‘Thanks, Dave.’ Billie was relieved. At least Dave would know what to do for the best, which was more than could be said for the rest of her useless family.
Hearing the doorbell go twenty-five minutes later, Billie rushed into the hallway and let Dave in. Gesticulating for him to follow her to the kitchen, so she was out of earshot of her mother, Billie shut the door.
‘Look, Dave, I know about Jade, Dad told me recently. Do you think he could be with her?’
Dave shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, girl, but I’ve just been on the phone to her. Jade hasn’t heard from him either and she’s worried sick. He left her a message on Boxing Night, but she’s heard nothing from him since.’
‘Bill, what you doing? Bring Dave in here,’ came her mother’s coarse voice.
‘Coming, Mum. I’m just getting Dave a drink.’
Sitting in the living room, Dave relayed the events of his night in the pub with Terry to his family. ‘So I can’t remember exactly what time he left, but it must have been about midnight and he definitely said he was coming home.’
‘Where have you been for the last two days then, Dave?’ Chelle slurred. ‘Only Lisa said that you hadn’t been home either. You sure you’re not just covering up for him?’
Dave looked at Chelle as though she was a piece of shit he’d just stepped in. ‘Don’t be so fucking stupid, Chelle. As if I’d lie at a time like this. For your information, I went on a bender and stayed at Maxie’s boozer.’
This was partly true. Dave had spent twenty-four hours shagging the old slapper he’d pulled and the following day back in Maxie’s pub doing his best to catch Colombian flu.
Billie could feel the tears spilling from her eyes again. ‘I just know something bad must have happened to Dad. What are we going to do, Dave?’
Dave put his arm round her and hugged her tightly. ‘Don’t worry, Bill. He’ll be fine, you’ll see,’ he said, not really believing it himself. He also now felt that something bad must have happened to Terry.
‘Oh, stop blubbing, Bill, for Christ’s sake,’ Chelle piped up.
Dave looked at Chelle in horror. ‘Don’t have a go at her. She’s a kid, and her dad’s gone missing. She’s got every right to be fucking upset.’
‘Whatever,’ Chelle replied in a stroppy tone.
Pearl started to howl like a wounded animal. ‘Jesus, Mary and holy Saint Joseph, you’ve taken my wonderful husband from me, please don’t take my firstborn son.’
Chelle gave her mother-in-law daggers. ‘For fuck’s sake, Pearl, don’t start Bible-punching. Give it a rest. Your wonderful husband used to knock the living daylights out of you, or have you forgotten that?’
‘You are one nasty piece of work, Michelle. My Terry could have had any woman he wanted, and what he saw in you I’ll never know.’
‘Why don’t you and Bridie fuck off upstairs or go for a walk or something? This is my house and I’ve suffered you long enough, so get out of my sight.’
Pearl stood up and looked at her daughter-in-law with pure hatred. Grabbing Bridie’s arm, the pair of them marched upstairs out of harm’s way.
Dave sat opposite Chelle and Billie pondering what to do next. ‘I know Terry wouldn’t want us to, but I think our only option is to phone the Old Bill.’
‘I don’t want them coming round here,’ Chelle slurred.
‘Well, I’ll go down the station and report him missing then,’ Dave replied.
Chelle was just about to answer, but was silenced by the doorbell.
Billie jumped up as quick as a flash. ‘I’ll get it, Mum.’ As she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of two sombre-looking policemen.
‘Hello, love. I’m DC Adams and this is PC Fortune. Is your mum there please?’
Billie noticed her whole body shaking from head to foot. ‘Mum,’ she said, her voice quivering as she spoke. ‘There’s some policemen here to see you.’
Davey Mullins dashed into the hallway and led them into the living room. Chelle felt an all-round chill of fear as she stood opposite the two coppers.
‘You might be better sitting down, love,’ DC Adams said, removing his hat. ‘I’m afraid I have some bad news for you and your family, Mrs Keane.’
Michelle could feel her body give way as she collapsed onto the sofa. ‘Go and get me a bottle of wine out of the fridge, Bill. I need a drink.’
Billie ran out of the room and sprinted into the garden. She sat on the bench sobbing hysterically with her hands over her ears. She couldn’t be in the same room if bad news was about to be told. She looked up to the sky. ‘Please, God, just make him be OK. Even if he’s seriously injured, please make him be alive,’ she whispered.
Michelle looked at the two Old Bill. ‘Look, before you tell me anything bad, I need to get a drink.’ After retrieving her wine from the fridge and downing half the bottle in one go, Chelle sat back down. ‘He’s dead, isn’t he?’ she asked.
PC Fortune put a comforting arm around her. ‘I’m so sorry, Mrs Keane. He was involved in an accident. We don’t think there are any suspicious circumstances, it’s just one of those unexplainable things. His car was found this morning at the bottom of a ditch by a man walking his dog. He was already dead when we arrived at the scene. Due to the extent of his injuries we would advise you not to see the body, although we will need someone to formally identify him.’
Dave nodded. ‘I’m his best friend, I’ll do it.’
Michelle sat in a daze. She felt like she was in the middle of a bad dream and would wake up any minute. Dave was distraught, Terry was his best pal, his mucker, the whole thing was a fucking nightmare. After sitting there for a further half-hour offering words of comfort, the two Old Bill got up to leave. Michelle sat in silence, unable to take in what had happened.
DC Adams spoke directly to Davey Mullins. ‘We can see Mrs Keane is in a state of shock and we’ve still got a few things on the case to sort before we can wrap it up. What we’ll do is send somebody around tomorrow to have a chat and maybe sort out some counselling for the family. There will also be some of her husband’s belongings to be returned, but we can’t do that until the case is actually closed.’
Dave thanked the officers, saw them out and shut the door. Pouring himself a large brandy, he sat down opposite Chelle. ‘You better go upstairs and tell his mother, Chelle. I’ll go and find Billie and break the news to her.’
Chelle topped up her glass. The shock had sobered her up. ‘I’m not in the mood for that old cow. You go and tell his mother and I’ll tell Billie.’
Dave would much rather have been the one to tell Billie, but he could hardly argue with Chelle. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he went upstairs to break the news to Terry’s mum and aunt. Their blood-curdling screams could be heard half a mile away!
Chelle found Billie sitting on a log down at the bottom of the garden. Looking fearfully at her mother she asked the dreaded question. ‘Is he OK, Mum? He will be all right, won’t he?’
Billie knew the moment her mother put her arms around her that her father was dead. Her mother had never cuddled her in the fifteen and a half years she’d been on this earth, so she immediately knew bad news was to follow.
‘It was a car accident, Bill. He was already dead when the police got there. Let’s go inside, love. It’s freezing out here and you’ve got no coat on. You’ll catch pneumonia sitting out here.’
Sobbing, Billie shook with shock. ‘It’s not him, Mum, it can’t be. They’ve