‘There’s nothing to worry about,’ Jay told Sophie as she perched nervously in the centre of the couch between her parents. ‘We just need to ask you some questions about Nicky Day, if that’s all right?’
Nodding, Sophie clutched her hands together nervously in her lap.
‘I believe you’ve already heard about the fire?’ Jay said when they were all settled.
‘I’ve already told you that it’s got nothing to do with her,’ Trevor chipped in before Sophie could answer.
‘And we’ve already told you why we need to speak to your
daughter
about this, sir,’ Ann said coolly, holding his gaze until he looked away.
‘Did you also know that Nicky went missing tonight?’ Jay went on.
‘No!’ Sophie gasped, the shock in her voice telling Jay that the girl had genuinely had no idea. ‘God, I hope she’s all right.’
Reassuring Sophie that she was sure that Nicky would be fine, Jay held out the list of names and asked if she knew where any of the girls on it lived.
Nodding, Sophie said, ‘Kira and Cheryl live on Barton Road, and Michaela lives on Yates Close.’
‘That it?’ Trevor said when Jay had written the addresses down. ‘Only I’ve got to get up for work in three hours.’
Making no move to follow as he got up and walked towards the door, Jay said, ‘We have a missing child to find, sir. And I’m sure you’d appreciate as much help as possible if it were
your
daughter we were looking for.’
‘That would never happen,’ he replied sharply. ‘My daughter’s not the kind of girl to go wandering off like that.’
‘And Nicky Day
is
?’ Jay gave him a questioning look. ‘Only, that’s not the impression we got from her neighbours or her father.’
Sensing that they were going to get nowhere if her husband carried on like this, Marie Gordon said, ‘Why don’t you go back to bed, love? I’ll stop down here with our Sophie.’
Gritting his teeth, Trevor shook his head and came grumpily back to his seat. He’d never get to sleep knowing that they were down here saying God only knew
what
to the police.
Keeping her focus on the girl while the father glowered at her from the sidelines, Jay said, ‘Nicky’s dad tells me you’re her best friend, so I’m guessing she’d have told you things that she wouldn’t have told anybody else. Like, if there was anything troubling her at home. Anything which might have made her want to run away.’
Bolstered by her mother’s comforting hand on hers, Sophie said, ‘We don’t really see all that much of each other nowadays, to be honest, but I know her and her mum get on okay.’
‘How about her dad?’
‘Not sure. She hasn’t really mentioned him since he left.’
‘I take it she wasn’t very happy about it?’
‘Not really. And her mum was a mess, so she had to kind of look after her as well as Connor.’
‘I’ve been told she’s very good with Connor.’
‘Yeah, she’s great. She does most stuff for him. Makes his dinner, and plays with him, and that.’
Nodding, because this corresponded with what they had already been told about the Day children, Jay said, ‘She sounds like a nice girl.’
‘She is.’ Sophie smiled sadly. ‘I wish we still hung out together like we used to, but she’s got too much on at home now, so I only ever see her at school. But we
are
still mates.’
‘Is there
any
one you can think of who Nicky might have gone to see tonight?’ Jay persisted. ‘A boyfriend, maybe?’
‘Definitely not,’ Sophie said, blushing at the mere mention of what was a complete no-no subject in her own home. ‘And I can’t see her going round to anyone’s house, ’cos she hardly ever used to come
here
, even when we were best mates. I don’t think her mum likes it, ’cos she thinks people are quizzing her about her dad, and that.’
Guessing that Nicky had probably stayed away from
this
house more to avoid Sophie’s less-than-friendly father than her own mother’s displeasure, Jay turned to the subject of school.
‘Your year have got exams coming up soon, haven’t you? But if Nicky’s been doing so much at home, I can’t imagine she’d have had much free time for revision. Do you think she might have been worrying about that?’
Shaking her head, Sophie said, ‘No, she’s always been cool with school work. It was more the stuff that happened with her dad that was bothering her. She went kind of funny after that. Sort of like a loner.’
‘Did that affect her relationships with the other pupils?’
‘Not with
me
,’ Sophie said loyally. ‘But some of the others were a bit off with her because of her dad and Leanne.’
‘Because of the age difference?’ Jay asked perceptively, guessing that the kids in the area probably mirrored the attitudes of the adults, in which case Nicky might have felt as if she was being picked on from all sides.
‘I think it’s more because some of Leanne’s mates still go to our school, and they turned against Nicky after her mum went for Leanne.’ Hesitating, Sophie bit her lip before adding, ‘It’s mainly Kelly Greene who’s got a problem with her now, though. Most of the others have stopped going on about it, but Kelly won’t let it drop. Nicky’s never actually said anything, but I’ve heard Kelly having a go at her a few times. And yesterday . . .’ Pausing, she cast a nervous side-glance at her father.
‘Yesterday?’ Jay prompted.
‘Well, I heard that Kelly was supposed to be after her,’ Sophie said, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears. ‘I don’t know what happened, though, ’cos Nicky ran out straight after the bell, and I didn’t see her when I was walking home.’
‘When you say Kelly was after her, do you mean that she wanted to fight with her?’
Biting her lip even harder now, Sophie nodded. ‘They were all talking about it at school, how Kelly was going to jump her when she came out of the gates at home time, and that.’
‘I’d better not find out you were involved,’ Trevor said sharply.
‘Course not,’ Sophie protested. ‘Nicky’s my friend. I’d never do something like that to her.’
‘So, why didn’t you tell someone if you knew what they were planning?’
‘I
did
,’ Sophie sobbed. ‘I told Miss Newton, and she said she’d look into it.’ Swinging her gaze back to Jay now, she said, ‘Please don’t tell Kelly I told you. She’ll kill me if she finds out it was me who grassed her up.’
Reassuring her that anything that was said in this room would stay here, Jay asked if Kelly had caught up with Nicky.
Dabbing at the tears with the tissue that her mother had just handed to her, Sophie guiltily admitted that she didn’t know.
‘I saw them all at the front gates when I was telling Miss Newton, but they were legging it onto the back field by the time I came out, so I think they must have sussed that she’d gone that way instead. And I know I should have gone round to see if she was all right, but I was scared they might be watching her house, ’cos that’s what Kelly’s like. If she wants you, she won’t leave it alone.’
‘She’d better not touch you,’ Trevor said angrily. ‘Or she’ll have me to answer to.’
‘I’m sure it won’t come to that,’ Jay said quickly. ‘And if it does, I’d appreciate it if you gave us a call rather than try to deal with it yourself.’
‘Fine,’ Trevor said brusquely. ‘You keep my daughter out of it, and
I
’ll keep out of it. And you can look at me like that all you like,’ he went on. ‘But you obviously don’t live round here, so you don’t know what a battle it is trying to protect your kids from the gangs. They’re like animals, smashing the place up and fronting up to anyone who dares pull them up about it. And God forbid we should lay a hand on one of the little bastards, ’cos you lot come down on us like a ton of flaming bricks.’
‘He’s not blaming you,’ Marie said, jumping in apologetically. ‘We know your hands are tied, but it is really rough round here. And we’d love to be able to move the kids to somewhere nicer, but it’s a vicious circle if you can’t afford to buy. You ask the council for a transfer, and they just offer you something even worse, so what can you do?’
‘It must be hard,’ Jay said sympathetically, fully understanding Marie’s despair – and feeling a grudging respect for her husband, who was obviously only trying to protect his family. A little over-zealously, maybe, but Jay wished there were more parents like him in the area. It would certainly make her job a lot easier if there were.
Saying, ‘I think we’re just about done,’ she stood up. ‘Thanks for your help, Sophie. And sorry again for disturbing you, Mr and Mrs Gordon.’
Climbing back into the car a couple of seconds later, she said, ‘Sophie certainly seemed scared of this Kelly Greene girl.’
‘Probably got good reason,’ Ann grunted. ‘I take it you haven’t had the pleasure yet, so be warned, she’s a cocky little bitch. But if her mum’s in, you’ll soon see where she gets it from.’
Back at the hospital, Terry was still out in the corridor. He’d been told that he had to stay out until the doctor had been and okayed it for him to go in. But every time he asked how much longer the doctor was going to be, he was told that he’d have to be patient; that the doctor was with a more urgent case right now and would be with them as soon as he could.
Pacing a tight circle in the corridor now, he was chewing his dirty nails to the quick. He desperately needed a smoke, but he didn’t want to risk going down to the ground floor in case Connor woke up while he was gone. And he could have done with another brew, but there was no way he was asking Leanne to go and get it for him while she was being such a bitch.
Watching him with growing irritation, Leanne tutted loudly and said, ‘For God’s sake, will you keep still? You’re making my eyes hurt.’
Snapping that keeping on the move was the only thing that was keeping him sane right now, Terry said, ‘Anyway, I thought you were going home?’
Lips tightening, Leanne folded her arms and jiggled her foot a little faster, muttering, ‘Yeah, I bet you’d like that, so you can chat up the nurses behind my back.’
‘Don’t be so stupid,’ he hissed, casting a quick glance back along the corridor to make sure that nobody had heard her. ‘I just don’t see the point of you being here when you obviously don’t want to be.’
‘I’m not going till you do,’ she shot back stubbornly. ‘And don’t talk to me like that or I’m going to get really mad, ’cos I still haven’t forgiven you for making a fool of me in front of that snotty copper.’
‘Me make a fool of
you
?’ Terry snorted. ‘That’s a joke!’
‘Hear me laughing?’ Leanne snarled, her eyes flashing furiously. ‘No, ’cos I don’t find it funny. You’re lucky I didn’t kick off, the way you were eyeing her up.’
‘You’re off your fucking head,’ Terry retorted angrily. ‘Eyeing her up. As if!’
‘You were. I was watching you.’
‘You always are, and you’re always wrong. Just like you are now –
dead
wrong. ’Cos I’ve got better things to do than eye flaming women up.’
‘Like what?’ Leanne demanded. ‘March round like a stupid caveman, making out like you’re
oh so
upset. Like, boo hoo, look at me crying ’cos my kid’s inhaled a bit of fucking smoke!’ Sucking her teeth now, she gave him a dirty look.
Stopping in his tracks, Terry’s face was paler than she’d ever seen it as he stared down at her, his eyes flashing a clear warning that she was going too far. Unable to hold his gaze, she looked away. But there was no apology.
‘You’d better go,’ he said thickly. ‘I mean it, Lee. Just go.’
Folding her arms even tighter, Leanne shook her head.
‘I need to be alone,’ Terry said, struggling to control the rage that was stirring in his gut.
Leanne’s eyes were glistening with tears now and her voice was both accusing and hurt as she said, ‘You
won’t
be alone, though, will you? You’ll be with
them
.’ She gestured with a nod towards the duty nurses at the far end of the ward. ‘And they’ll be flirting with you as soon as my back’s turned.’
‘Will you get it into your thick head that I’m not fucking interested,’ Terry spat. ‘Not in them, not in that flaming copper, and not even in
you
at the moment.’
Jumping to her feet, her cheeks flushed with indignation, Leanne said, ‘If that’s supposed to be some kind of threat, you can fuck off, ’cos if anyone’s going to finish with anyone round here, it’ll be
me
finishing with
you
!’
Feeling the heat of embarrassment crawl up his neck, Terry grabbed her arm and told her to quieten down.
Yelling, ‘Get off me!’ Leanne jerked away from him, her voice seeming to bounce back at him from every wall as she said, ‘You’re always putting those stupid brats before me, but I’ve had enough! I’ve done everything for you, but if you don’t appreciate me, I—’
Seizing her by the wrist, Terry hauled her down the ward and out into the corridor. Pushing her into a corner, he brought his face close to hers and said, ‘My son’s in there on his deathbed, and my daughter’s God only
knows
where, and all you want to do is talk
shit
! But it stops now, Leanne – do you hear me? I can’t turn my back on them, and if you don’t understand that,
tough
.’
Unable to get free as Terry held her in his powerful grip, Leanne pursed her lips and glared up at the ceiling, refusing to look at him.
Exhaling wearily after a while, Terry let go of her and, shoving the stairwell door open, headed down to the ground floor. Going out into the cold night air, he sat down on a partially sheltered bench and rolled a cigarette. He hadn’t wanted to leave the ward, but there was no way he could go back in there just yet. He was too ashamed.
Catching up with him a few seconds later, Leanne struck an aggressive hands-on-hips stance and glared down at him.
‘Not gone yet?’ Terry said coolly, knowing from experience that she was probably expecting him to apologise for shouting at her.