Page 99 of Then She Vanished

Gina swallowed the nauseous feelings down. Keeley had a lucky escape but Gary didn’t. Gina wondered how Eric knew Gary was getting close to finding Elissa, but being able to frame Gary was part of a bigger game.

She spared another thought for the old dog, Luna, and she was pleased that the workshop manager had confirmed that he’d definitely take her in and give her a forever home. The dog was virtually his anyway.

Then there was Colson. No images of him and Tristan Moore were found on any devices but after Colson later confessed after being questioned again, he was charged with the theft of Tristan’s money, and also under the Sexual Offences Act as he threatened to share an intimate image without Tristan’s consent. It looked like Colson had been bluffing when it came to having an actual photo. She hoped that no images would ever surface, just like she hoped that no other images of herself would ever appear on the internet again. She hadn’t heard any more from Pete Bloxwich and she hoped to never hear from him again.

Candles flickered on the large expanse of grass in front of the church. She parked next to Briggs’s car and stepped out. Sally, the vicar, waved at her from afar as she passed the candles around to the many people who’d been rocked by what had happened. Luna was standing with Marie. It was a tough journey for both of them, but Gina had heard that Luna had started helping Marie at her snack van on the weekends, which was hugeprogress. Gina had visited them on several occasions and there would always be a place in her heart for Luna.

Ruth and Elissa waved at her. Gina waved back. Moira and Tristan weren’t there, but Keeley was. Gina had heard they were getting divorced, so they had a lot to deal with.

Briggs got out of his car and ignored Gina as he headed towards the path leading to the vigil.

‘Chris, wait.’ She jogged to catch up with him. ‘Can we please talk? You can’t blank me forever.’

‘I can. I’ve got nothing to say to you, Gina.’

Jacob pulled up.

Briggs swiftly led her away from the crowd around the back of the church. He finally stopped walking when he reached the back end of the graveyard, where no one else could see them or listen in.

‘I’m sorry, okay?’

‘Sorry? I’m sick of hearing it. You gave that man everything you had. You chose to trust him and gave him that memory stick without talking it through with me and, surprise, surprise, he shafted you. How could you not tell me what was going on? I have always been there for you!’

Gina hated that he was angry, but the fact that he was now talking to her was a start. Ever since the case, he’d been ghosting her, and she had missed him more than anything. She’d take angry Briggs over no Briggs any day of the week.

‘I know, and I was an idiot, but he’ll leave me alone, I know he will.’

She wouldn’t ever tell Briggs how much she’d wanted to drive a knife through Pete’s body that night.

‘I miss you, please don’t punish me anymore.’ She reached for his hand and he allowed her to hold it for a moment before snatching it away.

‘I’m done with your drama.’ He blew out a long breath. ‘I am your DCI and you are my DI. DI Harte, we have a vigil to attend and I will see you at work on Monday.’

He walked away, leaving her fighting back her tears while leaning on a mossy old gravestone.

She forced her heavy feet and weary bones back towards the church and stood at the back as Sally talked about the loss of Joanie, Sammie and Felicity. Gina could no longer contain her tears. Jacob came and stood next to her and passed her a candle.

Gina spared her final thought for all the victims that remained silent forever, for those who couldn’t tell their stories and those who chose not to tell. She knew how it felt for the living victims; the weight they carried around with them all day. The cost of their silence was crushing and she, too, was suffocating under that weight. The only person that had been by her side through it all had abandoned her, and she understood why.

Jacob placed a friendly arm over her shoulder. ‘It’s so moving, the community coming together like this.’

She nodded. ‘It is.’ She glanced across at Briggs and he looked away.

A warm hand held hers. Gina turned to see Luna. ‘Don’t cry, Gina. Everything will be okay now.’ The girl smiled. ‘We’re all okay now.’

‘We’re all okay,’ she whispered to the girl. She choked on those words. She was not okay. Not at all, but Gina would carry on doing what she did so well: pretending.

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