Vanished by James Delargy (free novel 24 TXT) 📕

by Neil Templeton, another detective from the MCS, was looking into the charity and the scandal that forced Naiyana Maguire out of a job.

It was the latter team that brought news this morning. A Leona Sanchez had come forward admitting to meeting Naiyana in Wisbech on 21 December.

An interview had been set up for noon. Emmaline told them to make it one and she would be there.

Emmaline entered the interview room to be greeted by a slim woman in her forties with lines on her face that foundation could not cover. Despite her exotic-sounding surname she was pasty white and looked like she would burn at the sheer mention of the word sun. Her demeanour was a little agitated, her long fingernails scraping her palms.

After formalizing greetings and informing Mrs Sanchez that this interview was being recorded, Emmaline settled into the questions.

‘You said you met Naiyana Maguire in Wisbech?

‘On the twenty-first of December. In the Half-Door Cafe.’

‘And on any other occasion since she left Perth?’

‘No, just that once.’

‘Has anyone else from the charity met with her?’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘Not as far as I know.’

There was nothing that suggested Leona Sanchez was a liar but Emmaline decided to push her.

‘Why didn’t you speak up before?’

Leona Sanchez’s agitation materialized into a persistent hand tremor.

‘We didn’t chat about much, just the latest… the fallout from what she – we – had done.’

‘And what was the fallout?’

‘You must have read about it, Detective?’

Emmaline kept quiet and waited for Leona to expand on her own question.

‘It was in the papers, online, on the news even. The boycott of Brightside Foods, the recall of their new baby food line? Over a hundred jobs lost? The protests outside our office? The things sent to Naiyana—?’

Emmaline pounced. ‘What kinds of things?’

‘Online threats mostly. And two letters with dog shit in them. One with human. It was too much heat for the charity. It was adversely affecting donations. They told Naiyana to leave.’

‘And what did you think?’

‘I think they should have supported her,’ said Leona, the tremor now paused. She had found Leona’s backbone. Loyalty to her friend. ‘Instead they threw her out. Nee was in the right. We were in the right.’

‘So you want her back?’

‘Yes, I want her back. But she had to move away. Into hiding.’

‘Is that what she said?’

‘Yes.’

‘So she didn’t want to go?’

Leona shook her head. ‘No. We both knew she couldn’t cope with being in the middle of nowhere. She was just so full of energy. And now…’

‘Now?’

‘I don’t know. No one can find her. The police are around asking questions. It must mean that it’s serious.’

Leona’s eyes closed, the renewed tremor threatening to knock the glass of water off the table.

Emmaline didn’t need her breaking down so changed the subject. ‘On that day – the twenty-first – did you chat about anything specific?’

‘I updated her on the whole shitstorm, nothing specific, just that it was still a shitstorm. We talked about how she and the family were doing.’

‘And what was the impression you got?’

‘She was coping. Trying to cope. It was a massive change for all of them.’

‘Did she seem distressed?’

‘No. Maybe bored and a little sorry for where she found herself. I was sorry for her too. We talked about the vlogs. I told her to make sure no one could identify the town.’

‘Because of the threats?’

‘Yes. This scandal affected a lot of people, Detective. Including that sleazeball MP.’

‘Chester Grant.’

‘Yes. I told her that his office had been in contact.’

‘What about?’

‘They didn’t say. Probably arse-covering. Getting Nee to do a photo shoot with BS Foods and their revised product.’

‘And was she interested?’

Leona bit her lip. ‘I don’t know. But she did hint that she knew something about him.’

Emmaline frowned. ‘Like what?’

‘She didn’t say.’

‘She didn’t mention anything?’

‘No.’

‘But it sounded important?’

‘Seemed to be.’

Emmaline made a note to contact Chester Grant. To see why he wanted to get in touch with Naiyana Maguire so badly.

‘Just a few more questions, Mrs Sanchez. Could anyone have followed you? Did you use your credit or debit card anywhere?’

‘For fuel, yes.’ With this Leona’s eyes flashed wide. The tremors returned. And the self-blame. ‘You don’t think that someone could have… And I led them to her. And Lorcan. And Dylan.’ She couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

‘Did you tell anyone else about the meeting?’ asked Emmaline.

Leona continued crying and didn’t answer.

‘Mrs Sanchez?’

‘Just in the office. I thought the others should know she was okay. Was that wrong too?’ she asked, tears now dripping freely from her lined face.

49

Lorcan

Lorcan looked at the boxes of furniture lined up in the living room. This was the easy part of fixing up the house. No Internet manuals needed, just a simple set of stick-figure instructions. However, it was excruciatingly boring given what he knew was taking place just past the crossroads.

Naiyana ducked her head into the room. ‘How are you getting on?’

He stared at the box in front of him – a rocking chair – and didn’t respond.

‘I’m going to get some groceries. More ice for the box. Dylan is drawing in the kitchen.’

‘Take him with you.’

‘He’s happy where he is. And I need to get away.’

He looked at her. They both knew why she needed to get away. To come to terms with the fact that they weren’t alone.

He listened to the engine cough into life and the crunch of the tyres on the sand, before both sounds faded away leaving silence again. He opened the cardboard box – a jumble of pieces. He had no interest in it.

He headed to the kitchen to check on Dylan. He was giving some anonymous superhero a decidedly garish cape, his tongue poking out.

‘I’m going out for a while. Stay here.’

The head lifted from his work. ‘I’ll come too, Daddy.’

Lorcan went to say no. Then thought about it. No harm in having a lookout. Just in case.

The house was still. No ute. No lights. And no rumbling. He put his finger to his lips to warn Dylan to stay quiet