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‘What do you mean gone?’
‘He’s gone for good,’ Beverley explained, her voice hitching as she fought back yet more tears. ‘He left a note.’
Brett still had it in his hand, and he held it up for Kate to see.
‘When did he leave?’ Kate asked.
‘Sometime in the middle of the night. He could be anywhere by now,’ Brett said.
‘He’s homeless again?’ Kate asked and when Beverley let out a sob she rushed over to her mother and gathered her into her arms. ‘Oh, Mum, I’m so sorry. I know how much you thought of him. Did he give a reason?’
‘Not a sausage. He just snook out like a thief in the night, and there was me thinking he was happy.’
‘I’m sure he was, Mum.’ Kate sent a pointed look in Annabelle’s direction. ‘He must have had his reasons.’ Over the top of her mother’s head, Kate mouthed ‘Troy?’ at her, and Annabelle pulled a face and shrugged.
Annabelle would be surprised if it was – after all, she’d made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with her ex-husband and that she couldn’t wait to get rid of him. On the other hand, though, the timing was definitely suspect.
‘It’s my fault.’ Jake’s voice was so quiet that Annabelle thought she must have misheard.
‘Say what?’ she asked, cuddling him closer.
His voice was stronger this time. ‘I said, it’s my fault.
‘Oh, poppet, it’s not. It’s no one’s fault.’
‘Itis,’ he insisted. ‘I told him I hated him and wished he was dead,’
‘When was this?’ On noticing that everyone was listening, she said, ‘Tell you what, shall we go to my room and have a chat about it?’
Jake shook his head. ‘Yesterday, after we got back from Margam Park and saw Dad waiting for us, after I told you I hated you, I went inside—’ His already flushed cheeks turned a deeper shade ‘—and Ron followed me. I think he wanted to check I was OK, but I shouted at him that it was his fault you didn’t want to go home with Dad.’ He bit his lip. ‘I don’t really hate you, Mum, and I don’t hate Ron either. I did, but I don’t anymore,’ he clarified.
‘Is that because of what you heard this morning?’
He nodded. ‘Dad’s a drongo.’
‘He’s still your father,’ Annabelle told him gently. Jake mightn’t think he loved Troy right now, but he did. That Troy didn’t deserve his son’s love, was a matter for another day.
‘Can we go find Ron? I want to tell him I’m sorry. I was a drongo, too.’
‘We don’t know where he is,’ Annabelle pointed out.
‘He can’t have gone far.’
‘We don’t know which direction he’s gone in. I’m sorry, Jake, but it’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.’
There was silence for a few moments, only broken by Beverley blowing her nose.
‘I’ll have to phone Doris back and let her know,’ Kate said, after a short while.
‘Who’s Doris?’ Annabelle was confused at the sudden change in direction of the conversation.
‘Oh, sorry. Doris is my manager. That’s what I wanted to speak to Ron about. I’ve just had a call from her. Apparently, a woman has been asking after him. Doris knows that Ron is –was– living with you, Mum, so she asked if she could give her my number.’
‘What woman, and what does she want with Ron?’ Beverley demanded.
‘Her name is Louise and she’s his ex-wife. Doris says she needs to speak with him.’
