Thicker Than Water (2 page)

Eleanor spoke with a forced calmness. ‘No, let’s just go. I’m sure everything is fine.’

The wait to pay was excruciating and Cameron could barely tolerate the silence during the car journey home. Each red traffic light and delay to give way at a roundabout seemed to occur in slow
motion. He cursed any driver in front of him who was not going at least 10 m.p.h. over the speed limit. He could sense Eleanor in the passenger seat holding her breath as she tried to call the
house. Each time, he could hear the phone ringing without being answered until his wife would hang up before trying again.

Neither of them spoke.

When they first moved in, Cameron had spent months struggling to reverse his car onto their driveway each time he arrived home. The thick brick pillars on either side seemed to have been placed
deliberately to make life difficult and Eleanor would make jokes about his parking ability. Without even thinking, he drove in front first and switched off the engine, opening the door in one fluid
movement. Eleanor was out of the car before it had stopped, heels clip-clopping across the tarmac as Cameron watched her climb the steps two at a time to their front door. He reached the bottom as
she got to the top, a small cry escaping her lips.

‘What?’ Cameron asked, louder than he intended.

Eleanor was standing still as he joined her on the top step. She didn’t have to say anything because he could see it himself – the front door was unlocked and open. Cameron looked at
the fear in his wife’s eyes. He was too scared to speak, in case saying it out loud would make it more real.

Gently, he eased the front door open, not knowing what he would see on the other side. Cameron realised he had been holding his breath and exhaled loudly as he stared into the hallway to see
everything exactly as it should be. Eleanor’s bright pink coat, which he so hated, was still hanging from the row of hooks on the right-hand wall. Lara’s wellington boots and trainers
were neatly placed on the floor underneath.

Cameron felt Eleanor pushing past him, heading for the stairs. Lara’s bedroom was the natural place to visit first but, for some reason, he felt drawn to the living room. As he heard his
wife’s shoes ascending the wooden steps, Cameron slowly opened the front-room door, peering around it.

The room was bathed in a bluish haze with the glow from the television creeping into the darkened corners. Cameron stood for a few moments, staring at the screen, before remembering where he
was. He blinked rapidly, glancing around the empty room which was, apart from the absence of Oliver, exactly as he had left it. Cameron noticed the house phone undisturbed on the side table, before
he picked up the remote control and switched the set off, allowing darkness to engulf him.

He turned to walk back into the hallway but his foot brushed across the top of something hard. He bent down and picked up a mobile phone, examined it and put it in his pocket, stepping into the
hallway. Cameron felt his stomach gurgling uncomfortably as he rested one hand on the banister at the bottom of the stairs. His house had a different aura about it in a way that was difficult to
describe. He remembered when the new-born Lara was first brought home, and Eleanor spent the best part of two days sleeping. Owning a property wasn’t about the bricks and tiles, it was about
those memories, and now they suddenly seemed tarnished.

Cameron held on to the banister, eyes tightly closed as he slowly started climbing the stairs. He winced at every creak, listening out for the scream of anguish he knew would soon be coming from
above.

As he neared the top, Cameron opened his eyes one at a time. He fully expected to see his daughter’s bedroom door flung open with a pile of clothes or toys on the floor. Instead, Eleanor
was standing in the doorframe staring inwards, illuminated by the night light in an almost identical fashion to a few hours previously.

‘Ellie?’ he said softly.

His words echoed around the hallway, unanswered. Cameron stepped closer to his wife until he was standing directly behind her. He peered over her shoulder until he could see the room clearly. He
blinked rapidly, wanting his eyes to confirm it was true.

Even from the doorway, he could see Lara’s chest rising and falling as she slept soundlessly.

‘She’s okay,’ Eleanor said gently as Cameron pressed into her back. He felt his wife push into him before relaxing her muscles so he was supporting her weight. ‘I thought
. . .’

‘I know.’

They stood in silence watching their daughter breathe. Cameron would have been happy standing there for the rest of the night but his wife turned and nestled her head into his shoulder.
‘Where’s Oliver?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know. He’s not downstairs.’

‘He wouldn’t have just gone home . . . would he?’

Cameron rubbed the bottom of the woman’s back soothingly. ‘His mobile phone was on the floor.’

Eleanor pulled away and met her husband’s eyes for the first time since they had left the restaurant. She asked the question they were both thinking. ‘So where is he?’

Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel finished chewing the chip she was eating and scowled at her friend across the canteen table in disapproval.

‘I’m not rising to it,’ she said.

Detective Constable Isobel Diamond laughed. ‘You always rise to it. There’s no way you’re going to let it go.’

Jessica picked up another chip and put it in her mouth, shaking her head. ‘I’m a changed woman.’

Izzy laughed again. ‘Not that changed if you’re still talking with your mouth full.’

Jessica swallowed. ‘That was just a treat for you. Anyway, I’m not rising to it.’

‘I’m just asking if you’re ever going to take Adam’s last name.’

‘Yes but you’re not really asking, are you? You’re stirring.’

Izzy giggled further. ‘I am a bit, yeah.’

Jessica looked across the canteen table at Detective Constable David Rowlands. ‘What’s up with you anyway? Nothing funny to say?’

The constable had been swishing his cup of tea with a teaspoon absent-mindedly for around five minutes. ‘Jessica Compton would make you sound like a farmer’s daughter,’ he
concluded, not looking up from his mug.

Jessica raised her eyebrows and met Izzy’s surprised stare. ‘That’s a bit rude,’ Izzy replied.

Dave shrugged, picking up his tea and downing what was left. He offered a half-smirk as he raised his gaze to their eyes. ‘It does sound a bit
farmy
though, doesn’t it?
It’s like you should be working somewhere in Alabama throwing hay bales around.’

‘Have you ever been to Alabama?’ Jessica asked.

‘No, you?’

‘Surprisingly no, but I doubt they throw hay bales around.’

‘Anyway,’ Izzy said. ‘Are you changing your name or not?’

Instead of replying, Jessica picked up another chip and chewed it deliberately slowly. ‘It’s your first day back, Iz,’ she eventually said. ‘You’ve returned earlier
than anyone expected. Haven’t you got more important things to be getting on with?’

‘Not really, no. Everyone’s being particularly nice and offering to carry stuff or take work off my hands. I might have a few more children if this is what everyone’s reaction
is like.’

She raised her eyebrows in a silent suggestion.

‘Don’t even say it,’ Jessica replied. ‘You either,’ she added, turning to Rowlands.

Izzy snorted with laughter. ‘It’s going to happen, Jess. You’re married. It’s kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, the lot from now on.’

‘My mum’s been dropping hints,’ Jessica confessed. ‘After she got over us flying to Vegas, she started talking about us figuring out somewhere more permanent to live so
we can “sort out the spare room”.’

Izzy giggled knowingly as Dave kept a straight face. ‘Are you still living at your mate’s flat?’ he asked.

The house Jessica had lived in with her boyfriend Adam had burned down and they had been staying in an apartment owned by Jessica’s oldest friend. ‘For now,’ she replied.
‘We’re looking for places but it’s bloody boring . . .’

‘. . . And you wouldn’t know which name to write on the mortgage,’ Izzy interrupted.

Jessica tried to stop herself smiling but Izzy’s mood was infectious. ‘There’s nothing wrong with keeping your own name,’ she insisted.

‘Adam could take yours,’ Dave suggested unhelpfully. ‘Adam Daniel.’

‘I did mention that but it didn’t go down well.’

Izzy swished her long red hair behind her and tied it tightly. ‘I’ve missed all of this.’

‘What, winding me up?’ Jessica said.

‘Pretty much, yes.’

Jessica grinned. ‘At least you’re honest. How is Amber?’

Whether it was deliberate or not, Izzy shuffled in her seat until she was sitting up straighter. Her smile widened. ‘I’m missing her. I know her grandparents are looking after her
fine but you get used to spending every day together.’

‘When I saw you last, it didn’t look as if you’d slept in a week,’ Jessica pointed out.

Izzy shrugged. ‘Amber’s sleeping a bit better now and doesn’t wake up so often in the night. You get used to it.’ She paused for a moment, before adding with a wink:
‘
You’ll
get used to it.’

Jessica ignored her. ‘My mum reckons she used to give me a tiny amount of whisky on my dummy whenever I couldn’t sleep. You should try that.’

‘I’m not giving my baby alcohol to make her sleep.’

‘It didn’t do me any harm.’

‘Aside from the chronic wine intake nowadays, you mean.’

Jessica ignored the dig. ‘Are you sure it’s not just a massive scam to get extra presents? Not only do you get gifts for Christmas and birthdays, you now get Mother’s Day stuff
as well. It’s one big cycle of getting free stuff.’

‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Izzy replied sarcastically. ‘That was my first thought when I found out I was pregnant.’

Jessica grinned. ‘You’re quiet,’ she said to the other constable.

Rowlands, who was fiddling with his empty mug, shrugged dismissively. As Jessica took another chip, he locked eyes with Izzy. There was an awkward silence as Jessica glanced up and caught
them.

‘What?’ she demanded, wondering what she was missing. Dave quickly looked back at the table. ‘Are you two up to something?’ Jessica persisted, although neither of the
constables replied.

‘So are you going for Jason’s job or not?’ Izzy asked.

Jessica paused for a moment, wondering whether to let the obvious subject change go. After a very deliberate pause to let her friends know she was onto them, even though she wasn’t,
Jessica replied. ‘I’ve been asked to apply but I don’t think it’s for me.’

Both constables groaned together. ‘Jess, you’d be perfect,’ Izzy said. ‘You practically do the job already.’

Jessica shrugged dismissively, although she knew it was true. Ever since Detective Inspector Jason Reynolds had been suspended for leaking sensitive information to the media a few months
earlier, his workload had been spread out among his colleagues – with Jessica and Detective Sergeant Louise Cornish taking the brunt.

Their bosses had already been looking for an additional inspector but whoever got that position would end up doing it in place of DI Reynolds instead of alongside him. That was until the results
of his disciplinary were through, which would be months, if not longer.

‘They’re interviewing over the next few weeks,’ Jessica said. ‘But I don’t want to end up sitting around here all day. I’d rather be out there annoying
people.’

‘You are very good at being annoying,’ Rowlands replied.

Jessica wiped up the remaining brown sauce with her final chip and bit it in half. ‘Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment.’

‘So you’re definitely not going for it?’ Izzy continued.

As she finished the final part of her lunch, Jessica pushed the plate away. ‘Nope. I’d be jealous if anyone else got to order Dave around. That’s my job.’

‘It’s not because you’re thinking about the pitter-patter of tiny feet, is it?’ Izzy asked with a smile.

Jessica rolled her eyes. ‘You’re not going to let it go, are you?’

Before Izzy could reply, Jessica saw Detective Chief Inspector Jack Cole striding into the canteen. He didn’t need to speak before she was on her feet. ‘What’s up?’ she
asked.

He was biting his bottom lip, unsure how to phrase his words. ‘I’m not sure,’ he finally admitted. All three officers were now standing. ‘It’s good to have you
back,’ he added, turning towards DC Diamond.

‘Thanks, Sir.’

‘What do you need?’ Jessica asked.

The chief inspector cleared his throat. ‘You know the usual policy on missing persons is to wait a day but we’ve had something this morning that is a little different . .
.’

Jessica kept one eye on the road as she tried to glance sideways to see Izzy’s expression. ‘Are you going to tell me?’ she asked.

‘What?’

‘What’s going on with you and Dave? Or, more importantly, what’s going on with Dave? He’s been moping around for ages now.’

Izzy sighed slightly. ‘You should probably ask him.’

‘I have, he gives that blokey “nothing” reply, then carries on sulking.’

‘It’s probably just the Chloe thing. Ever since he split up with her, he hasn’t quite been himself.’

Dave had broken up with his girlfriend a few months previously but Jessica hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to him about it because she had been dealing with her house fire at the same
time. She flicked on the indicator and turned left, impressed by the fact she knew where she was going.

‘Didn’t he break up with her?’

‘Yes.’

‘So what’s the problem?’

Izzy replied after a short pause. ‘I don’t know.’

Jessica didn’t think it sounded too convincing but didn’t want to push her friend so soon after her return from maternity leave. She manoeuvred her way through a selection of side
streets, pulling up outside the address Cole had given her. With the absence of anywhere to park, she blocked in whoever was on the driveway and then, with Izzy a few steps behind, walked up the
small set of steps before ringing the doorbell.

Almost instantly, a man opened the door. He was tall, with slightly greying hair tucked behind his ears. He was attractive in the way some men were when they reached a certain age, his delicate
wrinkles displaying a wisdom and kindness as he stood hesitantly on the top step. He pushed himself up onto tip-toes looking over the officers towards the road and then, eventually, inviting them
in.