He soon joins them. ‘Hello, love,’ he says, kissing his daughter. ‘I ordered your usual.’
Nicola feels stupid now. She has planned to ask their advice about Mrs Neal, but it all seems silly now that she’s here. Mary puts the teapot on the table and places a teacup in front of everyone. ‘Won’t take long to brew,’ she says.
‘There is such a thing as teabags, Mum.’
Mary shudders. ‘That’s not tea!’
Nicola sighs without realising.
‘Something wrong, love?’ asks her dad.
Nicola shrugs. ‘Oh, I don’t know. It’s the Neals. Something’s not right.’
‘Not right?’ repeats Mary, pouring the tea. ‘You mean with your job there?’
Nicola holds the hot cup between her hands. ‘No, my job’s okay. Oh, I don’t know. Mrs Neal didn’t come home the other night. She knew that I was going out, and they were planning to go out, too. They were celebrating an anniversary. Mrs Neal had told me she would be home early, but she didn’t come home, and I had to wait until Mr Neal got back. He was a bit late and didn’t seem to know where Mrs Neal was. But the weird thing is, she didn’t answer any of the messages or texts that I sent her that evening, or any of the messages I’ve sent since, and that’s not like her. She likes to check on Joel.’
Mary looks puzzled. ‘She’s home now, though, isn’t she?’
Nicola shakes her head. ‘No. Mr Neal says she’s gone abroad to a conference in France. He says he heard from her today, but she’s still not answering my messages. They’re not even reaching her phone. I even sent a photo of Joel. She would always comment on something like that.’
‘Well,’ says Stephen. ‘People like that are very busy.’
Nicola shakes her head. ‘She would always phone Joel. Mr Neal said her battery had died, but she would have charged it by now, and she’d surely have a phone in the hotel she’s staying in. Something’s not right.’
Mary nods in agreement. ‘Does Mr Neal seem okay?’
Nicola shrugs. ‘He’s a bit different.’
‘Can’t you ask someone at the hospital if you’re that worried?’
‘I don’t know anyone…’
Then she remembers Gil, one of Joanna’s work colleagues, and a friend. Nicola has met her a few times. Perhaps she could ask her if everything was all right. There wouldn’t be any harm in doing that.
The doorbell rings, and Stephen jumps up. ‘Dinner. Perfect, I’m starving.’
‘That’s what I’ll do,’ Nicola tells her mum. ‘I’ll contact one of her friends at the hospital.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gil
Gil was livid. She’d already smoked three cigarettes while Joel played on the swings. She had to leave the apartment, or she’d have hit Daniel. What the hell was he thinking of, going for drinks after work? What the hell must Nicola have thought? No doubt she had smelled the alcohol on his breath, just like Gil had.
She tried hard to be empathetic, but was also worried and feeling guilty that she hadn’t tried hard enough to convince Jo to get into her car that evening. Now, she had all the proof they needed to show where Jo had been taken from, and still he wouldn’t go to the police. Gil was terrified that something awful could happen. So many mistakes could be made, and it only needed one for Jo’s life to be in danger. What if one of her friends had twigged that something wasn’t right? Jo often took calls on her phone. Someone must be wondering why she’s not answering. What would happen if they went to the police?
Gil sat on the park bench, watching Joel happily swinging back and forth. How much longer could they keep all this fromhim? The hospital, as well. Everyone had been asking how Jo was, and Gil felt sure her face gave her away every time she lied to them.
Please, God, let Daniel reconsider calling the police. All Gil wanted was her smiling friend back. Her smiley, happy friend who could barely contain her excitement when she went on her first trip to a casino. The memory came easily to Gil. She could visualise it as though it were yesterday. Jo, all smiles, her excitement spilling over at the thought of going to a casino for the first time.
***
It was Jo’s consultation day. She wouldn’t usually perform surgery on those days, unless it was an emergency, which wasn’t particularly unusual. Jo had just finished the ward rounds when she suggested they take a break for coffee. ‘My next patient isn’t due for another thirty minutes,’ she said.
Gil noticed how Jo’s eyes sparkled; she was excited about something. They drank their coffee outside so that Gil could have a cigarette. Jo had once lectured Gil about her smoking, but after Lila, she’d stopped.
‘Danny and I are going to the Royale casino tonight, as guests of one of his clients. The client’s loaded, apparently. He’s paying for the dinner, too. I’ve never been to a casino, have you?’ she said, animatedly.
