The Trail Killer

Four

The following day, Thursday 27th March

That Jessica arrived five minutes before the agreed time was encouraging; unlike Margot, she obviously had a clearer understanding of the ticking of clocks, the unshakeable calibration of past, present and future. Indeed, she was much less hippy seeming than Shields had imagined; was quite normal, in fact. The face framed by her sleek chestnut hair was a pretty one, but life-shadowed somehow, prematurely aged. A face embedded with sadness, stitched by dark memories. Maybe Margot had been right. Maybe they did have a lot in common after all.

The boys were in the living room slurping down their bowls of Frosties in front of the TV. Upon being introduced to them, Jessica flashed both a beam. "Your gran's told me so much about you two."

With a milky dribble spilling down his chin, Lee shot her a scowl. "She's not my gran."

Jamie's retort was as immediate as it was indignant. "She's nicer than your gran."

"No, she isn't!"

"Yes, she is!"

"Shut it, four eyes!"

"You shut it, big nose!"

Though secretly siding with the younger of her two sons in this particular debate, Shields was forced to exert a high-volumed maternal intervention. As the pair continued to glare and pull faces at each other, she pointed out the not insignificant fact that if they didn't behave themselves for Jessica they could forget any ideas of a visit from the Easter Bunny on Sunday. The threat thus issued and duly registered, Shields guided Jessica through to the kitchen.

"I hope Margot warned you about what you're letting yourself in for."

Jessica curved her lips upwards in reassurance. "Their age, me and my sister were exactly the same."

After showing Jessica the woefully limited contents of the fridge and kitchen cupboards, and explaining how Lee liked his toast almost burnt and Jamie barely goldened, Shields invited her to sit down for a moment at the kitchen table.

"Margot's told me a lot about you too you know, Diane. You can see it in her eyes, the way she's so proud of you. The difficult job you do. The two boys. Everything, all by yourself."

Shields found it difficult to believe that her former mother-in-law would be so glowing in her regards, but was nonetheless touched by the thought that it might be partially true at least.

"I saw it on the news last night. You know, the woman who's gone missing. I just pray to God she's okay."

Shields gave a sad shake of her head. "If only it was as easy as just praying to God."

It was then that hallway phone pealed into life. A few moments later, Inspector Gooch's voice came booming into Shields' right ear.

"No buts, no excuses. You need to get your backside over to the station right this minute, sergeant."

*

Advika was at her usual place by the window as Shivay pulled off in his Astra down the street. Slìnking into vision in its place was the ground floor of the dark, empty house opposite - its red, paint-cracked door, the double brass number 1s beneath the square of bubble glass. No longer someone's home, just a shell, that was all. A crumbling pile of bricks, little more.

The windows seemed to concentrate their focus on Advika. Glare accusingly at her.

He'd lied.

Shivay. He hadn't been at the factory on Tuesday.