Cold as Ice

Chapter 13

Tracy had a hard job making out who was phoning her through the fractured glass on her screen. It upset her every time she looked at her phone but she couldn’t afford to get a new one till at least February. She heard Danielle’s voice on the other end.

‘I’m sorry, Tracy.’

Tracy moved into the bedroom to have privacy away from Steve. It was nine in the evening and she was so tired she was already getting ready for bed. Tracy had been working long hours since she babysat for Danielle. She hadn’t heard a thing for three days.

‘Okay, well I probably overreacted.’

Danielle sighed at the other end of the phone. ‘No, you probably didn’t. It was an awful thing to happen. I know you weren’t glad, but I was really grateful it was you there with Jackson. You coped when most other people would have flipped. I couldn’t have wanted anyone else but you, Tracy.’

Tracy felt a sob come into her throat. She coughed.

‘That’s very nice of you to say, Danielle. I hope Jackson is okay?’

‘Yes. He asked where Nanny had gone when he got up the next day. He seems to be all right about the break-in. ‘

‘Did you have the door fixed?’

‘Not yet but I will. I was ringing to ask if you would like to come to a Christmas school fête the day after tomorrow? We are raising funds to make costumes for our Nativity play. Jackson’s playing a bunny.’

‘A bunny?’ Tracy laughed. ‘I don’t remember there being a bunny in the Christmas story!’

‘Yeah. He’s one of the animals in the stable. He looks really cute. You’ll have to come and see it when it’s on.’

‘I’d love to.’

‘So you’ll come then, on Saturday? I’ll see you at the park, children’s playground at half ten?’

‘Yes.’ Tracy ended the call and sat on her bed thinking. She couldn’t hear Steve moving about in the next room. He was in the lounge; she was sure of that. She could hear the news on the television. He was in a funny mood tonight, sort of hovering. He was bound to guess the call was from Danielle – she never got a call at that time in the evening. Tracy thought she should push for him to meet Danielle and Jackson now. She was sure she was meant to have them in her life. Now that she saw how vulnerable Jackson was and how much Danielle needed all her support, and especially now that Danielle had apologized. She knew that they’d taken a big step forward and Tracy felt a commitment growing. If they were her life – they were in Steve’s.

Steve turned as Tracy came back into the lounge; he was jumpy. He turned off the telly and picked up the car keys.

‘Are you going out?’ Tracy asked, surprised but also slightly relieved that she didn’t have to talk to him about Danielle and Jackson. Not right at that moment.

‘Yep. Work just called – seems there are some deliveries need sorting out before tomorrow. You can’t object surely? You’re hardly here at the moment.’

Tracy smiled. It was her ‘I’m smiling but inside I am bloody angry’ look. ‘Of course, love. If you’re needed then you have to go. I understand. I wouldn’t want it any other way – my man the manager.’

She kissed his cheek and went to turn the television back on. Steve hovered by the door. The news came back on the telly. The photo of Emily Styles, taken by Danielle at the festival, was on the screen. She looked across at Steve; he seemed to be waiting, to be building up to saying something. Tracy couldn’t face it. She didn’t want the criticism, the anger. ‘Oh look.’ She diverted his attention. ‘They’ve found out the identity of that woman those boys found in the Regent’s Canal. What a shame – what a beautiful girl.’ Steve came to stand in front of the television. ‘Steve? I want to see the news. Can you move please, love?’

‘There’s no need to get cross just because I have to go to work.’

‘I’m not cross.’ Tracy blinked at him, even more confused than before.

‘You’re either at work or you’re with that woman and her son.’

‘Danielle and Jackson?’ Tracy felt panic grip her chest as she tried so hard to look in control and to stay calm and happy. ‘I’m not seeing a lot of them, Steve. But… you know? I think it’s time we talked about the fact that they have come into our lives and we have to accept it. I would like you to meet them.’ Tracy looked at his face. ‘Not now maybe…’ He seemed so upset that Tracy decided she’d been right that now was not such a good time to discuss it. She’d made a start at least. ‘Shall we have a proper chat about this when you’re home and you’re free?’

‘Oh I’m home a lot – sat here on my own,’ he said accusingly.

‘Sorry, love.’ Something wasn’t right but Tracy couldn’t work out what was at the heart of it with Steve. He seemed to be doing his best to start an argument. ‘I’ve been working long hours at Simmons; I asked for extra shifts – but then we could do with the money.’

‘Oh, I know. It’s all my fault, isn’t it? I am always going to be blamed for everything in this house. Well I’ve had enough of it. You go and spend as much time as you like with your new-found daughter and I’ll make my own life.’

Tracy was stunned into silence. She heard the front door slam. She couldn’t remember the last time Steve had thrown a wobbly like that; she had no idea what it was all about. She had to admit she hadn’t really wanted to discuss things with Steve because she knew he always reacted badly to stress. Tracy’s attention was back on the television – the tall, sickly-looking blond Detective Chief Inspector Bowie was appealing for the public’s help; they had to phone a number if anyone had any information about the dead woman in the canal. The photo of Emily Styles stayed on the screen.

Danielle was about to switch the news off and look for a film to watch when she froze as she looked at her friend’s face. Emily Styles with her distinctive auburn hair was smiling out of the screen just the way she was the last time Danielle had seen her at the festival. Danielle edged closer to the television and listened to the news report; everything else in the room disappeared as her brain tried to make sense of what she was looking at. She stared at Emily’s photo on the screen and saw the film of the officers searching the towpath in the background. Detective Chief Inspector Bowie was giving a press conference, recorded earlier in the day.

‘We need anyone with any information about Emily to come forward. We believe she was held somewhere for a number of weeks prior to being murdered and her body disposed of in the Regent’s Canal. We believe someone must have information about what happened to Emily. She was a gregarious young woman and a devoted mother to her daughter Sky. She disappeared on the fifth of June in between meeting her friend in Camden and collecting Sky from nursery. Someone somewhere knows what happened to her; if you have any information please ring the number on the screen.’

Danielle reached for her phone.