Dawn was breaking when he awoke. The other passengers were stirring and looking out of the windows. Shirley was reading with the aid of a small spotlight shining down from above her seat.
“There! You did manage to sleep. You looked very peaceful. I only wish I could have grabbed a few hours.”
“I was tired. I’ve been awake a lot the past few days.”
“Thinking about your young lady no doubt.” There was a twinkle in Shirley’s eyes as she turned to look at him.
“Yes. I must admit. Beth has been in my thoughts night and day.”
“You must love her very much.”
“It was a long time ago. We’ve both changed and moved on now though.”
“Not by the sound of it from what I can tell.”
Liam laughed and took a cup of coffee from the stewardess:
“You’re too shrewd Shirley!”
“I know a young man in love when I see one.”
“It’s not that simple. I’m with somebody else now. We have a young son.”
“Ah. I see.” Shirley put down her book and sipped her tea. “All I can say is don’t do what I did. I stayed for years with a person I didn’t love, just for the sake of my child. I ended up hating the sight of him. Follow your heart. If it leads you across the Atlantic, then follow it.”
“Thanks for the advice. It’s not that I don’t love Patty, I just love her in a different way to the way I love Beth.” He bit into another chocolate hob-nob.
“No woman wants to know she’s second best. When Patty finds out there’ll be hell to pay.”
“She won’t find out.”
“Hmm. My guess is that she probably already has an inkling.” Shirley nodded sagely and opened up her book again.
Liam sighed and tried to summon up the appetite to eat the frugal breakfast handed out. As the plane approached Heathrow and he felt the landing gear descend, he wondered if Iain Treacher was already waiting for him.
CHAPTER 29
Wheeling his suitcase into the Arrivals hall, the first thing he spotted was his name written in red ink on a large piece of card, held by a man sporting the kind of designer stubble that to Liam looked as if he had just rolled out of bed.
“Are you Treacher? Hi. I’m Liam Darrah.”
“That bastard’s still sleeping it off. I’m Paul Fraser the photographer. Pleased to meet you.”
The two men shook hands and Liam followed Fraser out of the airport building.
“We’re in the short-term car park. I’ve booked you into the same hotel as us near the Nichols’ family home in Norwich. It’ll take about 3 hours to get there, so if I were you I’d get some shut-eye on the way.”
“Does Beth know I’m coming up?”
“Yes but don’t worry, we’ll give you two some time alone and then Iain will take some notes for the article if he’s awake, and I’ll take some photos. We’ve got the exclusive, so there’s no rush. You’ll be able to have a shower and get some kip first.”
“Kip?”
“Sleep.”
“Uh-huh. I want the money to go to Beth.”
“Iain’s sorting it out.”
The inside of Fraser’s Range Rover was a jumble of camera equipment and folding ladders. Liam found an empty corner to stow his suitcase, and soon Fraser was expertly negotiating the rush hour traffic on the M25.
“So when was the last time you saw Dr Nichols then?” Fraser turned onto the M11 and Liam cast his mind back.
“May 20th 1987. We were both doctors working in the emergency room. Her shift finished at 10pm, but mine was only just starting. I asked her to ring for the night porter to escort her, but she said she’d be fine. It was only a five-minute walk back to the accommodation. If only I could turn back the time.”
“We’d all like to do that, mate. Iain’s spoken to her; she’s really excited for the chance to be able to meet up with you again. Sally Nichols had even rung the Rachelle hospital to find out if you were still working there.”
“What did they say?”
“No-one had heard of you.”
“It was a long time ago.” Liam yawned and settled back against the headrest. “Is it still only seven thirty in the morning?”
“I told you. Get some kip. I’ll give you a nudge when we get there.”
When he awoke he saw road signs indicating the way to the centre of Norwich. Memories came flooding back of himself and Beth that last Christmas, walking around the main shopping mall with their arms around each other. He’d bought her some warm pyjamas with a mistletoe motif on the front; she always complained the bed was too cold when he worked the night shift. She’d bought him a pair of Santa socks complete with sleigh bells. He could still see her curled up on the bed, laughing at him standing in front of her wearing nothing except the socks and a huge grin.
Fraser pulled the Range Rover into an expensive-looking hotel, whose frontage was covered in ivy.
“We’re here now. They have a good restaurant if you want something to eat.” He turned off the engine.
“Great, but my body clock’s a bit out of step at the moment.” Liam unwillingly brought himself back to the present, collected his suitcase, and followed Fraser into the hotel’s lobby to check in. He felt he could sleep for a week.
“Your room’s next to mine. I’ll give Iain a knock and see if he’s up.”
The floorboards creaked with age and there was an aroma of sausages and bacon along the maze of passageways that led to the bedrooms. Liam looked towards the door to his room that Fraser indicated, and then waited to see if Iain Treacher responded to the knock.
There was no answer.
“I’ll give you a shout in a couple of hours and then we’ll have something to eat. I’ll have that lazy bastard up by then.”
Liam smiled and entered his room. It was clean, and the bed looked inviting. After showering and shaving he lay down and sank his head into the soft pillow.
CHAPTER 30
The sound of knocking seemed to be coming from afar. As Liam came back to consciousness he was aware that somebody was rapping on the door of his room. Covering the short distance from bed to door with legs that Beth had often likened to two long sticks of celery, Liam came face to face to face with the grim reality that was Iain Treacher after a night out on the piss.
“Paul’s ready for lunch now. I’ll have a shower and join you later. It’s nice to meet you by the way. I’m Iain.” He held out a clammy hand.
“Good to meet you. I’m ready to eat too.” Liam shook the proffered hand and acknowledged the photographer standing behind in the passageway. As he withdrew his hand and looked at the dishevelled state of the journalist, he wondered whether he should wash it again before he ate anything.
There was a buffet laid out temptingly in the restaurant. Liam found he was quite hungry and tucked in to a full roast turkey lunch with all the trimmings.
“As soon as Iain’s down we’ll go over to the Nichols’ place. We’ll drop you off there; the grandparents are going to take the kids out, and then we’ll come back again when you two have had a chance to meet up.”
“Thanks. You’ve definitely got the exclusive, but Beth and I need to talk first.”
“Absolutely. We wouldn’t want to intrude straight away. Iain’ll find a pub somewhere I expect, but I’ll try and keep him on the orange juices.”
Liam laughed and sat back in his chair, replete.
“Ok. I take it that Beth knows I’m coming?”
“Sure. We’ve been in contact with her parents. She’s looking forward to seeing you.”
“The feeling’s mutual. I’m getting quite nervous now; I wrote a letter to her on the plane.”
“You’ll be fine. I sent off your other one. We look forward to a good story when she’s read the letters.”
Iain appeared as Liam and Paul were finishing their coffees:
“All ready to go then?” Liam could see Iain had managed a wash and shave, and had combed his hair. He looked altogethe
r much cleaner and more presentable.
“Yep. Let’s do it.” Liam’s heart began to turn somersaults in his chest, and he checked inside his jacket pocket to make sure the letter was still there.
It was just a short drive to the Nichols’ bungalow situated on a quiet tree-lined cul-de-sac. Liam stepped out of the Range Rover and waved goodbye to his acquaintances.
“Give us a couple of hours. See you soon.”
“No probs. Have a ball, mate.” Paul drove off as Liam walked up the garden path and rang the bell.
CHAPTER 31
The woman who opened the door was Beth, and yet she wasn’t the Beth that Liam had waved goodnight to ten years before. His first glance took in the extra few lines on her thin, pale face and her ultra-short elfin haircut. He quelled an impulse to take her into his arms. When he looked in her eyes they were wary and guarded, and not the ones that had tenderly gazed back at him from their bed that last morning after lovemaking. He stood on the doorstep, mute and overawed. She smiled at his awkwardness:
“Hello Liam. Come in. I’ve been expecting you.” Beth stepped aside to allow him to enter the hallway, and then closed the door to the outside world.
“It’s so good to see you.” Liam’s voice sounded unnaturally husky.
“Come in and sit down. I’m a bit slow I’m afraid. I’ve not long had a caesarean and I’m still in a bit of pain.” She moved like a person forty years older down the hallway and into the lounge, and sank down gratefully into a cream leather settee. Liam thought it best to give Beth her own space, and perched on the edge of another matching two-seater settee.
“What can I do to help you?” He was at a total loss for what to say to this stranger who sat stiffly opposite.
“Nothing really. Just seeing you again makes me feel better already.” She smiled again and shifted in her seat to get more comfortable.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. The new haircut made her look even more fragile and ethereal.
“Are you well otherwise?” What has that bastard done to you?
“I’m ok. I’m still getting used to being free again and seeing other people. I don’t think I’m quite up to shopping along the High Street yet though.” She gave a rueful laugh.
“Were you angry that I’d contacted the Press? I saw your photo in the newspaper, but didn’t know how to go about finding you other than emailing the person that had written the article. I sent off a letter to you via the newspaper. Did you receive it? I also assumed your parents wouldn’t still be living in their old place. I couldn’t remember their address.”
“No I never got the letter, but that’s not to say it won’t arrive. My parents moved several years ago into this retirement bungalow. Luckily for me there’s three bedrooms. Amy still wants to sleep with me at the moment, but hopefully with time she’ll be happy in her own room.”
The question he had been burning to ask could not be held back any more. He took a deep breath and hoped for the best:
“Tell me to mind my own business if you like, but is Evans Amy’s father as well?” He held his breath as he waited for the response.
“No, Liam. You are. I had suspected I was pregnant, but I hadn’t had a pregnancy test. After I was abducted it was obvious, but to keep Evans happy I let him think Amy was his. However, she’s the image of you. You’ll meet her later when Mum and Dad bring her back.” She stated it matter-of-factly, unaware of the effect of her words.
Liam put his head in his hands and a huge gulping sob escaped from his body. To be the father of a ten-year-old child who was unaware of his existence was more than he could bear:
“Some fucking paediatrician I am. I couldn’t even take care of my own daughter!” He wiped the tears from his eyes and put his arms around the woman he loved as she moved across to sit beside him.
“Forgive me darling, that I wasn’t there for you.” He tried unsuccessfully to stem a fresh river of tears.
“Nothing was ever your fault Liam. He knew I was working late shifts that week, and he was waiting. He stalked me and I was a sitting target. I thought he was a bit weird when I treated him in A&E, but hey, what’s done is done. I’m free now.” She sighed and sank her head into his shoulder.
“I live in Toronto and have an 18 month old son. His name is Toby. He has red hair the colour of leaves in the fall.” He sniffed and closed his eyes as he held Beth tighter in his arms.
“I’m glad you found happiness with somebody else. You deserve it.”
“It took me eight years to even start to forget what we had, but if I thought you had still been alive I’d have waited forever.”
“You weren’t to know. Mum said the police did what they could at the time. They searched for years, but everyone eventually assumed I’d been murdered.”
“I want to kill that bastard; bollocks to the Hippocratic Oath.”
“Then you’d be a prisoner and he would have ruined both of us. No; let him rot in his cell and think about what he’s done.”
They sat in silence with their arms around each other, wanting nothing more. The chiming of the grandfather clock in the hallway told Liam that almost two hours had passed in the blink of an eye.
“Mum and Dad will be back soon, and then the journalists. We need to make ourselves pretty.”
“You are pretty, darling. I even like your new haircut.”
“It’s the new me; older, wiser, and a sensible mother of two.”
“How’s the little fella?”
“He’s beautiful. I’ve named him Jocelyn; Joss for short.”
“Unusual name.”
“He’s an unusual baby. Amy gave me the idea for his name. He freed me from my prison. I looked his name up and it says people called Jocelyn have a desire to inspire others to a higher cause.”
“I wish I was his father.”
“Every time you visit Amy you’ll get to know Joss. In time he’ll come to think of you as a surrogate father, I’m sure.” Beth stood up with a slight grimace of pain. “I’m going upstairs to have a quick wash. Make yourself some coffee. Mine’s milk and two sugars please. I’m not breastfeeding, so can eat and drink what I like.”
“You didn’t want to breastfeed?”
“No. I couldn’t do it. I have to have some control over my body again. It’s a psychological thing I suppose.”
“I can understand that.” His jaw clenched in anger at what she must have gone through.
“I’ve been offered counselling, but want to deal with it in my own way.”
“Of course. You were always mentally stronger than I could ever be. God knows how you’ve got through the last ten years.”
“I thought of you often, and I had to be strong for Amy.” She smiled at him as she made for the stairs. “Back in a minute. It’s so lovely to see you again Liam.”
He took the opportunity to rinse his face under the cold tap as he waited for the kettle to boil. In a short while he would meet the daughter he never knew he had. What on earth was he going to say to her?
CHAPTER 32
They sat in companionable silence drinking their coffee. When the key turned in the lock Liam stood up. He smiled at Sally and Robert Nichols as they came into the room. Sally wheeled the baby in his stroller, and Liam tried hard to catch Amy’s eye as she hid behind her grandfather.
“Liam! Wonderful to see you!” Sally stepped forward and gave him a hug.
“Hi Sally. I’m still reeling from the shock!” Liam kissed her and shook Robert’s hand. Amy ran to sit beside her mother on the settee.
“Amy, where are your manners? Say hello to Liam. He’s your real daddy.” Beth looked down at Amy, who stood up again and smiled. She clutched a book to her chest.
“Are you the doctor who looks after children?”
“Yes, Amy. I’m so happy to meet you.”
“You talk funny.”
“I live in another country a long way away. I came over here on an aeroplane to see you.”
“Do I call you Liam, or
Daddy?”
“Whatever you want is fine with me.” He saw himself in the child’s face; the eyes were his own eyes.
“Can I call you Liam then? I think it’s better than Daddy.”
“Of course you can. I’ll come and see you as often as I’m able to. I’ll take you on days out and we’ll get to know each other better.”
“I’d like that.”
Amy took hold of Liam’s hand as the baby began to cry:
“Come and see my little brother. His name is Jocelyn, the same as Philip and Dinah’s uncle.”
“Who are Philip and Dinah?” Liam’s heart melted as he felt Amy’s warm hand in his. He fought to stave off a fresh well of tears threatening at the back of his eyes.
“They’re in here.” She held up a book. “We don’t call him Jocelyn though; he’s Joss for short. Do you want to pick him up out of his pushchair?”
Liam looked around towards Beth.
“Sure. Give him a little cuddle. He’ll like that.”
“He’s a fella. Us boys all like cuddles.” Liam smiled as he held the baby. He saw Joss had Beth’s mouth, but was darker in colouring. The baby stopped crying and looked at him with eyes that were several shades darker than Beth’s light grey ones. His eyes.
“He’s recently had a bottle. He just needed a cuddle.” Sally took off her coat. “Liam, can I get you anything to eat?”