Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle. Leah Fleming

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ were going with Derek, but she couldn’t understand why. He’d teased her once, asking if she wanted to be his girl, but she knew he was just making fun of her. He was so good-looking and there was no way he’d be interested in her, but still her stomach filled with fluttering butterflies every time she saw him. Oh, she didn’t want to think about Kevin; it only made her unsettled.

      ‘How did your class go?’ Derek asked.

      ‘It was fine, and I’m learning so much.’

      They continued to chat, Pearl enthusing about her art teacher, and when they arrived at Battersea High Street, Pearl unlocked her street door. She took her things from Derek, smiling up at him. ‘Thanks for walking me home, but there’s really no need.’

      ‘I don’t mind,’ he said, eyes soft as he leaned down to kiss her, lips soft and moist as they settled on hers. ‘’Night, Pearl. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

      ‘Yes. ’Night, Derek.’ Pearl said, relieved that he didn’t expect more.

      She watched him walk away, his arm lifting in a small wave, before she went inside and climbed the stairs to her bedsit. The house was quiet as Pearl flopped onto the side of the bed, eyes looking up to the ceiling. Mr Bardington had stopped his pacing and she rarely saw the man. In fact, he had become so quiet that she often forgot he was in the building. Like her, he was an outsider. Still, now that she was courting Derek, the locals were coming round and warming to her.

      Pearl kicked off her shoes and went to make herself a drink, but soon after drinking it, she heard noises from the street, people shouting. Puzzled, she went over to the window to see a crowd of about twenty people. In the dim light from a street-lamp she spotted Derek amongst them and threw up the window.

      ‘Derek. What’s going on?’

      He looked up. ‘Come down, Pearl.’

      She threw on her shoes and dashed downstairs, Derek coming straight to her side. ‘I was on my way home when I met up with this lot. Eric’s missing. Have you seen him?’

      ‘No. Oh, Derek, it’s after ten o’clock. Where can he be?’

      ‘I dunno. He didn’t come home from school and, as you can see, a lot of people have rallied round to search for him. They’ve looked everywhere but are running out of options.’

      ‘Have they tried Battersea Park?’

      ‘I dunno, but we couldn’t cover an area of that size. What makes you think he’d go there?’

      ‘There’s a lot to attract kids, but it was just a suggestion. Anyway, if the police have been told, they’ll probably cover it.’

      ‘Yeah, they’ve been told, but not until after eight o’clock. Frank was hoping he’d turn up before then.’

      Pearl saw Frank Hanwell, his face drawn with worry. ‘Eric! Eric!’ he shouted, his eyes frantically searching the dim High Street. ‘Where are you, you little bugger?’

      ‘Frank looks awful. Is there anything I can do to help?’

      ‘You can join us on the search. Apparently he’s not at any of his friends’ houses, and to be honest, I don’t know where we’re trying next.’

      Pearl walked with Derek to Frank’s side, the man’s eyes wild as he looked at them. ‘I can’t understand it, Derek. He’s never done this before.’

      ‘Don’t worry, Frank. The police are sure to find him, even if we don’t. Pearl has suggested Battersea Park and she could be right.’

      ‘Eric wouldn’t go to the park on his own. Lucy would kill him and he knows that.’

      ‘He’s just a kid. Think about what you got up to as a nipper.’

      Frank’s shoulders slumped. ‘All right, we’ll try there.’

      It was after one in the morning before they gave up, footsore and weary as they trudged home.

      Derek once again walked Pearl to her door, and after giving her a swift hug he said, ‘Try to get some sleep, love. The police are still looking, and maybe there’ll be good news in the morning.’

      Pearl was so tired that she could barely respond. ‘Oh, I hope so, Derek.’

      They said good night, Pearl almost staggering up to her room, but despite her exhaustion it was some time before she was able to sleep. The police would find Eric – they just had to. Behind closed eyes, tears gathered as she pictured the boy’s beautiful face.

      Nearly a week passed and there was still no sign of Eric. Frank’s stall stood empty, the man incapable of running it and, trying to rally round as much as possible, the other costermongers set it up for him, working it between them to make sure the man had an income.

      Frank’s wife, Lucy, hadn’t been seen, and rumour had it that she was in a terrible state. Eric was their only child, the love of their lives, and amongst the gossip in the café there was a lot of sympathy for the couple.

      Gertie was also badly affected. She lived next door to the Hanwells and knew them well. Though she still washed the dishes, her tears were often seen dripping into the washing-up water, her bright smile gone.

      When Pearl finished work on Wednesday she stopped off at Derek’s stall. ‘There’s still no news,’ she said sadly.

      ‘I know, love, and I feel so helpless. It’s been six days since Eric went missing and police seem to have exhausted all their enquiries. Now everyone’s back is up about the way they’re treating the Hanwells.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘They keep questioning them, and have talked to the neighbours. They’ve asked what sort of parents they are, if there were any signs of mistreatment, and have spoken to the teachers at Eric’s school. Pearl, surely they don’t think that Frank and Lucy had anything to do with his disappearance?’

      Pearl placed her hand on his arm. ‘I’ve only lived around here a short time, but I’ve seen Frank with Eric and it’s obvious how much he loves his son.’

      ‘Yeah, and as far as I’m concerned the police are barking up the wrong tree.’

      ‘Oh, Derek, where can Eric be?’

      ‘I dunno, love, but I hope to God some nonce ain’t got hold of him.’

      ‘A nonce. I don’t understand.’

      ‘Christ, I keep forgetting what an innocent you are. It’s another word for a paedophile.’

      Pearl shook her head. ‘I still don’t understand.’

      ‘They’re sick bastards who like sex with children.’

      ‘No!’ she cried, but then something she remembered from the orphanage fell into place. When she’d been about ten, a girl of the same age had been fostered out, but after only a month she came back, a sad, pale shadow of the pretty girl who had left. She hardly spoke and lay curled on her bed for hours, but whispers went around the dormitory. The older girls said she’d been interfered with by the foster parent, СКАЧАТЬ