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TWENTY-NINE

RUTH

After tearing down the camera and binning it, Ruth popped the stepladder back into the understairs cupboard, then she marched over the road to Gary’s house.

Darkness had fallen fast, even though the slight drizzle had stopped. If Eric messaged now, she’d tell him where to go. Gary was an idiot, but he was no danger to her. She had no idea who slashed Eric’s tyre – probably some kids or even a random person. It happened, even in nice, quiet villages.

She had decided to mention the message she received to Gary. It concerned him as much as it did her, and if there was the slightest chance she could see her daughter again, she was going to take it. The messenger sounded scared. Nerves fluttered in her stomach. There had been prank sightings over the years, but this one felt different.

Banging on the door, she waited. Why didn’t Gary have a doorbell like normal people?

She looked up at his duck-head knocker that was covered in muck. No way was she touching that thing. He was never that filthy when they lived together. Oh yes, that’s because Ruth did all the clearing up after him.

Gary might have been right about Eric playing her, but he was no better. He, too, had made her life a misery. At least she had found out what Eric was like now, so he couldn’t do the same.

She banged again. Where was he? He barely went out, and she didn’t think he’d gone to work today at the farm. She stomped over the mucky front garden that Gary had dug up with something that looked like a rotavator the other week. She almost tripped over a soft clump of earth as she reached the smudgy bay window and peered in the gap around the sheet being used as a makeshift curtain. Thank goodness it had got dark so no one could see her. The neighbours liked to gossip.

She saw a thin strip of light at the back of the dark room. If only he lived near one of the very few street lamps in the area, she’d be able to see more.

She banged on the window, hoping that he’d hear. Cupping her eyes, she leaned her face against the glass and tried to peer in. The strip of light was coming from underneath the living room door. Gary must be in the kitchen, but why wasn’t he answering?

Again, she thought he wouldn’t go out and leave the light on. She remembered him always going on at her about how much it cost when she accidentally left lights on around the house.

Trying not to fall over the mounds of earth, she pulled her phone out and used it as a torch. Finally, she stepped back onto the path and began to walk around the side of the semi-detached house.

Something wasn’t right.

Gary would never ignore her knocking at his door. For a moment, she wondered if talking about their daughter earlier had opened up those wounds.

They had lost their daughter, Elissa, all those years ago, and not knowing what had happened to her had been the worst thing. She pictured Gary going home alone, earlier. He probably started drinking. Had he been depressed and done something stupid?

A lump formed in her throat as she reached the back garden, the light from the kitchen reaching halfway down. Beyond that, she knew there were trees, but she couldn’t see that far. Her shoulders and neck prickled with nerves as she glanced into the dark void.

A crack of a branch, the shuffling of an animal escaping the garden and the sounds of the night sent a shiver running through her whole body.

Creeping towards the kitchen window, she looked in and puffed a breath out.

Either Gary wasn’t there, or he wasn’t answering.

The first thing her gaze hit was the pile of dirty dishes and takeaway cartons. The worktop was covered in empty wine bottles and crushed cider cans. He was living in a mess.

The two kitchen chairs either side of his Formica fold-out kitchen table were empty. There was no sign of Gary.

She banged on the window again. ‘Gary,’ she called, hoping that his neighbour wouldn’t look out the back window and wonder why she was loitering. She tapped again. He had to be in.

She peered in again and almost toppled over in shock as she spotted the chessboard on the table. She wiped the smudged windows with the sleeve of her coat and stared. It was all set up perfectly, but there was one piece missing. The white queen.

Her phone beeped again with another message.

You have to meet me. He’s going out soon and we won’t have long. If you tell anyone, you will never hear from me again because he will hurt me. Elissa needs you. Wait for my next message.