30th November 2019
Night
‘I think it’s time we spoke,’ the man said. I recognised the voice, but I couldn’t place him.
‘Who are you?’
‘I think you know who I am,’ he said. He started to move towards me, and I instinctively stepped back. He halted his advance. ‘I don’t mean you any harm.’
‘Have you been following me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Were you in the pub, the night I came back? Were you the man sat in the corner, watching me?’
‘Yes.’
‘And down the lane three days ago, was that you coming towards me?’
‘Yes, Miss Chambers, it was.’
‘How do you know my name?’
‘Oh, I know a lot about you.’
‘Did you knock on this door earlier? Speak to my father?’
‘I did.’
‘Are you the Drifter?’ I asked, terrified.
He laughed, a throaty rasp, making me wonder if he was sick. ‘I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts.’
I didn’t know how to respond.
‘You don’t remember me, do you? I’m not surprised. It’s been a very long time.’
The man took off his flat cap, and the streetlamp caught his aged and worn-out face. Thick stubble lined his cheeks and chin. His eyes sat dark and heavy with the weight of the world resting on the lower lids. And, finally, I knew his face.
‘Thompson?’
‘Hello Miss Chambers.’
DCI Thompson was the lead investigator into Chloe’s disappearance. He was the one who interviewed everyone I knew, including me. He was there when Chloe’s top was found – the man who prepared me to see it, to confirm it was hers. I didn’t doubt he would have been the man who arrested Georgia’s dad. And from what Hastings told me about him, Chloe Lambert’s disappearance had stayed with him.
‘I heard you retired.’ I tried to sound calm, but heard my voice crack.
‘I did, a very long time ago.’
‘Why have you been following me?’
‘I’m just trying to work things out.’
‘Work things out?’
‘Yep. And keep an eye on you.’
‘What do you want?’
‘The same thing I’ve wanted for over twenty years. I want to find out what happened to Chloe.’
‘DCI Thompson…’
‘I’m retired. Now I’m just Robert.’
‘Have you been here the whole time?’
‘What, since Chloe?’ he laughed again, one that turned into a cough. ‘No, no, I’ve been far away from this place.’
‘Then why did you come back?’
‘I heard from PC Hastings that Jamie has gone missing.’
‘Jamie has a history of going missing,’ I interrupted, sounding much more knowledgeable about Jamie’s comings and goings than I was.
‘Yes, and each time, I have come back to make sure he gets home safely.’
‘Why would you care?’
‘Because I think he knows more about what happened to Chloe than he lets on, perhaps. Or perhaps, I just care.’
‘And why are you here, outside my house?’
‘Miss Chambers, did you really see the Drifter again?’
‘Yes, but now I’m thinking it was you.’
‘How do you come to that conclusion?’
‘You were in the pub, down the lane. You were in the woods watching me just before we found Jamie’s top. You were there, by those garages watching my window.’
‘Miss Chambers…’
Listening to my words made me feel indignant. He wasn’t making sure I was OK; he was stalking me. ‘You scared me. You’ve been scaring me ever since I came back. I’ll call the real police if I see you round…’
‘Miss Chambers.’
‘In fact, I’m in my right mind to call the police right now.’
‘Neve,’ he said, and hearing him call me by my first name stunned me into silence. ‘I assure you, that wasn’t me.’
‘What?’
‘I saw you in the pub, I was keeping warm, having a drink, and was surprised as all hell to see you of all people step in. And when I was down the lane, I was looking around the old hut you used to hang out in when you were kids. Those other places, I assure you, that wasn’t me.’
‘It wasn’t you?’
‘No, I promise. And I’m assuming, if I’ve read your face properly, you have really seen him?’
I nodded. ‘I think he is behind Jamie and Georgia going missing. I think he is going after us one by one.’
‘I think so too,’ he said, and his words brought a lot of comfort. ‘I’ll find him, Miss Chambers, but in return I’ll need your help.’
‘Why? How can I help?’
‘Every copper has one case that haunts them, and Chloe is mine. I didn’t think I would ever solve it, but I almost made peace with it. But then you found Jamie’s top.’
‘I didn’t find it,’ I said defensively.
‘The collective “you”. The you from back then. Then, the top at the cemetery. Well, let’s just say, my gut tells me I might solve this thing after all.’
‘And how am I supposed to help with that?’
‘You were with Chloe hours before she went missing.’
‘Are you accusing me…’
‘Should I be?’ he asked, a glint in his eye. Like he was trying to work me out.
‘No, of course not.’
‘I’ve watched you, Miss Chambers; you seem bright, and my gut also tells me that you will help me unravel the truth. Will you help me put this case to bed?’
‘Shouldn’t we leave that to the real police?’
‘What, leave it with PC Hastings? Believe me, you’ll be far happier if I’m trying to work it out.’
‘Why?’
‘Because Hastings was convinced you had something to do with Chloe all those years ago.’
‘What?’ I knew why he seemed so angry at me in the police station a few days ago. Hastings thought I killed Chloe.
‘He wouldn’t let it go either, even when we had nothing connecting you to her going missing.’
‘Why would he think it was me?’
‘Sometimes a copper’s gut fails him, and his head gets in the way. Besides, he was young, too young for such a big case. And then you left town and…’
‘I was scared. My mum offered me a place to get away from here for a while.’
‘I know, Miss Chambers, I know. I spoke with your father a lot about what else was going on in the family home. I understand why you left. Hastings wouldn’t let it go. He was convinced, nearly got himself suspended for digging when he was told to stop. Needless to say, I don’t think he is a fan of yours. And between you and me, PC Hastings isn’t the brightest bulb.’
‘I went to him about the Drifter the other day. He didn’t believe me, and now you’ve told me all this, he probably thinks I have something to do with it all.’
‘Probably.’
‘I don’t have anything to do with this.’
‘I know, and I know you also didn’t have anything to do with Chloe.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, meaning it.
‘Hastings wasn’t with us the night we found Chloe’s top. He wasn’t there when I took you to it. I saw the look on your face. It wasn’t a look of someone who knew what they were about to see. I saw it shake you to your core.’
I had a flash of that night, the silence in the pub after someone squawked into the radio a top had been found. The smell of wet mud and coal dust as we ran through the woods, the taste of blood as I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle my cries when I saw Chloe’s jumper.
‘It did.’
‘I’d give Hastings a wide berth if you can. Miss Chambers, take my number, in case he gives you any hassle.’
He gave me his mobile number and I saved it under DCI Thompson, despite him telling me again he wasn’t a DCI anymore.
‘Thanks for this,’ I said. It was nice to have someone believe me.
‘No problem. So, will you help me find Chloe?’
‘Yes, of course I’ll help,’ I lied.