Lost Souls by Jenny O'Brien (android e book reader txt) 📕

have the names of the people assigned the prosthetic hips by the end of the day.’ He ran his hand over his beard, a deep frown in evidence. ‘Instead of hanging around, I’d be happy to interview that friend of Ellie’s and save you a job? It’s only ten minutes away or so.’

Gaby bit down on her lower lip, well aware of the time and the likelihood of rush-hour traffic along the A525. But Owen was a grown-up and one who didn’t take too kindly to her interfering in his home life. So, instead of saying what she thought, all she said was, ‘It’s probably a good idea if you take Amy with you. Phone me if you have anything, and that goes for the rest of you.’ She turned to face them. ‘I appreciate the stress you’re all under but we have to keep on top of the workload. Remember it’s a big bad world out there and Elodie Fry is only ten.’ Gaby headed for the door. ‘DS Davis, my office, if you please.’ She knew it was churlish but there was no way she was giving him the opportunity of either sitting behind her desk or drinking out of her mug again.

Chapter 18

Owen

Monday 3 August, 4.55 p.m. Rhyl

Heather Powell lived with her parents in a spacious apartment tagged on to the side of their sea-fronted hotel in Rhyl. No cost had been spared to fit out the accommodation and Owen was hard-pressed not to slip off his shoes at the entrance, the hole in his sock the only thing stopping him. Like everything else in his life at present, the mundane minutiae of his day, like sock buying, was put on hold until Angelica’s sleeping pattern was such to guarantee more than a couple of hours’ sleep at one stretch.

After a few minutes of word-wrangling with Heather’s parents, they were shown into a large family room situated at the back of the apartment. No one liked the police turning up on their doorstep unannounced and Owen and Amy had their work cut out trying to convince them that they only had Ellie and Heather’s best interests at heart.

Heather turned out to be a round-faced, chubby girl with long dark hair straggling her back, and unfortunate teeth – Owen’s thoughts contracted at the sight. There were so many things about the child sitting in front of him, with her hands clasped tightly on her lap, that could cause her to be bullied and it didn’t take a genius to see the truth in Gaby’s words by the way Heather was careful to avoid his gaze. The worst of it was that there was very little he could do to help. Their priority must be finding out what had happened to Ellie.

‘Hi there. My name is Owen Bates and this is Amy Potter, but you can call us Owen and Amy. We’re trying to find out about Ellie. I believe you’re her friend?’

‘We hang out a bit, if that’s what you mean.’

‘That’s exactly what I mean. So, when did you last see her?’

She wrinkled her nose. ‘That would’ve been Friday at about seven around at hers. Her mum asked me over for tea.’

‘Your dad collected you?’

‘Yes. Saturdays are busy at the hotel otherwise I could have had a sleepover.’

‘Do you often have sleepovers with her then?’

‘All the time but usually here instead of—’ She stopped, her finger in her mouth as she bit on the skin around her thumb.

‘Instead of …?’ Amy asked softly.

The expression on Heather’s face told Owen that she wasn’t going to answer. Instead of pursuing it, Amy asked another. ‘So, can you tell me what Ellie was like when you last saw her? You know, was she happy? Sad? Did she seem worried about anything? There must be a reason why she decided to leave home. Is there anything you can tell me that might help us find her?’

Heather shrugged. ‘I don’t know. She did seem a bit quiet. Not her usual self. She’s normally full of talk about her ballet lessons but on Friday she barely said a thing. Her and me, we’re good mates. We stick together. I was worried I’d maybe done something to annoy her.’ She raised her head again, the downward pull of her mouth an indication of her mood. ‘You will find her, won’t you?’

‘We’re doing our very best,’ Amy said, leaning forward in her chair. ‘So, she didn’t say anything then? Anything that might make you think there was a reason behind her running away?’

‘She didn’t say much at all. In school, she’s quiet but then so am I. But outside she never shuts up. Friday, she was different. I don’t think she wants to be my friend anymore otherwise she’d have told me what was worrying her.’

‘She was worried?’

‘I think so. We’ve been trying to grow our nails.’ Heather spread her fingers, displaying ten nails painted in a rainbow of colours. ‘She was beating me by a mile. Friday she’d bitten them right down to the bottom.’

‘That girl has the weight of the world on her shoulders,’ Amy said, after the door had closed behind Heather’s back. ‘Do you think she’ll be all right without Ellie around to support her?’

‘I’ll have a word with her parents on the way out. We also need to ask them why they were reluctant for her to sleep over at Ellie’s. It’s probably the snob factor but there could be something that we’re missing.’

‘While you’re at it, I’ll phone Gaby and give her an update. Oh, I nearly forgot. She said to tell you not to bother to go back to the office. If she sees you before eight tomorrow there’ll be ructions.’ Amy raised her hands in a defensive position at his murderous expression. ‘Don’t shoot the messenger. Those were her words not mine.’

Chapter 19

Ronan

Monday 3 August, 4.55 p.m. Caernarfon

With his baseball cap pulled low, Ronan helped Ellie off the train, his hand firm around her