The Night Away: An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller Read online

  ‘Because she’s only just made it up,’ growls George, banging the mantelpiece. ‘It’s bullshit. She knows you lot are closing in on her and this is a last-ditch attempt to throw you off the scent.’

  ‘Shh, let her talk.’ Amber intervenes, recognising the ring of truth in her sister’s voice. The tone is urgent, but steady. And she’s not blinking rapidly like she used to when she was a teenager and trying to lie to Mum.

  Ruby deliberately turns away from George and focuses on Amber. ‘I didn’t say anything at the time because I was embarrassed and I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t capable of looking after Mabel.’

  ‘Which you obviously weren’t,’ barks George. ‘There was an accident. Admit it!’

  ‘Please can we listen to what Ruby’s saying here,’ says Sally. ‘It could be important.’ George makes a loud huff of disgust and strides out of the room. ‘Go on, Ruby.’

  Ruby pauses for a few seconds, then continues. ‘When exactly did you find the key? And where was it?’

  Amber thinks, letting the memories come forward. They arrive hesitantly at first, but then there’s a rush of remembering as the pieces suddenly slot into place. Yes, Ruby’s story makes sense. She can corroborate it, even enlarge upon it.

  ‘Well?’ prompts Sally.

  ‘George found it on Thursday evening,’ Amber says, feeling her throat constrict as she forces the words out. ‘It was in the saucer of a flowerpot in the kitchen. I couldn’t believe it had been there all the time and I’d missed it. I wasn’t suspicious or anything; just blamed myself for not looking properly.’

  ‘Did you go out any time on Thursday during the day?’ Sally says, writing everything down.

  ‘Yes, I went to the mums’ meet-up, got back soon after lunch, and …’ She hesitates, replaying the moment in her head. Why hadn’t she put two and two together? Why had she blamed her own shortcomings instead, just as Ruby had?

  ‘And what?’ presses Ruby.

  ‘I put a load of washing on before I went out. When I got back, there was this clean, wet sock on the floor, just beneath the washing machine, like somebody had opened the door and it had fallen out. Only the programme was still going when I left so I couldn’t understand it. I know it sounds really stupid now, but I thought it was me, that I was going mad.’

  ‘So the abductor let themselves in with the key while you were out, snooped around a bit …’

  ‘A very risky thing to do,’ muses Sally. ‘They must have had some guts.’

  Ruby’s speech gathers pace. ‘It was a rehearsal! They were getting ready for the abduction. Staking it out.’

  ‘But why leave the key?’ says Amber. ‘That doesn’t make sense.’

  ‘They must have made a copy. They left the original to lull you into a false sense of security. Otherwise you might have changed the locks.’

  ‘Clever,’ says Sally, rising. ‘Right now, it’s just a theory, but given that you both had strange experiences – and that the timing works out – it’s definitely worth pursuing. I’m going to talk to the boss right now. We’ll need you both to add to your witness statements.’

  Ruby nods. ‘No problem.’

  ‘I told George about the sock,’ adds Amber. ‘He dismissed it – said I’d just got muddled up. I was really worried. I thought my depression must be getting worse. That’s why I went to the yoga retreat. I was trying to sort my head out.’

  ‘Then we’ll need George to make a statement too,’ Sally says as she leaves the room and bounds down the stairs.

  The sisters remain seated, staring at each other. Amber feels excited because something has shifted, and she feels closer to finding Mabel. But the thought of the abductor letting themselves into the flat twice without them realising is also creeping her out.

  ‘If only we’d talked about it to each other,’ she says. ‘We could have gone to the police immediately, or at least had the locks changed.’

  ‘Yes, you’re right. I’m really sorry, it’s all my fault,’ says Ruby. Her eyes fill with tears. ‘If I hadn’t left the key in the lock …’

  Amber gets up and goes over to her, crouching down and taking her hands.

  ‘I know what it’s like when you’re looking after a baby. It’s hard, you make silly mistakes. The thing is, Rubes, we know what happened now. It’s a breakthrough.’

  ‘But it means some paedophile has got her,’ Ruby croaks. ‘I can’t bear it. What if—’

  ‘Stop it!’ says Amber, shaking her. ‘We mustn’t think like that. The police have got a lead now, and there’s been the reconstruction today. Somebody will have seen something suspicious, they’ll come forward, there’ll be more CCTV images …’

  ‘I hope so, I really hope so.’ Ruby sniffs up her tears.

  ‘Try to remember if you saw someone lurking about that day, following you around the park.’

  ‘Yeah, I will.’ Ruby stares into Amber’s eyes. ‘I’m so sorry for the things I said, Amber; you know, about you lying, and about George not being Mabel’s father.’

  Amber gasps. ‘Shh! For God’s sake, Rubes!’ She looks anxiously towards the door. Did George hear that?

  ‘Why? What’s wrong?’ Ruby gives her a strange look. ‘Amber?’

  ‘It’s nothing, nothing,’ she replies quickly, feeling her cheeks heat up. She stands and moves away from Ruby. ‘Things are bad enough without George thinking …’

  ‘Yeah, of course. Sorry, I didn’t mean to … Are you okay?’

  ‘He’s really suffering right now. I mean, we all are,’ Amber rattles on, ‘but it’s even harder for him because he wants to do something and he feels powerless.’ She puts her hand on her chest to steady her breathing. ‘But this is good news in a way, because now the police know what they’re looking for.’

  ‘Yeah, that is good. It’s really good.’

  ‘Because it didn’t make sense before and now it does, even though it’s horrible and unthinkable and makes me feel sick. It means it was a random person, some stranger, nobody connected to us.’

  ‘Well that’s how it looks, but we mustn’t jump to conclusions,’ warns Ruby. ‘You know what the police say about keeping an open mind.’

  Amber feels her sister’s gaze boring into her, mining for secrets. She braces herself. Now is not the time to confess. It would only cause more pain, send everyone spinning back into the abyss. DI Benedict wants her to tell George the truth, but her instincts have been telling her to hold off until absolutely necessary, and now she’s been proved right. She will tell him, but only once they have Mabel back safely and there’s a chance, however slim, that he might forgive her.

  ‘What is it, Amber?’ asks Ruby. ‘You’ve gone all weird. I can almost see the cogs whirring in your brain. You seem … well, pleased. Why? Were you thinking it was somebody in particular?’

  ‘No! If I thought that, I’d have told the police immediately,’ Amber snaps. ‘I was just trying to process it, that’s all. To work out what this means for Mabel.’

  ‘Of course, sorry. She’s all that matters.’ Ruby gets up. ‘I’d better go. Lewis is waiting outside.’ She offers a small smile. ‘He said you wouldn’t believe me. I’m so relieved you did.’

  ‘It’s George who’s got a problem,’ Amber says. ‘He sees things very simply. You were the last person to see Mabel alive, therefore you—’

  ‘She’s still alive,’ Ruby insists. ‘We have to keep believing that.’

  ‘Yes, I know, and I try, but it’s hard sometimes …’ Now it’s Amber’s turn to take the baton of tears and run with it. Ruby hesitates for a second, then rushes forward to embrace her.

  ‘We’ll find her, I know we will.’

  George comes back into the room. He looks disgusted by the sight of the sisters hugging.

  ‘How can you believe her?’ he says. ‘Can’t you see it’s just a story?’

  Amber pulls away and turns to him, throwing an apologetic look at Ruby. ‘But what about the wet sock I found?’ she says. ‘That was the same
day the key turned up. It proves the abductor was in the flat.’

  He huffs. ‘Now you’re really clutching at straws.’

  Ruby stands her ground. ‘The police believe me.’

  ‘Hah! You think? Sally made all the right noises, acted like it was an important moment in the investigation, but she wasn’t fooled for a second.’

  ‘I’m going,’ says Ruby, not rising to the bait. ‘Let me know if you hear anything.’

  Amber nods. As soon as her sister leaves the room, George snarls.

  ‘This is exactly what murderers do,’ he says. ‘They hang around pretending to be helpful, leading search parties, making cups of tea. And all the time they’re hiding in plain sight. Don’t you see, this makes it even more likely that she and Lewis are guilty?’

  ‘No … I don’t believe it. She was telling the truth, I could see.’

  ‘Get real, Amber,’ he scoffs. ‘People lie all the time and get away with it.’ She feels her blood run cold. ‘That’s the problem with human beings. They want to believe.’

  ‘But she’s my sister, I know her.’

  ‘And I know you, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t fool me. For a while, at least.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous,’ she retorts. ‘Why would I want to fool you?’

  His gaze hardens, making her stomach quiver with anxiety. Maybe the police have already told him and he’s waiting for her to confess. Or maybe he’s known for ages and is playing games.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Day Seven without Mabel

  Ruby feels strangely exhilarated as she exits the flat. For the last few days she’s been like a fish wrenched out of the water and left flapping on the bank with a hook in her mouth. Now she’s been released and thrown back in. She can breathe again. Even though it’s her fault for leaving the key in the door – and she’ll never, ever forgive herself for that – they finally have an explanation for how the abductor got in. The police can stop hassling her and Lewis and concentrate on finding the real criminal. They’re one step closer to finding Mabel.

  ‘Well?’ says Lewis, who has been waiting for her outside. ‘How did it go?’

  ‘Good mostly,’ she replies, hugging him. ‘Amber believed me – she had a weird experience too. It all fits.’

  ‘How did George react?’

  She shakes her head. ‘He still thinks we did it. He’s in a bad way, out of control.’

  ‘Poor guy.’ He sighs thoughtfully. ‘Can we go? I’ve had enough. They must have taken hundreds of photos of me by now.’ He points to the crowd of photographers jostling behind the police tape. ‘And people have been shouting out, calling me a murderer.’

  She winces. ‘They’re despicable. Yeah, come on.’

  They go over to their bikes. She picks up her helmet and puts it on.

  ‘Ruby? Can I have a quick word?’ DI Benedict walks briskly up to her. ‘I gather you want to add something to your witness statement. Something about leaving the key in the door?’

  ‘Yes. I think it could be really significant, don’t you?’ She looks at him hopefully, but he doesn’t respond.

  ‘Would you rather do it at the station or shall I send DS Smart round to your flat?’

  ‘At the flat, please,’ she replies, fastening the chin strap. ‘Every time I go to the station, the media think I’ve been arrested.’

  ‘Will an hour give you enough time to get home?’

  ‘Yes, should do.’ She wheels the bike down the path. ‘The family liaison officer seemed to think it was a game changer.’

  ‘Possibly,’ he replies, but his expression remains inscrutable.

  ‘You need to concentrate on the previous Saturday. Witnesses may have seen someone hanging around the front door. They came in during the night, so you need to check CCTV – oh, and there’s last Thursday morning. Amber reckons they let themselves in then too.’

  He gives her a ‘don’t tell me how to do my job’ look.

  ‘Make sure you’re in when DS Smart calls,’ he says before pushing open the front door and entering the house. ‘And please don’t say anything to that lot.’ He cocks his head in the direction of the media.

  ‘As if!’ Ruby glares after him, then turns to Lewis. ‘Why was he so off with me?’

  ‘Because he thinks you’re wasting his time.’ He wheels his bike onto the pavement.

  She huffs in exasperation. The officer lifts the tape for them to pass under and they set off down the street in the opposite direction from the media.

  They cycle home the back way, avoiding most of the Saturday traffic, safe in the relative anonymity of their helmets and high-vis waistcoats. But the media manage to get ahead of them, and by the time they arrive, there’s a small welcome party crowding at the entrance gate.

  ‘How was the reconstruction, Ruby?’

  ‘Any news on Mabel?’

  ‘Do the police still think you did it?’

  ‘What happened to her, Ruby?’

  ‘Talk to us, Ruby! We can tell your story!’

  ‘Just leave us alone, okay?’ she shouts, unable to hold on to her temper a second longer.

  Lewis punches in the entrance code. ‘Don’t respond,’ he mutters under his breath. ‘You’ll make it worse.’

  The heavy gate clicks open and they wheel the bikes in. Ruby makes sure the gate is firmly shut behind them. The high metal railings that surround their block are supposed to keep burglars out. She used to find them a little oppressive, but she’s grateful for them today.

  Lewis unlocks the padlock of the cycle store and puts the bikes away while Ruby enters the flat. She takes off her jacket and helmet, unlaces her boots and kicks them off, then flicks on the central heating. It’s a relief to be home.

  She surveys the mess, which is even worse than usual. These last few days neither of them has had the slightest interest in tidying. It’s as if getting on with their normal lives is somehow disrespectful to Mabel. She goes into the kitchen and stares at the dirty crockery building up next to the kitchen sink, the scattering of breadcrumbs on the counter, the pint of milk she forgot to put back in the fridge before they left this morning, the takeaway boxes waiting to be recycled …

  How will this chaos be interpreted by DS Smart when she arrives in a few minutes’ time? Are innocent people more likely to be clean and tidy, or do they tend to live in a tip? Do murderers ever wash up? Is an unmade bed a sign of a guilty conscience? It’s absurd to have such thoughts popping into her head, but DI Benedict’s reaction has made her nervous about the slightest thing. She’s told the truth from the beginning, but somehow it doesn’t seem to be enough.

  Lewis comes in and divests himself of his gear, throwing his helmet and high-vis onto the chair in the hallway. He joins her in the kitchen. ‘I’m hungry,’ he says. ‘Is there anything for lunch?’

  ‘We should wait until the detective’s been and gone, don’t you think?’ she says. ‘I feel uncomfortable about munching a sandwich while talking about Mabel.’

  ‘Well I need to eat something,’ he grunts, opening the fridge. He crouches down and peers inside. ‘Not that we’ve got much. We’ll have to order a supermarket delivery. Daren’t go shopping, not with those bastards following us around.’

  Ruby presses her palms against her face. ‘It’s like being in prison. I can’t bear it, Lew. I just want it to stop.’

  ‘It won’t – not until they find out who took her.’

  ‘But it could go on for years. Suspicions will hang over us, we’ll never shake them off. And they could still charge us. You don’t have to have a body – if the police think they have enough evidence …’

  He pulls out a half-eaten packet of vegan cheese and a wrinkled tomato. ‘Any bread left?’ He opens the cupboard and finds the hard remains of a sourdough loaf.

  ‘You’re not listening to me,’ she wails. ‘This is serious!’

  ‘I know how serious it is, Ruby,’ he says sharply, holding his thumb to his forefinger. ‘I’m this close to being cha
rged with murder. And this key story has probably made it worse.’

  ‘It’s not a story! It’s what happened.’

  ‘It’s what you think happened – you don’t know for sure.’

  ‘I do. It’s the only explanation that makes sense.’

  ‘Listen, Rubes. I appreciate what you’re doing. I know you’re trying to protect me, but you mustn’t lie—’

  ‘I’m not lying.’ She feels stung. If he doesn’t believe her, she’s got no chance. ‘And I’m not trying to protect you. I don’t need to – you’re innocent. We both are.’

  He pauses, bread knife in hand. ‘Yes, we know that, but the police think otherwise. Can’t you see? They’re waiting for one of us to crack. You coming up with a last-minute bullshit story about—’

  The entryphone rings. Ruby hurries into the hallway and picks up the receiver. ‘Yes?’

  ‘DS Smart,’ says a familiar voice. Ruby presses the button to buzz her in.

  ‘And how many more times, it’s not a story,’ she continues.

  ‘Okay, leave it now. Don’t let her see we’ve been arguing,’ Lewis warns.

  It’s the first time Ali Smart has been to their flat. From the moment Ruby lets her in, she senses the detective scrutinising the scene, making judgements, perhaps even looking for clues. Smart keeps her coat on and rejects the offer of tea or coffee without so much as a thank you. She walks into the lounge and sits on the sofa uninvited. These small gestures of unfriendliness make Ruby feel jittery. The woman has clearly been told to be on her guard.

  ‘Right. Let’s get started,’ she says briskly, reaching into her briefcase for a statement form. ‘Tell me what you told the FLO and we’ll take it from there.’

  ‘Okay.’ Ruby shifts some jumpers off a chair and sits down. ‘Sorry about the mess. We’ve both been so upset …’

  Lewis pops his head around the door, a plate of sandwiches in hand. ‘Hi … I’ll be in the bedroom if you need me,’ he says.

  DS Smart narrows her eyes at him and he scurries away. ‘Okay. So, this incident took place on the previous Saturday, when you were also babysitting Mabel …’