The Dead Tracks

Chapter Ten

By the time I got home it was almost dark. Autumn was moving in quickly now: once the sun faded from the sky, the night washed in and the temperature went with it. I put the football on in the living room, then turned the radio on in the kitchen. One of the things you dread the most when you've been left on your own is the silence.

After showering, I went through to the kitchen and started preparing some dinner, emptying a packet of stir- fry vegetables into a wok along with some sliced chicken. As I watched it brown, I kept coming back to Caroline Carver. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding something back. Even if I couldn't read her as clearly as I would have liked, I knew I wasn't mistaken. Something sat there between us, just as it had the first time we'd met at the restaurant. A secret. A half-truth. A lie. Something.

I was sitting down in front of the TV, twenty minutes into the match, when my phone started buzzing. I set the plate aside and hit Answer.

It was James Carver.

'Caroline told me about what you accused her of today,' he said, cutting to the chase. 'You think she would hold back something important? You seriously think she would do that? What planet are you on?'

'Hold on a min-'

'No, you hold on a minute.' He lowered his voice. He must have been in another room, trying to keep the conversation away from her. 'Don't ever accuse my wife of trying to get in the way of finding Meg'

'I didn't accuse her of —'

'Don't tell me you didn't. I know you did. I'm paying you to be an investigator, not some amateur-hour psychologist.'

'Just let me explain.'

'You really believe Caroline doesn’t want her found?'

'Of course not.'

'Then what the hell are you playing at?'

I paused, let him calm down for a moment. 'She seemed hesitant.'

'About what?'

'About everything'

'Our daughter has been missing six months. You know what that's like? You know what that Does to you? No, you don't. You've got no idea.'

I didn't reply. Let him feel like he'd had his victory.

'Are you going to apologize?'

'Listen, James… I don't know either of you well, but I went with a gut reaction and if it turns out to be wrong, then I'll apologize.'

'You insulted her. Do you understand what I'm telling you?'

'It won't happen again.'

'No, it won't.' He cleared his throat. 'I think we should call it a day.'

'What are you talking about?'

'I want you off this. We entrusted you with the most precious thing in our life, gave you money, all you'd need to get the job done. But you've destroyed my confidence in you, David. And you've insulted my wife. I won't have that. I won't have you speak to her like that.'

'This is ridiculous.'

'Put Megan's things in an envelope and mail them to us. Whatever you have found out so far, please put it down on paper and include that too. The last thing Caroline needs now is to see you at the house again. I will pay you for the three days you have done, and an extra day as a goodwill gesture. Not that you deserve any goodwill from us.'

'Don't you think this is a little extreme?'

He hung up.