Page 53 of Good Girl, Bad Blood

‘Hi Nat.’ Pip stood there awkwardly, trapped halfway between Luke in the doorway and Nat at the table.

‘You already said what you wanted to say to me at the memorial,’ Nat said dismissively, picking the spoon back up.

‘Oh, no, this isn’t about the trial.’ Pip chanced one step towards Nat.

‘What trial?’ Luke said behind her.

‘Nothing,’ Nat responded, the word spoken over her mouthful. ‘What is it, then?’

‘It’s Jamie Reynolds,’ Pip said. A breeze came through the open window, fluttering the lace curtain and rustling a couple of brown paper bags on the counter. Probably takeaway bags. ‘Jamie’s missing,’ she added.

Nat’s eyebrows lowered, darkening her blue eyes. ‘Missing? His mum called me yesterday, asking if I’d seen him. He still hasn’t turned up?’

‘No, and they’re really worried. They filed a missing person report yesterday, but the police aren’t doing anything about it.’

‘My brother, you mean?’

Pip had walked right into that one.

‘Well, no, I spoke to the Detective Inspector. He says there’s nothing they can do. So the Reynoldses asked if I would investigate.’

‘For your podcast?’ Nat said that last word full of spite, hardening the consonants, sharpening them to a point.

‘Well, yes.’

Nat swallowed another bite of cereal. ‘How opportunistic of you.’

Luke sniggered behind her.

‘They asked me to,’ Pip said quietly. ‘I’m guessing you won’t want to do a recorded interview.’

‘Perceptive too,’ she said, milk dripping on to the table as another spoonful hovered between her and the bowl.

‘Jamie told his brother he was going to your house – your parents’ house – after the memorial, to spend the evening with you.’

‘He was supposed to. He never showed up.’ Nat sniffed, glancing quickly up at Luke. ‘Never texted to say he wasn’t coming. I waited. Tried calling him.’

‘So, the last contact you had with Jamie was at the memorial, in person?’

‘Yes.’ Nat crunched another mouthful. ‘Until just after Andie’s friends spoke, when I noticed Jamie staring into the crowd on the other side, trying to see something. I asked him what was up, and he said, “I’ve just seen someone.”’

‘And?’ Pip said when Nat paused for too long.

‘Then he left, presumably to go talk to whoever it was,’ she said.

That’s when Pip had last seen him too. Jostling her as he made his way to the other side of the crowd, a strange intensity on his face. But who was he moving towards?

‘Do you have any idea who the “someone” is that he spotted?’

‘No,’ Nat said, stretching her neck out with an audible crack. ‘Can’t be somebody I know or he would’ve said their name. He’s probably with whoever thatsomeoneis. He’ll come home. Jamie’s like that, very all or nothing.’

‘His family are convinced something has happened to him,’ Pip said, her legs starting to prickle from standing still too long. ‘That’s why I need to work out his movements during and after the memorial. Find out who he interacted with on Friday night. Do you know anything that might help?’

She heard an intake of breath behind her, from Luke, before he spoke. ‘Nat’s right, Jamie’s probably just staying with a friend. I’m sure this is a load of trouble over nothing.’

‘Do you know Jamie?’ Pip half-turned to look at him.

‘Nah, not really, only through Nat. They’re good friends. If she says he’s OK, then he’s probably OK.’