Abigail: Chapter 41
The work at the services was focussed to the rear of the building, away from the main customer thoroughfare. I walked through the entrance, keeping my eyes open for Jack as I went. I’d hoped he might be able to help get me access to the site but when he was nowhere to be found I decided to go it alone. The area was partitioned off from view by semi-translucent sheeting but I could see an entry point to the right so I pushed the sheeting to one side and walked towards the noise. I rounded the corner and came to face to face with a gang of men in high-visibility jackets and hardhats. They stared at me as if I’d just walked in naked. One of the men broke away from the group and came towards me.
“Hey! You can’t be in here.” He was scowling and waving his arms to try and shoo me away.
“Hi there. Are you the site manager here?” I kept my tone light and offered him my hand. “Charlie Diamond.”
He ignored my hand. “I don’t care who you are. You’re not meant to be here. Get out!”
“I met with Mr Winkleman last week. He suggested someone here might be able to help me with my enquiries,” I said, crossing my fingers.
“I doubt that very much! What do you want?” His tone was still gruff but he had at least stopped trying to force me to leave.
“If you could point me in the direction of the site manager I’d be happy to explain.”
“I’m the site manager,” the man said. “Explain.”
“Is there somewhere we could go to chat?” I leaned in and spoke more quietly. “Away from the men. I think it’s for the best.”
He looked to ignore me and instead shouted back to one of the men. “Eric, keep an eye on this lot. I’m going to escort this one off the premises.” Without waiting for an answer he took hold of my elbow and led me firmly back the way I had come. Instead of leading me to the front entrance he took a left and we found ourselves in front of a portakabin.
“After you,” he said, and I walked in. “Sit.”
I did as I was told and was about to launch into my questions when he pulled a chair in front of mine and sat on it. “Now listen here Charlie Diamond, Bill Winkleman is a good friend of mine. I don’t know what you think you’re doing but there is nothing here for you.”
“I think I’d prefer to be the judge of that.”
“I don’t care what you’d prefer!” He was in my face, his eyes wide. “Do yourself a favour and get lost!”
A piece of spittle landed on my cheek. With every ounce of dignity I could muster, I reached into my bag, took out a tissue, and wiped my face. Inside I was boiling with rage. I was so angry I wanted to smack his sweat-beaded forehead against the desk behind him. How dare he speak to me like that! When I’d wiped my face I stood up, walked across the room to the waste paper basket, and threw the tissue in the bin. I felt his eyes on me as I moved. Instead of returning to my seat I picked up my bag and started towards the door. With my hand on the door, I turned back to face him, my eyes holding his.
“If you think you can intimidate me you are very much mistaken. I don’t know what’s going on here but I intend to find out and when I do, it will be my absolute pleasure to haul that smug arse of yours all the way to the police station. Do yourself a favour and keep out of my way.”
It was only when I was back in my van that the enormity of what had just happened hit me and I started shaking. I’d been threatened, had my van nicked and been left in the middle of the woods miles away from home, but all of that paled into insignificance in the face of today. There was something about the way that man had spoken to me, eyeballing me and then spitting on me, it was too much. We all had jobs to do and I was just doing mine. There was absolutely nothing that could excuse the way he’d spoken to me and I felt outraged on behalf of every single person who had ever been spoken down to.
I was sitting behind the wheel of my van trying to decide what my next move should be when my mobile rang.
“Hello, Charlie Diamond speaking.”
“Charlie? It’s me, Rob.”
Hearing his voice made my mood feel instantly lighter. “Sorry Rob, I’ve not saved all my contacts on this new phone yet. Didn’t know it was you.”
“You mean you haven’t committed my number to memory? I’m insulted.”
“Ha ha, very funny! What do you want?”
“I thought you might like to know we’ve finished lifting prints from that letter you gave me.”
“Already? That was quick!”
“Yeah, that’s because it’s not good news I’m afraid. There’s nothing on it, nothing of any use at least.”
“Bugger!” After the morning I’d had this was not the news I was hoping for. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. It’s possible they were wearing gloves because whoever wrote this was careful, very careful.”
“So now what?”
“That’s up to you Charlie. Is she still adamant about not going to the police?”
“Last time I spoke to her yep. There’s been a few, developments, since then, but nothing that would change her mind.”
“Developments?”
I told him about my visit to Toby’s place of work and the building at the service station, leaving out the bit where the man accidentally spat in my face, a girl has to have some pride.
“Do you think any of this is connected to Toby?” Rob asked.
“It’s hard to imagine how it wouldn’t be. Bill Winkleman ran the site where Toby was last seen and now Bill’s friends are pulling rank. It stinks so bad I’m thinking of buying shares in air freshener.”
“Do you want me to pay them a little visit? I could take a couple of the uniform lads with me, give the place the once over.”
“On what grounds?”
“On the grounds that a very good friend of mine doesn’t take kindly to thugs!”
“I’m pretty sure you can’t get a warrant for that, but thanks all the same.” I smiled. “No, I’m going to have to do this the hard way.”
“Which is?”
“Honestly? I don’t know yet. But I’m working on it.”
After promising to keep me posted on anything new that came in connected to either Toby or Bill Winkleman, Rob hung up and I drove back to Gloddfa Bont. My fabulous mood from earlier had all but evaporated and I didn’t know what to do next so in the absence of any brilliant ideas, I decided to take Missy for a walk. There was every chance a bit of fresh air would be just the shot of inspiration I needed for my next big breakthrough.