Where the Memories Lie

 

 

‘Look, it seems totally unreliable what Tom’s saying, but I think Liv’s right,’ Lucas said. ‘He could be an important witness to something.’

 

‘No, she’s not.’ Chris said. ‘I don’t want to go to the police and put Dad through that for nothing. He’s ill. He’s not thinking straight.’

 

‘So what do you suggest we do, then?’ Lucas asked. ‘If we’re all certain he’s never mentioned anyone called Georgia who we can check on, then we have to do something.’

 

There was a strained silence for a while.

 

‘I’m sure the police will just look into it and confirm that there is no missing person by that name and we’ll know for certain.

 

But until then . . .’ I shrugged. ‘Well, we can’t hide something like this.’

 

‘We’re not hiding anything because there’s nothing to hide. It’s not true. Dad didn’t kill anyone, and he doesn’t know anything about any missing people.’ Ethan folded his arms over his chest.

 

‘We’ll just be wasting their time,’ Chris said. ‘I think we should wait until we know more.’

 

‘Weren’t you listening, Chris?’ I said. ‘I’ve tried to find out who she is but can’t. None of us knows who this person could be, and like Lucas said, what if this is something to do with a missing child? What if Anna or Charlotte were abducted and someone 55

 

Sibel Hodge

 

knew something, however inconsequential it might sound, but they didn’t do anything about it?’

 

‘But this is Dad we’re talking about,’ Chris said.

 

‘I agree with Chris,’ Ethan said.

 

‘Well then, the police will just tell us that it can’t possibly be true and that will be the end of it,’ Lucas said. ‘They’ll say there’s no one of that name on their records and we can just forget about this.’

 

I nodded. ‘Of course they will.’

 

‘Yes,’ Nadia agreed.

 

‘I bloody hope so.’ Lucas crossed his arms and stared off into the distance.

 

56

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six

 

 

Sergeant Downing looked too young to be a sergeant. Or maybe it was just that I was getting old. He sat on one side of the desk in the interview room with Nadia and me on the other. I felt like I was having a job interview and any minute he’d ask me what my strengths and weaknesses were.

 

The walls were painted lilac, or lavender, or something. Maybe it was designed to make suspects feel soothed into dishing the dirt on their criminal activities. It was quite nice, actually.

 

I could see it on our bathroom walls. I couldn’t even believe I was even thinking about that as Sergeant Downing frowned for the second time.

 

‘Right. So . . .’ he started off. ‘Your father-in-law is in a nursing home suffering from Alzheimer’s, and he’s been mentioning a missing person called Georgia Walker?’

 

‘Well . . . yes.’ I nodded firmly and chewed on my lower lip. We hadn’t mentioned the fact that Tom said he’d killed her because that was just plain crazy, and they’d probably laugh us out of the station.

 

‘I’m sure it’s all nonsense!’ Nadia emitted an embarrassed, tin-kling laugh, as if she was terribly sorry for wasting their time.

 

Sibel Hodge

 

‘I agree, but I’m just concerned that maybe he witnessed a crime and he’s only just remembering it. We think it’s our duty to check, just to make sure.’

 

Sergeant Downing frowned again. ‘Has he ever made any similar statements about missing people?’

 

‘No,’ I said.

 

‘What’s his full name, date of birth, and last address?’ He leaned forward on the desk and wrote as I rattled off the details. ‘I don’t recall anyone called Georgia being circulated as missing around here, but it can’t do any harm to check. Wait here, please.’ He stood and left the room.

 

I glanced at Nadia.

 

‘Ethan’s right: this is all just a waste of time. They’re not going to find anything,’ she said.

 

‘Of course they won’t.’