Finding Grace(35)

The only people who really use it are kids playing chase, or dog walkers after a shortcut back home from the park. In any case, unless you’re local, you wouldn’t know about it.

I stand at Grace’s window now, staring down there. I can’t see the actual pathway in the dark, and there are no lights illuminating it except for the odd few seconds when someone’s outdoor sensor light flickers on.

Still, it’s the perfect way to get out of the house without the press knowing.

I start at the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and a few seconds later, Blake walks into the room and stands behind me at the window, his hands on my shoulders.

‘You can’t torture yourself like this, Luce. Come downstairs. Please.’

He’s hurting just like I am, I know he is. But he sounds so calm and logical. I could easily lose it and turn on him right now, accusing him of lying to me and not caring enough about Grace.

I know this is not a game of one-upmanship, and yet I’m really struggling to comprehend how he can remain so calm. Surely, if he’s so calm, he can’t be feeling as bad as I do; as if part of me has been ripped away.

‘I asked you a question before, Blake,’ I say, keeping my voice level and low to evade Fiona’s ever-listening ears. ‘I asked you if you were keeping anything from me, and you said no.’

‘Not this again,’ he groans. ‘I told you, didn’t I? There’s nothing—’

‘I know,’ I say simply. ‘About all that cash in your desk.’

‘What?’

I turn to face him. I can see the colour draining from his cheeks even in this dim light.

‘Why did you go in my… It’s not what you think.’

‘Then what is it? Why is there fifty grand or more hidden in your office? What if we’d been burgled? Whose is it?’

‘I can’t discuss it now.’ His voice drops to a whisper. ‘I’ll explain everything to you. I will.’

‘When, exactly?’

‘Soon. It would be gone already if… if Grace hadn’t gone missing. I can’t do much with the police watching my every move.’

A weight settles on my chest as my suspicions are confirmed. ‘Obviously it’s not kosher, then. If you don’t want the police to know, that says it all.’

‘Shh!’ He looks around furtively at the door. ‘Give me the benefit of the doubt this once, Lucie, please. I will explain, I promise.’

‘Does Barbara Charterhouse know about this?’

‘What?’ He frowns and shakes his head. ‘No, of course not. Why do you say that?’

‘Because this morning she said you operate behind a facade that some people can’t see through.’

He looks at me as if I’m crazy.

‘If you start to believe anything she tells you, then we really are done for.’

I’m furious he won’t tell me, and also terrified why that might be.

‘Could this… the money… have anything to do with someone taking Grace?’ I fix my gaze on his. ‘Is someone blackmailing you, or out for revenge? Some people would do anything to get their hands on a sum like that.’

He gives a mirthless laugh. ‘No, is the short answer. Look, Lucie, this is ridiculous, can we just stop—’

‘Because if there’s the slightest, tiniest chance that might be the case, then you need to tell the police, regardless of your reputation.’

‘I said no,’ he says stubbornly. ‘I can’t believe you’re even thinking this stuff.’

‘I’m going out,’ I say, making a massive effort to keep my voice level. ‘You can come with me, or not. Up to you.’

‘What?’ He stares at me as if I’ve lost my marbles. ‘Out where, exactly?’

‘I’m going to sneak out of the back garden and use the track to get down to Bev and Mike’s house.’

Blake swallows. ‘But why? What good will that do?’

‘It can’t do any harm. I feel I know nothing about today, about exactly what happened. I want them to talk me through every single minute of the day from when Mike picked Grace up to go to Alton Towers right up until the moment she opened their front door and he watched her walk up the street.’

Blake sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

‘The detectives will already have asked them all that stuff, Luce. We’re better off staying here, surely. For when there’s any news.’

‘The police will know where to find us. I can’t sit here and do nothing any more, Blake. I just can’t.’

I know my husband well, but the expression on his face right now is hard to identify.

‘Leave it, Lucie. Please. Don’t go round there.’

‘Why on earth not? They were the last people to see Grace.’

‘I just don’t think you should—’

‘I don’t need your permission to talk to Bev and Mike!’ I snap at him. ‘Why are you so adamant they can’t add anything to what we know?’

His cheeks flush slightly but he holds his ground.

‘You’re trying to control everything and you’ll just end up making it worse, can’t you see that? We have to let the police drive the investigation.’