Me: Ok, I’ll see you when you are home.
20 minutes later, there is a knock at the door and Hayley gets up to answer “Hey Mrs Doyle. Looking ravishing today” Brady says as he saunters into the front room “There’s my girl” he says as he comes over to hug me. Wrapping me up in his arms, I breathe out all the tension I was feeling about him visiting “Hey Braids” I say into his chest. Unwrapping myself from him, we make our way over to the sofa and sit down, I can hear Hayley washing up in the kitchen “How you doing girl?” Brady asks me with concern on his face “I’m doing better” I tell him honestly, it’s all I can manage to tell him at the moment “Just know I’m here for you always babe. I would have come over sooner, if the big bastard I work with hadn’t banned me” he says with a laugh “Banned you? Why?” I ask confused, why wouldn’t he let Brady see me? “Yeh, he was worried about you. He didn’t want to bombard you with…. Males” he says forcing out the last word.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I try to make sense of Reid’s thinking, sure, I can see why he would think that about some people, but this is Brady, I’ve known him most of my life. I didn’t know how I was going to react to him at first, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to see him “I get why he did it, but I missed you Braid’s. Aside from Sherri you are my best friend” I tell him making him smile. Bearing another knock on the door, Brady gets up walking to see who it is. It can’t be the Detective, It’s too early to be here. Looking through the peep hole he smiles “Talk of the devil” he says as he opens the door to a flustered Sherri “Are they here yet?” she rushes out as she enters the front room “No, you beat them here” Brady smiles as he watches her take her jacket off “Thank god. Hey Beck’s, missed you babe” she says as she practically leaps on the sofa to hug me “Hey Shez, what are you doing here?” I ask her while she squeezes the life out of me, disentangling herself she says “Reid text me, told me about the Detective coming to see you. Like I wasn’t going to come to support you” giving me a sad smile “Thanks Shez” I tell her with a watery smile of my own.
Sitting on the sofa we all wait for the Detective to arrive, we are in the middle of talking about a new song the band has when there is another knock on the door. Brady gets up to answer while I try and ready myself for whatever news they have. Sherri reaches over and squeezes my knee, smiling at me for support.
Detective Sullivan walks into the front room with Brady following “Miss Hughes, thank you for allowing me to visit” she tells me as she takes a seat on the armchair. Brady comes to sit on the other side of me and he slings his arm on the back of the sofa behind my head “It’s no trouble Detective” I say trying to give her eye contact “Please, call me Ella” she says with a warm smile “I assume you know I have some news” she says getting her notepad out “I thought it better to tell you it in person” she says as she clicks her pen “Yes, have you found them?” I ask her digging my nails into my leg “We’ve had a report that your mother has been seen in Ardleigh” that’s not far from here, no more than half an hour’s drive “She was seen at a local supermarket buying alcohol yesterday afternoon. We’ve sent police to the area and we’ve checked the supermarkets CCTV, it was definitely her. The footage from the car park showed her getting into a green Volvo, a man could be made out in the driver’s seat. We cannot confirm, but we believe it could be Gary” she says matter of factly “I want you to know we are doing everything we can to find them. In the meantime, there has been a protection order put in place, so both of them cannot contact or come near you” she tells me,
I remember Hayley saying she had the same thing put in place after she was attacked “What does that mean for Becca” Sherri asks she holds my hand for support “Well, both Annabelle and Gary cannot come near her or this house. I very much doubt they will, but if you see anything at all suspicious you need to call 999 or me immediately, day or night” she says as she passes both Brady and Sherri her card “Thank you Ella. For taking the time to come and give me an update” she could have just called, but she took the time out of her day to tell me in person “You are very welcome Becca. I have a daughter around your age, so I can assure you I’m doing everything to find them. I will not let him get away with this” she tells me with determination on her face.
Walking her to the door, I feel emotionally drained. I can’t believe mum is only in Ardleigh, what is she up to? Sitting back down with Brady and Sherri, I let out a sigh as the day’s events weigh down on me “They will find them Beck’s” Sherri says, resting her head on my shoulder. Putting my head against hers, I hope to god she’s right.
Not long after, Brady tells me he has to go back to work, I give him a bear hug as I walk him out promising to speak to him tomorrow. When I sit back on the sofa with Sherri,
