I kept my promise and after breakfast, we went to see Bexley. He was heavily sedated though or he would have been in a lot of pain, but the vet thought that things looked promising. I just hoped they stayed that why.
We dared to go back to my house, just to get the mail and check the answer phone. It looked just as we had left it. I expected to find the place completely ransacked. Thank god it wasn’t.
I hadn’t heard from the kidnappers what ever they were and I couldn’t make my mind up if that was worrying or not. I had 36 hours left to pay them. I had the money there was no problem with that.
Mark had managed to get some days off from the hospital. I don’t know how he managed it or what he told them, but what ever he said worked and I was pleased. I didn’t want to be home with just Robin and I certainly didn’t want to be left to rattle around his big house.
Eleven finally came round and I dropped Robin with Ethan. There was no way I wanted her to see this or be there when they called. She would be safe with him; his house was like Fort Knox.
I was rooted to the spot outside her door, the key was in the lock, but I couldn’t make myself turn it. I was glad Robin wasn’t with me.
“Do you want me to do it?” asked Mark.
“No, I’ve got to do this.” Swallowing I reached out and held the cold metal of the key. I twisted it and the lock clink heavily into place, the sound crashing through my head. I pushed the door open, but didn’t enter. The furniture was still there, but I could see her paintings from the walls were missing. She must have gone.
I hung my head low and finally crossed the threshold and then I saw it. Spots of blood decorated the walls like a gentle scattering of freckles. A smudge handprint ran down the wall as if some one had dipped there hand in paint and dragged it all the way down. A thick dark stain reached out through the carpet.
I felt the floor hitting my knees before I realised I was falling. My throat became tight and I couldn’t breath, couldn’t scream. A small pathetic whimper came out of my mouth and I nearly chocked. Bile rose, burning the back of my throat and I finally found my voice.
I screamed so hard that it felt like I had torn my vocal cords. Big strong arms came round me and pulled me up, but I didn’t have the strength in my legs to stand and Mark took my weight.
He half dragged, half carried me to the chair by the hall table. He knelt down in front of me, but I couldn’t see him properly as tears stung my eyes.
“Vanessa.” He said and his voice was amazingly calm. “Vanessa. I’m going to call the police ok?”
I nodded, and then shook my head. I didn’t know what to do. And then it hit me. I opened my eyes wide at him, fear riding through my body like a harsh wind, chilling me to the core.
“What if she’s still here? What if her body is here?”
“Stay here.”
I began shaking as Mark walked deeper into the flat. I heard doors and wardrobes opening and closing and knew he was searching everywhere for her.
“There’s nothing. Just this.” He said and he pointed at the bloody mess. “I’m calling the police.”
“Call Keller.” I said my eyes pleading with him. I knew it hurt him to do it and I really shouldn’t have asked, but I trusted Keller. “Please Mark.”
He nodded and reached for the phone. The phone began to ring as he touched it and he brought his hand back up quickly as if it had burnt him. We both stared at it as if we could see who was on the other end just by looking.
“Hello?” I said cautiously as I reached over and picked the receiver up slowly bringing it to my ear.
“Hello Vanessa.”
Mark held his hand out for the phone when he saw the look on my face and realised who I must have been talking too. I waved his hand away. Passing the phone to him, would only make them do something worse.
“What do you want?” I sobbed.
“Vanessa, you sound like you’re crying. Have I done something to upset you?”
“You know what you have done. You killed my best friend.”
“Best friend? But you told her to get out of your life.”
“You made me.”
“Really? I don’t recall. Anyway were wasting time and time is not something you have is it Vanessa?”
“No.”
“Your daughter looks happy at Ethan’s.”
The phone went dead.
