner was right. He should’ve stayed at home and waited for her to come back.

He walked up the drive to the door and knocked. When there was no reply after a few moments he tried again. He walked up to the window and tried to look in but between the net curtains and lack of light, he couldn’t see anything. There was a car on the drive.

He stepped back to see if there was any movement upstairs. Nothing. And then he noticed someone watching him from the house next door. He was about to go and knock on her door when he saw someone heading his way.

Lucas couldn’t feel his feet. He needed to move. He’d been hanging around the hospital for hours and still she hadn’t come. He pushed his sleeve up with stiff hands and checked the time. He was starving as well as freezing. There was probably a cafe of some kind but the idea of hospital food made his stomach turn. He remembered the stuff they’d served up to his nan when she was in. You couldn’t identify it by sight or taste. It probably wasn’t food at all. But more than a desire not to eat that crap he thought maybe he should check the house again. Maybe the police would’ve gone by now.

He pulled the collar up on his coat and walked out of the hospital grounds. He’d check the house, find somewhere to eat, and then come back. What else was he going to do? He had to find her. He’d been so close, he couldn’t give up now.

He turned the corner into Ben’s street and thought about what he’d do when he found her.

As he approached the house he stopped. There was someone there. Just not who he was expecting.

Adam saw the man walking quickly with his head down, battling against the cold wind. But there was something about him. Adam stopped and stared. The man looked up, caught his eye. Adam suddenly realised who he was. Gardner had showed him his photograph. This guy knew Louise. Her ex-boyfriend, he’d said. Lucas something.