Page 56 of Samuel

“More police are here. It’s bad news, Sam, I know it is.”

I looked down as two sombre looking officers walked up the drive and dread thundered around my body, knowing she was right.

Maisie

the present

I rushed down the stairs, getting to the bottom just as the two officers were walking through the door.

“What’s happened?” I cried, as I rushed toward them.

The woman officer turned and gave me a small smile. “Maybe you should go and sit down, Miss West.”

“No, tell me. What’s happened to Frankie?”

Sam appeared behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. Even though I was angry with him, I was also glad he was there. I knew that if I crumpled through all of this he’d be there to catch me. He’d proved over the last week how supportive he could be, it was just a pity he hadn’t been like that for the last eight or so years.

“Have you found him?” Sam asked.

“Please come and sit down, both of you.” The male officer stood to one side and ushered us into my lounge where Mum and Dad were already sitting; Mum clutching Dad’s hand.

“Tell me.” My hands were trembling as I looked at the two officers, waiting for the words that I knew would change my life.

“We found Brent,” the WPC said. “But I’m afraid he doesn’t have Frankie. We picked him up at a petrol station and there was a scuffle when he resisted our request to talk to him, but your son definitely wasn’t with him. Because we know he took Frankie, and because he lashed out at my colleague here, we have him down at the station. We-.

I didn’t hear anything else, because my legs buckled and the air rushed from my lungs as I let out a pained cry. Sam’s arms came around me and I was lifted from my feet as he pulled me against his chest, rocking me slowly backwards and forwards, desperately trying to comfort me.

“It’s okay,” he whispered in my ear. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

I reached up and put my arms around his neck, holding on tightly as my world swayed on its axis.

“Where is he, where is he?”

It was a chant that no one answered, the only response being Sam’s soft whispers of comfort as he carried me to an armchair and sat down, still holding me tight as I sobbed into his shirt.

“What has he said?” Sam’s deep voice sounded in my ear, as he tried to make himself heard over my cries.

I didn’t hear what the officers said, but startled when Sam roared.

“I’ll fucking kill him. The bastard, he can’t do this.”

“W-what?” I hiccupped looking up at Sam. “What has he done?”

I pulled at Sam’s shirt, desperate for him to look at me.

“Sam.”

My mum was suddenly kneeling in front of me, rubbing her hand up and down my back, but I could hear that she was softly crying too.

“Mum,” I said, turning to her. “What’s Josh done?”

“He wants to talk to you, love. He won’t comment further until he’s seen you.”

As I gasped I felt Sam’s arms tighten around me.

“You don’t have to,” one of the officers responded. “But it might help us find Frankie a lot quicker.”

“I’ll speak to the fucker,” Sam growled. “Let me.”