THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING

By Peter Woodgate 

Tom woke up from a fitful sleep. He had been dreaming about his wife Kate and immediately turned over and reached out to the other side of the bed.

It was where Kate should have been, but it was empty.

He jumped out of bed whilst calling her name but was met with silence. Where was she, he asked himself, and began to panic. A quick look in the other bedrooms gave him no answers and he went downstairs three at a time. The rooms downstairs were empty too and Tom began to shake.

He suffered with his nervous disposition and Kate was his rock. He worried just about everything and it was Kate who would calm him down and sort out the problems he seemed to think were gigantic. ”Well, this was super gigantic," where was Kate? If he didn’t find her the world would end, of this, he was sure.

It was 6am and Tom decided to ring the police. They told him not to panic and said it was too soon to treat this as a missing person and told him they would contact him later in the morning.

This was no good to Tom, he needed answers now and thought of Nosey Nicki from number nine. She had one of those spy cameras, you know shows a range of 50 yards in all directions from the front door. She knew everyone’s business and she, almost certainly, knew something. It was only 6.30 but Tom couldn’t wait and marched over to her door and rang the bell.

The usual trumpet sound blasted out 'And did those feet in ancient times walk upon England’s mountains green'. Within 30 seconds Nicki had answered the door, “What the bloody hell do you want?” She grunted.

She was wearing a flimsy night dress and Tom was surprised and embarrassed thinking, 'she must have had a boob job'. Nicki pulled her nightdress under her chin in order to avert Tom’s gaze as he stuttered the words, “can you have a look at your camera, as Kate seems to have vanished into thin air.”

“Don’t need to have a look at the camera,” Nicki had a wry smile on her face, had enough of you, mate, probably with her fancy man at no 51.

Surprised if you find her there though,” Nosey Nicki was now milking the situation, “I’m sure I heard them talking about a holiday abroad, evening flight if I’m not mistaken.”

Tom returned home and sank into his armchair. He'd had suspicions about Kate for awhile but refused to accept that it was true. She was his rock she wouldn’t leave him now, would she?

It was about 8am when the police arrived and Tom could only explain that Nosey Nicki at number nine seemed to have all the information they needed. Following the visit to number nine the police returned and explained to Tom that they could not take this any further as it appeared to be a domestic break-up. Tom acted heartbroken but thanked them for their visit without mentioning the two patches of disturbed earth by the side of the shed in the garden. Shortly the shed would be extended.

 

Copyright Peter Woodgate