Finding Grace(33)

I stare blankly at the two of them, trying to reconcile the usually insular and socially awkward man with this new self-appointed organiser of the community search.

Jeffery soaks up Blake’s thanks and compliments and accepts them easily. He seems to hold himself taller and with a new dignity. It’s quite a transformation.

Unexpectedly, he steps away from Blake and advances towards me. I shrink back into my seat.

‘Lucie, I wanted to express to you my sadness that Grace has gone. I’m so, so sorry.’ He crouches down by the side of my seat, close enough that I can see a slick of grease on the skin either side of his nose.

‘Grace is missing,’ I say, a little curtly. ‘She isn’t gone. Gone is forever. Gone is for good.’

‘Lucie!’ Blake frowns at me.

‘What?’ I snap. ‘People need to think about what they’re saying before they blurt out thoughtless stuff.’

Jeffery stands up, clearly mortified.

‘Of… of course, you’re right,’ he stammers. ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…’

‘We have to keep hold of hope any way we can,’ I say, ignoring Blake’s efforts to catch my eye. ‘We have to believe with all our hearts that Grace will be back home soon. It’s only been a few hours.’

‘I understand.’ Jeffery knots his fingers together. ‘She’s such a lovely little girl. I’ll miss seeing her leave for school each morning, and playing in the garden on her trampoline. I like to see her jumping and twirling out there.’

I shiver and pull my cardigan closer to me. The thought of him peering out of his windows watching Grace like that gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Blake steps forwards, lays his hand on Jeffery’s upper arm.

‘We really appreciate everything you’re doing, mate,’ he reiterates. ‘It takes a lot to get involved in something like this when it’s not your problem.’

‘You’re my friends.’ Jeffery shrugs. ‘And friends do stuff for each other, right?’

‘Right.’ Blake nods, tears of gratitude shining in his eyes.

Jeffery looks at his shuffling feet. ‘I couldn’t just sit by when Grace is… missing.’

I don’t see why not. He has nothing whatsoever to do with Grace; doesn’t say two words to her from one week to the next.

I’m being unnecessarily mean, I know. I should be feeling enormously grateful, like Blake is. But something about him doing this just doesn’t sit right with me.

‘Thank you, Jeffery,’ I manage, before addressing my husband. ‘DI Pearlman’s waiting to speak to us,’ I remind him.

More hugs and effusive thanks from Blake, and finally Jeffery leaves the house.

‘I can’t believe you were like that with him,’ Blake remarks as the detectives come back into the room. ‘You heard what DS Paige said. Jeff’s help has been invaluable.’

I don’t respond. I refuse to waste any more energy arguing about our bloody neighbour.

‘Have you checked him out?’ I say pointedly to DI Pearlman. ‘Jeffery Bonser, I mean.’

The detective looks confused.

‘Lucie. You’re not thinking straight,’ Blake says in what I recognise as his warning tone.

‘He watches Grace when she’s playing in the garden,’ I snap at him. ‘He just admitted it… you heard him!’

‘He didn’t mean it like that,’ Blake says to the detective, ignoring me. ‘Lucie’s never liked him.’

‘He’s a weirdo. Lived with his mother for years, and now he’s a loner. I’ve heard about cases before where the abductor gets a kick out of helping in a search or investigation.’

DS Paige gets out his notebook.

‘What exactly did he say?’

Blake answers before I can respond.

‘He said he felt very sad about what had happened. That he’ll miss seeing Grace leave for school in the morning…’

‘… and miss watching her twirling on her trampoline in the garden.’ I shudder. ‘It’s like he knows she won’t be coming home.’ My voice breaks and tears tip down my cheeks. I wipe them angrily away and glare at DI Pearlman.

‘Rest assured, Lucie, we’ll be looking at everyone who knows Grace,’ he says calmly as DI Paige scribbles something down. ‘In the first few hours, we’re concentrating all efforts on the immediacy of a search operation.’

‘And what have you found so far? Because now it’s dark and Grace is out there somewhere, terrified.’

I’m so sick and tired of not knowing anything because I’m cooped up in here.

‘You should’ve searched all the houses on the street.’ My voice rises an octave and Blake looks across at me, concerned.

‘They can’t just barge in and ransack people’s houses without good reason, Luce. You know that!’

‘I wouldn’t mind if someone else’s child was missing. The police could come in here and—’

DI Pearlman raises his hand to quieten me. ‘All in good time, Lucie. It’s essential we get things in the right order. We want Grace safely home as soon as humanly possible, but there’s a process to follow and…’

His voice fades out as I stop listening.