‘Don’t you have any witnesses to corroborate that you were home on those two dates?’ Bill said, changing the subject. ‘You know the sort of thing. A neighbour popping around to borrow some sugar?’
‘Yes, and while you’re coming up with a list I’ll just head to the loo. I take it it’s upstairs?’ Gaby said, not waiting for an answer before standing and heading for the door. ‘I’ll be back in a jiff.’
‘Hey!’
But Bill had the situation in hand. ‘The first incident took place late on the evening of the seventeenth of January.’
Gaby heard his voice droning on but all her attention was now on the three doors that led off the tiny landing.
The master bedroom was another virginal white affair; a hotel room would have more character than this pristine prison. There was nothing on show apart from a smooth white duvet and pillow. No pictures. No jewellery dotted round. She took a moment to nip into the bathroom and flush the toilet before pushing open the door to the last room. This time instead of white she was met with girly pink. The mother must have spent a fortune on the frilly-canopied princess bed and matching little desk and chair. The room was a little girl’s paradise – the bed laden with cuddly toys, the cute Frozen bookshelf packed with the sort of toys and games most children only dreamt of. But there was still no sign of Daisy.
Gaby had only been away a couple of minutes, but you could have sliced the tension in the lounge with a knife. Instead of even attempting to answer any questions, Grace just sat with her arms folded, shooting dagger looks across at Bill.
Retaking her seat, she opened her mouth to speak only to close it again at the sound of the doorbell. Much to her surprise, Grace Madden remained seated.
‘Aren’t you going to answer the bell?’ Bill finally asked, glancing towards the door.
‘It’s probably only a cold caller. They’ll stop in a minute,’ she said, reaching for her packet of cigarettes.
‘Are you sure it’s not your daughter in the company of Geraint’s parents?’ Gaby guessed, throwing a look at Bill. She watched as he lumbered out into the hall and started fiddling with the lock. ‘You did say that your daughter was on her way home from school?’
Within seconds, Mr and Mrs Madden had joined them in the lounge, a look of alarm stamped across their faces, Daisy Madden trailing in their wake.
Chapter 56
Izzy
Wednesday 29 January, 2.30 p.m. The Farm
‘Hi Izzy, its Rhys.’
She squeezed the phone tight into her palm and closed her eyes. He was the very last person she could cope with. There was so much to think about. Dad. Bucket. Her house. The van. Her work. Who the hell was trying to murder her? She wanted to curl up into a tight ball and never wake. But he wasn’t going to leave her alone, none of them were. There was still the case to solve, a puzzle with so many twists and turns that it was probably heading for the unsolvable pile. She might have a broken ankle in addition to bruising that stretched down through all the layers. She might have lost both her dignity and her sense of humour over the last few days but the one thing she hadn’t lost was her marbles. The case wasn’t solved, which only meant one thing – more questions.
‘How did you find me?’
There was a pause. ‘I didn’t think you were hiding or, is it just from me?’
‘No, of … of course not,’ she stuttered. ‘I decided to stay with Oscar and Bethan in case they tried again.’
‘I know.’ His voice was soft. ‘Where else did you have to go?’
‘What do you want, Rhys?’ she said, fast losing her temper.
‘What I’ve always wanted. The best for you.’ He cleared his throat. ‘And to bring news.’
‘News,’ she repeated. ‘What news?’
‘News about the case. What other type is there?’
‘Well?’ she said, after a moment.
‘No, Izzy. This has to be done face-to-face. We’ve had a bit of luck with some CCTV footage, but we need you down at the station to confirm someone’s identity.’
‘Grace? I just knew she was tied up in this from the very beginning.’
‘Yes, exactly.’ His voice had now dropped to barely a whisper and she had to strain to hear his words. ‘We’ll send a car around shortly. It shouldn’t be long.’
Izzy placed the phone back before easing into the nearest chair.