“Leo, we’ll find her,” Paige said, offering a comforting hand on his back, “Let me put a post on Facebook?”
“The more people that are on the lookout for her, the better,” the police officer said, writing down information Leo had given her.
Paige used a photo from Leo’s Facebook to make a public post calling for information. Within ten minutes there were shares far and wide and hundreds of comments.
“We have to ask you to leave now, but we will be in touch,” the police officer said, “do you have somewhere to go?”
“Yes...” Leo said, pushing his thumb and forefinger against his eyes to remove the last of the tears, “I can go back to my house, mum might have gone there. I’ll take you home on the way, Paige.”
“No, I’ll stay with you,” Paige said, surprised how quickly she had swapped from fear of Leo to empathy for him. Despite his strange antics she could see his sincerity as he sought justice for Ella, his confused grief for his father, and his worry for his mother.
“Good – go there and wait for our call. If she arrives at your house, let us know,” the police officer gently escorted them to the pavement where the taxi driver was still waiting, “And Miss Webb, we will need to reach you as well – I understand you were the last person to see either Hugh or Arlene Eckland alive?”
“Yes, I suppose I must have been...” Paige said, thinking, besides the killer, remembering how she had recounted to the police officer that she had left the house to get the bus not one hour before they found Eckland dead.
“Please make yourself available to give an official statement at some point in the future. We will be in touch via the contact numbers you provided,” Paige had given them her mum’s home number, her mobile and Leo’s number, at the time somewhat unaware of the significance of her last conversation with either of his parents.
“It’s on me mate,” he said as they approached the car, “Sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Leo said quietly, ducking into the back seat with Paige. Leo gave the address and the taxi pulled away. It was jarring to see The Rectory swarmed with police, tape crossing off entire sections of pavements and curious or grief-stricken neighbours looking on from their respective front gardens.
The taxi’s drive was short as, just as Leo had said, his house was just beyond the station in a small cul-de-sac. It was a modern semi-detached house, a stark contrast to the old fashion décor of his parents’ terrace, although not as spacious. Paige gave the taxi driver all the cash she had; despite the unforeseeable circumstances, she felt guilty for the amount of time he had waited.
He tried to refuse at first, but she insisted, and he gave her one final nod, adding, “Look after your friend,” before wheeling away.
Leo let them in and gestured for Paige to take a seat on a minimalist style settee in the living room as he went to make them some tea. The room was the opposite of Eckland’s cosy almost kitsch tastes; everything was sleek and simple, there were no gaudy ornaments or upholstered cushions. Where Eckland’s mantlepiece had held yellowed postcards and dusty clocks, Leo had a fake fireplace and a simple bonsai tree.
“Your home is beautiful,” Paige said as Leo handed her a mug of tea.
“Thank you,” he said, still understandably distracted in his mannerisms. He sat perpendicular to her in a sunny yellow armchair, kicking off his shoes and sighing.
“Perhaps, we could ring some relatives?” Paige suggested, not wanting to intrude too much into Leo’s thought process but knowing he would rest easier if he was actively looking for Arlene.
“Yes, you’re right. Let me try a friend of my mum’s first. Oh god...” A realisation dawned on him, “I suppose I’ll have to tell her my dad’s dead too...” He took a moment to compose himself, placing the tea on the coffee table and leaning forward, as if to brace himself. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialled, “Hello, Elaine, it’s Leo,” he stuttered. Paige remembered the name – Elaine Lemmy, the lady who Leo was worried had overheard them in Starbucks, “I’m afraid I have some bad news. My father has passed away...” pausing with a small sob as ‘father’ caught in his throat.
Paige grabbed his free hand and squeezed it gently, “Yes,” he said after the pause, in reply to Elaine, “Yes, he passed just an hour ago. Listen,” he said a little more firmly, and Paige suspected he was dodging the question of ‘how’ did his father die, “I need your help Elaine. My mum is missing,” he paused again and Elaine replied, “No one has seen her for about two hours,” Leo said, waiting again for Elaine to talk, “Okay, thank you. If you see her, please let me know.”
He gave a final pause before signing off and sunk back in the chair, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes again, “She hasn’t seen my mum,” Leo said, disappointment clouding his words.
“Are there any relatives we could try? I’ll ring them if it is too much,” Paige said, feeling uncharacteristically calm in this situation. She remembered her own father’s death, although in different circumstances, and more recently Tom’s, and all of the heart-breaking phone calls she and her mum had made.
“Yes, please...” Leo said, standing up to find a phone book and returning with a number written down, “My mum’s sister, Caroline. She lives a few miles down the road. My mum doesn’t drive, but I suppose she could have gotten there in a pinch.”
Paige dialled the number on her phone and waited. The call rang out, and she shook her head at Leo, “I’ll try again,” she said, repeating the process. Still no answer. One
