Finding Grace(79)

He names a little-used park a ten-minute drive from here.

I can’t think straight. Can’t process the enormity of it. How am I going to get out of the house without the police asking questions? All I have to say is that I need to get away for a while. They can’t blame me for that.

My fingers begin to type of their own accord.

Will Grace be with you? I need to know she is OK.





As I press send, my heart doesn’t know whether to sink or soar.



I close the laptop, my heart in my mouth. My phone pings with a text message notification.

Lucie, can you come over to ours? It’s urgent. Come alone. Bev x

It’s 9.30 a.m. Bev has inadvertently given me an excuse to get out of the house so I can make the 10.30 a.m. meeting at the park.

As I stare out of the window, wondering what Bev could want to see me about that can’t wait when Blake comes out of the shower. He has a small towel tied around his waist and he’s rubbing at his wet hair. He has olive-toned skin and always looks slightly tanned and healthy even in the winter but I can see he’s lost weight on his stomach and arms.

‘DI Pearlman called. There have been one or two calls that could prove to be promising leads,’ he says. ‘I’m going over to the station to go through what they have.’ He hesitates, obviously weighing up if it’s a good idea to tell me. ‘Want to come?’

‘I’m going over to Bev’s for a coffee,’ I say. ‘I want to thank her for helping Dad.’

I don’t know why I don’t tell him about her text message. I just feel a conviction that it’s best not to say anything.

Blake pulls a face. ‘Mike’s probably still a bit sore about it. Maybe you should wait a while.’

‘I want this stuff out in the open between us.’ I pull on a jumper over my T-shirt and jeans. ‘They’re good friends and I can be honest with them regarding my own feelings about what Dad has done.’

Blake sticks out his bottom lip as if he doesn’t wholly agree. But I’m relieved when he doesn’t press me on the issue.

‘Are you going to Bev’s the back way?’

I shake my head. ‘I’m going to drive down the road. I’m sick of hiding away from the press, feeling like a terrible parent. They don’t know anything about us, why should I hang my head in shame?’

Blake kisses the top of my head. ‘That’s my girl. I like this new positive you.’ His voice softens. ‘I feel good, Luce. I feel like we’ll get Grace back. I know it doesn’t make any sense but it’s a relief to hear there are new leads possibly coming in as a result of the live appeal.’

‘I believe we’ll get her back, too,’ I say, pressing my cheeks to his shoulder. ‘I honestly do.’

‘If you wait five minutes I’ll walk you out to your car. I’ll speak to the press about going to the station regarding the appeal calls and you can slip away.’

And that’s what we do. I’m astonished it works so well. The press are like putty in Blake’s hands when he explains I’m going to a friend’s for a coffee and then follows it up with his visit to the police station.

Just before I pull my car door closed, I hear their barrage of questions begin. I’m proud of Blake, taking it all in his stride. He’s so used to crowds of people and public speaking and they behave better in the face of his confidence.

I drive the short distance down Violet Road to Bev’s.

Slowing down opposite Abbey Road, my eyes prickle. I can see my baby, dressed as she was when she left the house Sunday morning. Grace was here. Safe. On her way home to us, her loving family. And then something terrible happened. Stefan O’Hara happened.

I feel a rush of energy shoot through my torso. A tangle of emotions. How dare he just barge into my life again and again, causing grief and mayhem?

I will get Grace back. Whatever it takes, I will bring her home.

A minute later I park up in front of Bev and Mike’s house. My stomach flutters a little and I can feel the beginnings of a headache start up at the base of my skull.

I don’t know why, but something in me feels suddenly nervous as to why she has summoned me to come alone.





Fifty-Seven





Olivia





Livvy stood behind the living room door.

Grace going missing had felt like moving very slowly on one of those walking escalators at the airport and then something going badly wrong with it so that suddenly, you were running really fast and couldn’t get off.

At first, Olivia’s dad had told her not to worry, that Grace would probably come back very, very soon. But she hadn’t come home. Then Grace’s parents were on TV begging for the public to help them and had asked the person who’d taken her to bring her back home.

There had been nothing in between… slow and very fast. And Olivia had been caught out.

She’d stood behind the door as her parents watched the live appeal yesterday. Had heard her own mum crying and her dad saying soothing things to her in a low voice.

Then Grace heard the policeman on television describe what Grace was wearing and that she had been carrying a small pink rucksack, too. And that’s when Olivia knew without any doubt it was important to tell her parents that Grace’s bag was actually under her bed.