Abigail: Chapter 24

The next few days passed in something of a blur. I had a couple of emergency plumbing jobs come in so between them and the thorough telling off and subsequent grounding of my daughters, Saturday rolled round and I still hadn’t kept my word to my mother. Not that she knew that of course. I had no intention of advertising the fact that I was completely incapable of keeping my promises. She already thought I was inadequate. By mid-morning Saturday though, not only was I feeling a little bit guilty, I was also totally bored. For the second weekend in a row, Jonathan had taken the girls out and this time they were staying with him and Tricia overnight. He told them he’d decorated a room especially for them and after that they were like putty in his hands.

“You sure you don’t mind Mum?” Louise had asked, worry lines etched on her face. “Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve got loads of work to catch up on anyway. Would have been really dull for you here. You go, enjoy yourselves.”

“Thanks Mum!” And so with shrieks of excitement and a flurry of air kisses, they’d leapt into Jonathan’s car leaving me with a whole thirty-six hours to kill. And that’s when I’d remembered my promise and sent Rob a quick text inviting him over for lunch. Never one to say no to free food, he’d quickly accepted and so it was that I found myself sitting at my dinning room table opposite Rob’s hulking form.

“Have you grown again?”

“Don’t be daft. I stopped growing years ago.” He looked at me like he thought I might be crazy.

“I swear you look bigger than the last time I saw you.”

“Weirdo.”

“Idiot.”

When we were done trading insults I checked the food in the oven and was relieved to find that not only had I not burned it, the lasagne was actually looking quite delicious. I turned the dish round in the oven and while we waited for it to finish cooking, asked Rob about his week.

“What you really mean is, have I heard any news about the Toby Rogers case?” He smiled at me. “You’re so transparent Charlie.”

“Am not. But seeing as we’re on the subject, what’s news?”

“No.”

“No news, or no you won’t tell me?”

“No news.”

I sighed.

“How about you? I take it you’ve been busy?” He picked a piece of cucumber out of the salad, crunched it between his teeth and waited.

“If I tell you, you’re not allowed to say ‘I told you so’, okay?”

He held up three fingers. “Scouts honour.”

“I found him in Barnstaple.”

“You did? Well that’s great!” He looked at my face. “Isn’t it?”

I shook my head. “He was long gone by the time I got there. But I have people keeping a look out for him.”

“People?”

“An old lady who lives next door to the sofa he bunked on for a bit and a bloke who cleans the floors in Bridgend services.”

I looked at him, daring him to laugh. He managed admirably for about ten seconds but then we both started giggling. Laughing fit over, I got the lasagne out of the oven and we sat opposite each other eating in silence. It was as I was about to clear the plates away that Rob slid a folded piece of paper across the table to me.

“What’s this?”

“An address”

“Why are you giving it to me?”

“I thought you might like to go on a little road trip.”

“Today? You and me?” 

He nodded, looking smug. I hated it when he looked smug and he knew it.

“Who lives here?”

“I’ll tell you when we get there.”

“Seriously?” I hated surprises even more than I hated Rob looking smug. “Come on Rob, just tell me.” I knew I was whining but I couldn’t help it.

He shook his head and instead started taking our plates through to the kitchen. “Would you like a hand with the washing up first? I wouldn’t like to be accused of not pulling my weight.”

Thinking that maybe I could force him to tell me while we did the dishes I agreed. He threw me a tea towel. “You can dry.”

I watched as he filled the sink with soapy water and put all the plates and cutlery in to soak. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I had a dishwasher. Besides, doing the dishes as infrequently as I did, it was something of a novelty and I enjoyed watching him work. He washed the plates in silence and was about to start on the lasagne dish when he turned to face me.

“Toby’s parents,” he said.

I looked at the piece of paper he’d given me that was now lying on the kitchen counter.  When I’d asked Abigail about Toby’s family she’d changed the subject and there’d been nothing about them on the forms either. If Rob had really secured me an address for them this was huge. I felt a fizzle of excitement in my tummy and wished we’d left to visit them the moment he’d shown me the address.

“No way?!?”

He nodded, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Am I brilliant or what?”

“But how?”

“It was in his file. I thought Abigail might have given it to you but, in case not, bingo!”

“Are you allowed to give me this? Officially I mean.”

“Officially, not exactly, but it’s nothing you couldn’t have found out for yourself with a bit of digging. I just saved you some time.”

“Have any of your lot visited them yet?”

“Nope. Low risk remember.”

I rolled my eyes at him.

“I know you think we’re taking the mick but honestly Charlie, if you had any idea how much stuff lands on my desk. We simply haven’t got time for this.”

“You seem to have plenty of time to eat.”

“Give me a break, it’s my day off. And that’s why I’m coming with you. Not in an official capacity, but it might help loosen their tongues a little.”

I gave him a smile. “Thanks Rob.” I hesitated, barely able to contain my excitement. If I’d been on my own I’d be jumping up and down for joy by now. “Shall we go?”

“Come on then. But I’m driving.”