Abigail: Chapter 53
We arrived back in Gloddfa Bont by mid-afternoon. We hadn’t made firm plans about what day I’d be home so the girls were still at Jonathan’s house. Despite the big breakfast I’d had earlier my tummy grumbled.
“Have you got time for a bite to eat in The Bont before you go?” I asked Rob.
“I should really be getting back. Got washing to put on, unpacking to do.”
It sounded like a hollow excuse to both our ears but I let it slide and we said goodbye. Walking into an empty house just a few days before Christmas felt miserable and I wished we hadn’t arranged for the girls to take Missy with them. I turned the heating on then quickly went round and switched on all the lights. Surrounded by the glow of fairy lights I was soon feeling festive and I decided it was time to devote some time to my trusty white board again.
The one piece in all this that I still couldn’t get my head around was how Toby and Ryan knew each other. However I joined the dots, I still wasn’t seeing the full picture and it was bothering me. When I’d been home about an hour I phoned Rob.
“How did Toby and Ryan meet?” I asked as soon as he answered.
He didn’t miss a beat. “Dunno. Is it important?”
“Course it’s important. We’re assuming Ryan’s the kidnapper cos it was him on the phone and he nicked my van.
“Don’t forget that he also admitted it.”
“Okay yeah, that too but …”
“And he beat up Muriel.”
“Alright, I’ll give you that but …”
“And Roland gave a positive ID.”
“Okay, but listen, what if he’s not working alone?”
Rob was silent for a moment. “Who would he be working with?”
“Dunno, but that’s why it’s important.” I sat back in the chair, a grin on my face. “Have you finished your washing?”
“Why?”
“I need you to come with me on another road trip.”
“But we’ve only just got back.” I could hear him sighing in the background, huffing and puffing, trying to talk himself out of it. I just waited, knowing what was coming next. “Where are we going this time?”
“You’ll see. Just pick me up in an hour, and bring your phone.”
While I waited for Rob to get to my house I worked my magic on the laptop so that by the time he beeped his horn to let me know he’d arrived, I was able to wave a photo of Ryan at him from my phone.
“Is that him?”
“Yep.” I grinned.
“How’d you get that?”
“Google. It’s amazing what you can find online these days if you know how to look for it.”
“Witchcraft!”
“You’re just jealous because you don’t know how to touch type.” I got into his car and gave him Abigail’s address. It was time to start moving some of those dots closer together and Abigail’s house was the perfect place to start.
I knocked Abigail’s door impatiently, willing her to hurry up and let us in so I could get to work. When the door finally opened, a pair of eyes looked up at me.
“Hello Alexander, is your mummy home?”
While we waited for the boy to get his mother, Rob leaned into me and whispered. “Is he old enough to be opening the door to strangers?”
“We’re not strangers. I met him on Sunday.”
“Yeah, but his mother didn’t know that before she sent him to open it.”
I shrugged. “It’s a quiet street. I’m sure it’s fine.”
Abigail’s arrival at the door interrupted our conversation. “Hey Charlie, come on in. Who’s your friend?”
“This is Rob, the policeman friend I told you about,” I said. “Rob, meet Abigail.”
The two shook hands then Abigail led us into the kitchen where we were greeted by a riot of colour. “You’ll have to excuse the mess. School holidays.”
She shrugged and gave me a look I recognised only too well from years spent cleaning up and running around after twin girls. I wanted to assure her that it would get easier, that soon they’d be old enough for her to pack them off to stay with their dad for a bit but I caught myself just in time and kept my mouth shut.
“How’d it go in Barnstaple? Any news?”
I didn’t quite know what to say in response to that. The last time I’d spoken to Abigail was to tell her that the drop-off for the ransom demand was all arranged. She’d hung up on me and we hadn’t been in contact since.
“Other than the drop-off thing I mean, obviously.” She laughed nervously.
“Well that’s kind of why we’re here. Have a look at this photo would you?” I showed her the picture of Ryan on my phone. “Have you seen this man before?”
“Man? Looks like a kid to me!”
“Well yeah, but that kid is the person responsible for making demands on your husband’s life so it’s important we don’t underestimate him.”
“That’s him?” She sounded shocked. “That’s who has my Toby?”
I nodded.
“But that can’t be right. He’s so weedy looking. You’ve seen my Toby. Well, photos of him at least. He could take that kid down like a shot!”
“Maybe under normal circumstances that might be true.” I hesitated, trying to be delicate. “But these aren’t normal circumstances are they? We don’t know the condition Toby’s being kept in. It’s possible that he’s been given some kind of narcotic maybe.”
“Drugs? He’s given him drugs?!?”
“It’s possible, we just don’t know. But that’s why I need you to look at his photo carefully and tell me if he looks familiar.”
She took my phone and looked at Ryan’s face again. It was from a press release announcing a grant McDonald’s had given to one of the local schools. Ryan must have happened to be duty manager that day because he was caught on camera presenting a super-sized cheque to the school. The specifics were irrelevant. I was just thankful that once again Google had made my job easier.
Abigail handed me back my phone. “Never seen him before in my life. Sorry.”
It wasn’t exactly the answer I’d been hoping for but it was one more line of enquiry I could rule out. I thanked Abigail for her time, telling her I’d be back tomorrow to take her to Barnstaple. She needed to start packing and make arrangements for someone to look after the children. In the meantime, I had one more place I needed to visit and this time I needed Rob’s phone.