‘He didn’t have a girlfriend,’ said Teddy. ‘He was kind of awkward around girls. He just wasn’t advanced in that way. Not at all.’
‘OK,’ said Ren. ‘Have you noticed anything missing of Caleb’s? Any bag or clothing or something he was particularly fond of, something he didn’t usually leave behind?’
‘Apart from his phone?’ said Teddy. ‘The only other thing – which I don’t think is very meaningful, especially because I haven’t seen it in a while, anyway – is a suitcase. Well, it’s kind of a tin box – an old military one that John got for him – it’s green and battered, with a brown leather handle. It’s about twice the size of a shoebox. He used to keep it on the floor under the window, but then he moved it into the wardrobe, put it on the shelf at the top. But I can’t really imagine him bringing it anywhere...’
Unless he was running away.
‘Do you know what he kept in it?’ said Ren.
‘No,’ said Teddy. ‘His comic books, I figured. I don’t know.’
‘Can you remember the last time you looked in the wardrobe?’ said Ren.
‘No – Caleb tidied away his own clothes.’
‘So that suitcase could have been gone for some time,’ said Ren.
‘Yes,’ said Teddy.
Could he have fought with his father, packed this suitcase and left, unwittingly drawing attention to himself: some creep driving by sees a kid on his own, maybe running away, maybe crying, carrying a suitcase? Vulnerable.
‘Does Caleb keep a diary?’ said Ren.
‘No,’ said Teddy. ‘He has no interest in anything like that. He’s like his father – might read a sports story or two, but won’t pick up a book, or write a word he isn’t forced to.’
‘If Caleb was in trouble,’ said Ren, ‘who do you think he might call?’
‘Well – me,’ said Teddy.
‘And what about his Aunt Alice?’ said Ren.
Teddy frowned. ‘You mean, would he call her if he had a problem? Gosh, I wouldn’t think so. I mean, she’s family, and she’s always perfectly lovely to him, remembers his birthday, all those kind of things, but...’ She trailed off. ‘Was he in trouble? Do you know something? Why are you asking about Alice?’
‘Caleb called her on Monday morning at seven thirty a.m.,’ said Ren. ‘She was the last call he made on the morning he disappeared.’
‘We see Alice two or three times a year,’ said Teddy. ‘Caleb’s maybe been on the phone to say hello to her once or twice, but that’s about it.’
What? ‘John seemed to think they spoke quite a bit.’
‘Really?’ said Teddy. ‘Well, not when I was around. And when I checked Caleb’s call list when I got home from work, I didn’t see her name.’
‘It had been deleted,’ said Ren.
‘That’s very strange,’ said Teddy.
‘If Caleb had an argument with his father, do you think he could have called his aunt for help?’ said Ren.
‘Caleb always called me when he had a fight with John.’
Always. How many were there?
‘Did that happen often?’ said Ren.
‘That sounded worse than it was,’ said Teddy at the same time.
Ren and Ruddock talked Gary and Wiley through the discrepancies between Alice, John and Teddy about the phone call.
‘Why,’ said Wiley, ‘would there be a difference in how two parents viewed their child’s relationship with his aunt? It makes no sense.’
‘Nah,’ said Gary. ‘It makes total sense.’
Ouch.
‘Have you got kids?’ said Gary.
Wiley shook his head. ‘No.’
Then, there you go says Gary’s face.
‘Alice Veir was very emotional about how much her brother cared for Caleb,’ said Ren. ‘It sounded genuine.’ She paused. ‘But what other reason would there be for Caleb to call her? Or maybe it was John who called her...’
‘Looking to know his options because he had killed his son,’ said Gary.
‘You’d want a pretty tight relationship with a sibling – or anyone, for that matter – to be able to call them up and say “I killed my child, what do I do next?”’ said Ren.
Ruddock nodded.
‘Especially when she’s a lawyer who’s all about justice,’ said Ren.
‘And let’s not forget,’ said Gary, ‘this was only a ten-minute phone call.’
‘This is a small thing,’ said Ren, ‘but when I told Alice Veir that Caleb was missing, she didn’t say “But I was just speaking with him yesterday morning”, which is the kind of thing someone would say under the circumstances, isn’t it? Reflexively? Not a big deal, but still.’
‘Do you think she might have already known that he was gone?’ said Ruddock.
‘I wasn’t getting that sense either...’ said Ren. ‘It was hard to say.’
Everything’s so fucking hard to say.
Gary’s phone beeped with a text. He read it. ‘OK – the other two CARD agents have just arrived at the hotel. It’s been a long day. Ren and I will get checked in, have something to eat, get some rest.’
Eat. Rest. Noooo!
Gary turned to Ruddock. ‘We can give the others the lowdown over dinner.’
‘I appreciate it,’ said Ruddock. ‘Thank you for everything today.’
14
Astor’s was a grim and grubby hotel on I-5, a ten-minute drive from Tate PD. Ren and Gary checked in, and were given rooms next door to each other.
Hmm.
Sylvie Ross better be miles away.
‘Ren,’ said Gary, as she was about to open her door. ‘Keep your phone close by. Dr Lone will be calling you in ten.’
Ren froze.
‘Take his call,’ said Gary. He went into his room and closed the door.
Nice, Gary. Nice.
Ren opened her door with a nudge of her shoulder and walked in. Her stomach tensed.
Indian Burial Ground.
She put her bag on the floor, undressed, and crawled on to the bed.
Fuck Gary if he thinks I’m going to take that call. Fuck him. That’s the last time I’ll open up to him if I’m struggling. Asshole.
Ren’s cell phone rang, Lone’s name flashing on the screen.
Ugh. She picked up. ‘Hi.’
‘Hi, Ren,’ said Lone. ‘Gary suggested I give you a call. I heard you had a difficult morning.’
‘I did not have a difficult – fucking – morning. People were gathering for a search, and it was just... how the crowd was moving... it was closing in on me and I felt a little overwhelmed. Honestly – it lasted for about two minutes. That was it. I appreciate the call, but I’m fine.’
‘I haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks,’ said Lone. ‘I’m glad we’re able to speak.’
‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘But I’m in Oregon to concentrate on work right now. It feels selfish to be focusing on me. I have a job to do.’ She sucked in a breath, and it didn’t feel like enough.
‘It might help to talk,’ said Lone. ‘It might be a good way to begin this case... to reduce your anxiety.’
He doesn’t think I should be doing this job.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Ren. ‘I’m hundreds of miles away and having this conversation over the phone and...’
‘Maybe that’s what it’s going to take,’ said Lone.
I don’t think so.
‘Are you still having intrusive thoughts about...’