Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Collection: The Schemer, The Trap, Payback. Kimberley Chambers

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СКАЧАТЬ tell you what, Mother. You get Barry shit-stirring Franklin round Steph’s, and me and Roxy will drive straight over. I’ve been sick as a pig for the past twenty-four hours and I’ve only just dragged meself out of bed. You call the Old Bill back and tell ’em I’m on my way round now, and don’t forget to ring Barry an’ all. I refuse to be accused of something I ain’t done, Mum. It’s bang out of order.’

      Pam was stunned when Angela slammed the phone down on her. For once, it seemed like her youngest daughter might actually be telling the truth.

      Stephanie was furious when firstly Cathy, then Linda and Keith turned up. She knew people were only there to support her, but with her life and wedding seemingly in tatters, she really wasn’t in the mood to be talking to anyone. Steph followed her mother into the kitchen. ‘Can’t you get rid of everyone, Mum? I only want you and Tammy here.’

      Pam tried to hold Steph in her arms, but was pushed away.

      ‘Just get off me, Mum. All I want is Wayne back, not to be treated like a fucking child.’

      Pam sighed. She hadn’t yet told her that both Barry and Angela were also on their way round, but she knew she had to soon. ‘Look, people are only here because they love you so much. I rang Cath and Lin when I was out, and I rang Barry, Angela, and the police again. They’ll all be here soon, and the quicker the better if you ask me. Wayne needs to be found, love, and after speaking to Angela, I truly believe she’s in the dark about his disappearance as well.’

      ‘What did the bitch say? You know she’s always been the liar of all liars,’ Stephanie screamed.

      ‘Your sister swears blind that she spotted Wayne at the club, spoke to him briefly, then felt ill and went home, alone. She’s bringing her flatmate, Roxy, round here with her. You haven’t met Roxy yet, but I have and, surprisingly, she is a really decent girl. Angie was fuming when I told her what Barry had said, so that’s why I rang him. The police are coming round at five to take statements off the whole lot of ’em. I know it’s stressful for you, darling, but the quicker we find out what’s really happened to Wayne, the better, eh?’

      Wondering if she was having a bad dream, Stephanie picked up a saucepan and began banging herself over the head with it to see if she would wake up.

      ‘Stop it! What you doing?’ Pam shrieked, grabbing the handle out of her daughter’s hand.

      Bursting into tears, Stephanie sank to her knees. ‘I think I’m going off my head, Mum. I honestly don’t know what I’m doing.’

      Barry Franklin was in a rather buoyant mood as he drove towards Stephanie’s house. He was amazed that Wayne hadn’t been found yet, but thrilled that he could now shove the final nail in his old pal’s coffin. As the current number one song, D:Ream’s ‘Things Can Only Get Better’, came on the radio, Barry cranked the volume up and laughed as he joined in with the lyrics. Things most certainly weren’t going to get better for Wayne Jackman, because Barry was about to make sure they became decidedly worse.

      Linda was livid as Angela strolled into the lounge with the attitude from hell. ‘Don’t be giving it the large, Ange. Don’t you realize that your sister’s in bits? You selfish bloody cow,’ she shouted.

      ‘Calm down, Lin. Let me get you a beer, eh?’ Keith said, squeezing his partner’s hand.

      ‘I don’t want a fucking beer. I want to tell this no-good, conniving little bitch her fortune,’ Linda yelled, as all four foot of her lunged at her neice.

      ‘Stop it. Just bloody well stop it,’ Pam shouted, as Dannielle and Tyler both started to scream.

      ‘Can I have a cuddle, Mum?’ Aidan said, holding his arms out to Angela.

      About to say no, Angela remembered she had Roxy standing by her side, so instead gave her son a false motherly hug.

      Feeling a bit awkward, Cathy stood up. ‘I’ll put the kettle on. Who wants tea and who wants coffee?’

      Before anybody had a chance to reply, the doorbell rang and Pam dashed off to answer it. ‘Do come in, officers. My daughter is in the living room,’ she said nervously.

      Stephanie felt incredibly edgy as she stared at the uniformed man and woman. Their presence made Wayne’s disappearance seem all the more real somehow. ‘Take the kids upstairs with Cath, Mum. You and Keith go with them as well, Lin,’ Steph ordered.

      ‘I don’t want to go, Mummy. I want to stay here with you. Where’s Daddy? Has he died?’ Dannielle asked, clinging to her mother’s leg.

      Stephanie held her daughter’s head in her hands and kissed her on the nose. ‘Daddy’s not dead. He’s just got lost somewhere and the police have come to see us to help us find him. Now you be a good girl and go upstairs with Nanny while Mummy talks to them, OK?’

      Pam ushered the three children out of the room. ‘Just shout if you need me.’

      As Linda walked out behind Keith and Cathy, she prodded the male officer in the arm. ‘And don’t be believing anything that lying little mare tells you,’ she said, pointing at Angela.

      Roxy squeezed her friend’s hand. ‘Just take no notice.’

      Angela sensibly smiled at the two police officers. She was far too clever to retaliate.

      ‘Do you want to start questioning us now? Or shall we wait for Barry Franklin to arrive? Barry was with Wayne the night he went missing,’ Stephanie explained.

      ‘I’d wait for Barry. Bet he knows more than anybody else does,’ Tammy stated abruptly.

      Stephanie glared at her friend as if to urge her to shut up. Tammy shouldn’t start insinuating that Barry had done something to Wayne in front of the police until they had some kind of proof at least. ‘That’s probably Barry now. Go and answer it, Tam,’ Stephanie said when the doorbell rang.

      Dressed in a trendy tan leather jacket, matching tan shoes and faded jeans, Barry Franklin strolled into the lounge and shook both police officers’ hands.

      ‘What they doing here?’ Stephanie asked horrified, as she spotted Cooksie and Potter bowl into the room behind Barry.

      ‘Well, seeing as they were both with us the other evening, I thought the police might want to speak to them as well. I also rang Lee, but I couldn’t get hold of him,’ Barry replied.

      ‘Right, let’s get started. Firstly, we need a description of what Mr Jackman was wearing on the evening in question, and also the names of any places you might have visited,’ the female officer said to Barry.

      While Barry, Potter and Cooksie filled the police in with details, Stephanie furtively glanced at her sister. Her mum was positive that for once Angela was telling the truth, but Stephanie wasn’t quite so sure. Angela was sly and manipulative, and Steph had always been under the impression that her sister had held a grudge over her relationship with Wayne.

      Angela smirked as she heard the policewoman ask Barry if Wayne had been chatting any girls up. ‘Do you mind if I say something, please?’ Angie asked, putting her hand up as though she was still at primary school.

      The policewoman turned to her. ‘Not at all. Any help to find Mr Jackman would be much appreciated.’

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