A Change for the Better? (15 page)

The following Wednesday, the day before the most important meeting of his business life so far, Ben awoke to a dull, grey overcast sky. The leaden outlook of damp drizzly rain made him want to head immediately back under the covers, but this was a day when he had much to prepare for. He had completed the figures on the development and, with John and Stewart’s help they had prepared a presentation for the local council about BW and their vision. Ben just had to review all this, see his accountants to check the financial figures were correct and then bind the copies they needed. He then planned an easy evening and an early night to give him the best possible start on Thursday. Sleep had been a bit lacking over recent weeks, working on the figures, dropping off and collecting Lucy from Katie’s, and frequently staying longer than he intended to as there was always some tempting food on offer. (Ben ignored any implication that there was anything else tempting at Tolpuddle House that could have been keeping
them there
longer than planned!). Katie was becoming a friend and it was great to have somewhere where Lucy was happy to go, without giggling schoolgirls who were solely interested in clothes, music and boys, and not usually in that order. Thinking of Lucy made
Ben shake himself, with one last glance of longing back to his bed he headed into the hallway and banged loudly on Lucy’s door.

“Luce, its 7.30 – GET UP” he shouted into the wooden panels.

He could hear movement, but not nearly enough to make him think Lucy was actually up, so he kept on banging. This had become something of a ritual in the flat. Like most teenagers, Lucy was notoriously bad at getting up, mainly due to the fact that she was equally bad at going to bed at a reasonable hour! Ben had taken to knocking and shouting constantly until Lucy put in an appearance. Just as he was about to resort to singing, (his renditions of various rock classics had never failed yet) Lucy’s blonde head, hair ruffled and face scrunched from her
night’s
sleep appeared around the door.

“Jesus Ben, I’m up okay – do you have to make such a noise – don’t you think the neighbours will complain? It’s a wonder they don’t get you thrown out” she grumbled as she pushed past him and headed through to the kitchen.

“Well, actually sis, all my neighbours, like me, are working people and are actually up themselves so a bit of knocking won’t worry them. However if you wandered out into the corridor by mistake, that might do the trick” he teased, messing up her, already very tousled, hair.

“Ha
ha ha bruv
– and
you’re
a picture first thing aren’t you?”

“I have my moments” Ben conceded, “now come on, get a shift on; I need to get you off to school. I’ve got a busy day ahead of tomorrow so I want to get on” Ben started shooing her towards the bathroom as he spooned coffee into the filter machine.

“Oh yes” Lucy turned as she reached the door, suddenly looking much brighter, “I thought you’d want me out of your hair this evening and Saffy’s having all the girls around tonight. I can go over and keep out of your way.” Lucy tried to look innocent as she asked but Ben knew Saffy of old. Anything she was organising was likely to be out of control within the space of an hour. He didn’t have time for worrying about Lucy tonight.

“Sorry Luce, but I know Saffron Wilding and there’s no way you’re going there tonight. One, it’s a school night, and two, I’ve no intention of having to spend the latter part of the evening bailing you out of whatever scrape you’ve got into!”

“But Ben, it won’t be like that” Lucy whined “it’ll be …”

“No Luce” Ben answered sharply “You’re not going – okay? Deal with it!”

Lucy’s bottom lip stuck out as she turned and stalked to the bathroom muttering under her breath what Ben could only assume were many and varied curses on him. It was the last thing he heard her say that morning as she stopped speaking to him and sat, shoulders hunched, looking resolutely out of the passenger window as he took her to school. Ben didn’t worry about this, he had been the target of Lucy’s silent treatment on many occasions over the years and they never lasted long. Lucy, despite her teenage tantrums, had a sunny nature and couldn’t stay mad at anyone for long. She was also very pragmatic and knew that if it wasn’t working she may as well try a different tack.

             
At 4.30 that afternoon when Ben got home, after a frustrating couple of hours with the accountant who had pointed out a number of errors in the figures and left Ben with more work to do that evening than he had anticipated, it was clear that Lucy had decided to change tack as she presented him with a coffee and digestive as he passed the kitchen. He responded with a raised eyebrow. Lucy chose to ignore this.

“So did you have a good day?” she asked.

“Not really no, and I’ve got twice as much work to do this evening as I thought I would, so you’ll have to keep the noise down,” he answered with seriousness, and a tone that brooked no argument. Unfortunately Lucy chose to ignore this too.

“So really,” she started brightly, with a sharp look from under her eyelashes, “it really would be better if I was out of the way. I could go to …..”

“No Lucy” Ben snapped “you are not going to Saffy’s and spending the evening doing God knows what – I’ve told you you’re staying here where I know exactly what you’re up to.”

“But I wasn’t …” Lucy started.

“I don’t care, Luce” Ben shouted now “you’re not going, okay! Get over it!” He glared at her as she stomped off to her bedroom and slammed the door. Ben stalked off to the living room and flicked the computer on and pushed a disc into the hi-fi, in no time he was engrossed in his spread-sheets and projections.

It was nearly three hours later when Ben ran a weary hand through his hair and realised how much time had passed. The noisy rumblings in his stomach reminded him that he had not eaten since breakfast and was in dire need of re-fuelling. Realising Lucy wouldn’t have had anything either he pushed himself up from the chair and wandered into the hall grabbing a couple of takeaway menus from the shelf as he passed. He was too exhausted to think about cooking and he didn’t really have the time either, knocking on Lucy’s door, he shouted

“Hey Luce, Chinese or pizza?
– you choose, I’ll pay” he said jokingly. There was no response from Lucy’s room. Obviously still sulking, Ben thought.

“C’mon Luce, I’m sorry for shouting earlier but it’s a really important day tomorrow and I guess I’m stressing about it a bit. Let’s get some food in and declare a truce eh!” he tapped gently on the door but there was still no reply. Leaning closer to the door he realised something wasn’t right, there was no dull thud in the background that accompanied the music Lucy always had on. With some trepidation Ben pushed open the door, still really expecting Lucy to be asleep on the bed, but the room was empty. Quickly he ran into the bathroom and then the kitchen but Lucy was in neither, with a sinking feeling and
growing anxiety he realised Lucy was not in the flat at all. She must have sneaked out when he was engrossed in his work.

“Bloody Saffron bloody Wilding” he raged, under his breath. Lucy had obviously decided to ignore Ben’s instructions and take herself off to the party anyway. He grabbed the phone and dialled Lucy’s mobile number, it went straight to voicemail.

“Lucy, where the
hell are
you?” he bellowed into the mouthpiece, “ring me as soon as you get this message. I’m on my way to pick you up. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” With that he grabbed his jacket and keys and launched himself out of the flat and down the two flights of stairs into the van parked outside.

Fortunately Ben knew where Saffy Wilding lived having collected Lucy from there on a number of occasions. Her parents were successful consultants; one medical, one public relations and they lived in a huge house on the far side of
Rawlinston, one
big enough to a have a driveway in and another one out. The house was painted perfectly and the gardens immaculately maintained, not that Ben was in any mood to appreciate that as the van sped over the gravel drive, spraying out stones behind it as he skidded to a halt outside the front door.

Jumping out of the van Ben ran up to the door and held his finger on the bell. He could hear its incessant ring resounding down the hallway
and echoing in the atrium. Not long after, the door was pulled open by a sulky looking girl with jet black, poker straight hair and a scowl stretching from one side of her face to the other. She also managed to look down her nose at this impatient person on her doorstep at the same time. Saffron Wilding herself Ben noted.

“Yes?” she said, in an exaggerated plumy tone, gained in her days at some minor ladies college in the south.

“Lucy Chapman – Where is she? Tell her, her
brother
Ben’s here and it’s time to go.” Ben replied in his broadest northern tones before he could help himself.

“Lucy’s not here.” Saffron replied shortly and started to close the door. Ben put his hand out and stopped her.

“Look, I know she’s here. She wanted to come and I said no, so she’s snuck off anyway, but the games up and it’s time to go.” Ben added what he hoped was a winning brotherly smile to this, to encourage Saffron over to his side. He thought it might be working as she smiled back but it soon became apparent it was a smile of derision not camaraderie.

“Look, I told you she’s not here and guess what? She’s – not – here. She never came, she told me at school she couldn’t come as her saddo brother was being a pain and wouldn’t let her.”

For the first time it crossed Ben’s mind briefly that Lucy might not be here, but where else could she be? No, she was definitely here and
this little trust
fund princess was just trying to throw him off.

“Nice try” Ben said “I nearly believed you then, tell Lucy you did your best and get her out here.”

Saffron sighed, it seemed she was bored of this conversation now; she took a deep breath and then bellowed,

“MUM!” very shortly after an immaculately made up Mrs Wilding dressed head to toe in Chanel tottered into the hallway.

“Saffron darling, there’s really no need to shout in such an unladylike manner. Now what’s the problem?” she raised a perfectly tweezed eyebrow as she asked.

“Mrs Wilding, I’m Ben Wilson, Lucy’s brother. She’s staying with me at the moment. I’ve come to collect her. Unfortunately she came out
tonight although I’d told her she couldn’t and I need to take her home now.” Ben answered.

“Oh I see” Mrs Wilding replied, slightly puzzled “but Lucy’s not here tonight. Saffron’s got a few friends over but Lucy couldn’t make it tonight could she sweetheart?” Mrs Wilding turned to Saffron for confirmation.

“I’ve already told him that” Saffron replied dismissively, “but he’s having trouble understanding.”

Ben went cold from head to foot. It was one thing for Saffron to deny Lucy being there to cover for her, but there was no way Mrs Wilding would. Lucy wasn’t here and if she wasn’t here – where the hell was she? Quickly, making his apologies, Ben made his exit and jumped back into the van, trying Lucy’s mobile again. It was still on voicemail, leaving another garbled message; he set off out of the drive. Next he rang his flat to see if anyone answered. The answerphone clicked in after seven rings.

“Luce, if you’re there – pick up. I just want to know you’re okay.” Ben hung on for a couple of minutes but no one answered. Setting the
phone on hands free Ben rang some of Lucy’s friends as he headed towards his Mum’s house. He thought maybe Lucy had bolted back home in her effort to teach him a lesson.

Twenty minutes later Ben pulled up outside the terrace house that had been his home for the first eighteen years of his life. None of Lucy’s friends’ parents had seen her that evening so Ben was now praying that Lucy would be here. The house was in darkness but he hadn’t expected anything else. Lucy wouldn’t give the game away that easily. Ben let himself through the front door pushing the post back that accumulated on the doormat to one side so he could open the door properly. Not a good sign. The house was silent, enveloped in that thick darkness of emptiness, nothing seemed to stir. Ben’s optimism was fading fast, leaving the pit of his stomach as fast as the leaden fear was entering it.

“Lucy, Lucy – it’s Ben” he shouted up the stairs, “Look I’m sorry if I upset you, I’m not mad I just want to know you’re okay.” There was no response – no breath stirring the heavy atmosphere except his own. Taking the steps two at a time Ben then checked all the rooms upstairs and then downstairs once more. No one was here and it didn’t seem that anyone had been here for quite a number of days. Ben finally had to accept that Lucy wasn’t here and now he had absolutely no idea
where she might be. He had exhausted all the contacts and he couldn’t think of any other friends Lucy might have sloped off to. Ben turned cold, what if she had set off to one of those friends and not got there. On these winter evenings darkness fell early and Lucy could have been attacked and was now laying injured waiting for him to find her. Trying to dispel
his own
rising hysteria Ben tried to think straight. What was most likely? Most likely was that Lucy was back at the apartment having a good laugh at the wild goose chase she had managed to send him on. Keeping this positive image in his head he rang home again, still no answer. Ben tried to think of who else he could try when Poppy popped into his head. She might know some of Lucy’s friends that he didn’t. Lucy would have talked to her about an unsuitable boy or a dodgy friend that she might have kept concealed from her big brother. Finding his hopes rising Ben jumped into the van, he was only
twenty minutes
from Laxley Heath, he could drive round there now and pick Poppy’s brains.