Gone Read Online Free PDF Page A

wouldn’t have done that. He was no good. I knew that much. He used to come here sometimes. I remember she stopped going out for a while. She’d look out the window. Up and down she’d be. Checking outside. I asked her if she was waiting for someone.’ Ray turned towards the window. The net curtain had yellowed from the sun. ‘I saw him hanging about one day. Across the road. I said I was going to call the police but she told me they wouldn’t do anything. I went to go outside myself, to tell him to bugger off, but she wouldn’t let me. Said it didn’t matter. When I looked out later he’d gone.’ Ray stood and picked up a photo of Emma from the mantelpiece. ‘She left again shortly after that.’
    ‘And that was in April. Was this when the man from the clinic came to see you?’ She searched through her notes, recalling what she’d read from the original investigation. ‘Ben Swales, right?’ Ray nodded. ‘But he never came when she disappeared the last time?’
    Freeman saw his hands shaking as he put the photo back. ‘No. He never came again.’
    ‘Was there anyone else who might’ve seen Emma before she disappeared? Any other friends you can think of?’
    Ray sat down again. ‘There was a girl she was at school with.’ He shook his head. ‘It’ll come back to me. They’d been friends since primary school. I know they stopped seeing each other so much but she might know something. Emma could’ve told her something about the boy.’ He shook his head again as if trying to dislodge his memories. ‘Diane. That’s it. Diane Royle. I’m sure your lot spoke to her last time.’
    ‘Great,’ Freeman said. ‘I’ll check.’ She pulled her scarf out of her pocket and made a move to go. ‘If you think of anything else, could you give me a call?’ She got to the front door when Ray appeared in the doorway of the living room.
    ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t help.’
    ‘You’ve been very helpful,’ she said. ‘Thanks.’ She opened the door and winced at the cold wind. At least it had stopped raining.
    ‘Maybe that boy could help,’ Ray said and Freeman turned around.
    ‘What boy?’ she asked.
    ‘He came this morning. He was a friend of Emma’s, he came to offer condolences. He was very nice.’
    Freeman felt a jolt of excitement. Finally someone who might be able to offer some insight.
    ‘What was his name?’ she asked.
    ‘His name?’ Ray frowned again and Freeman felt a stab of guilt as she wished he’d answer faster. ‘Oh, I . . .’ Ray closed his eyes and shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I don’t know if he said. I’m sure he must’ve but I don’t remember.’
    ‘What did he look like?’
    Ray closed his eyes for a little too long. ‘He was a nice boy, well dressed. Dark hair, I think.’ He opened his eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Freeman. I can’t remember.’
    Freeman let out a sigh and smiled at Ray. ‘That’s okay,’ she said. ‘But if you remember or if he comes again, will you call me?’
    Ray nodded and looked like the whole world was on his shoulders, like he’d let his daughter down. Freeman smiled again, hating herself for making him feel that way.

Chapter 7
     
    13 December 2010
     
    DCI Routledge leaned back in his chair and yawned. Freeman assumed she wasn’t boring him, but instead chose to believe he’d had a late night. And judging from the state of him, that wouldn’t be an unreasonable assumption. Apparently Christmas had started early for some.
    ‘Anyway,’ she continued, ‘I spoke to DI Gardner in Middlesbrough—’
    ‘DI?’ Routledge said and pulled a face. Freeman wanted to ask what it was about this Gardner that got people’s backs up, but doubted Routledge would spill. He still had some professional discretion.
    ‘ Anyway ,’ she started again, ‘it was pretty much a waste of time. He couldn’t tell me anything that wasn’t in the reports. There’d only been two real people of interest at the time. One was a drug counsellor, Ben