Alan and Maddy knew what to expect when they came to the Duncan family home. A Sunday roast with all the trimmings, plus a long list of questions about work, marriage, holidays, children, and did they want the second helping of rhubarb and custard now, or after their tea?
When they left at seven o’clock, Alan was glad to escape.
“Sorry, if they went on a bit, Maddy,” he said.
“I don’t mind,” said Maddy, “they care about you. Your Dad will retire at sixty next year from what he said. It’s only natural they want to see we’re financially secure. Any spare cash they have will get spent on foreign holidays; they won’t want to dig deep to get us out of a hole. As for any wedding, your Dad probably thinks that because of the distance I’ve put between myself and my family they wouldn’t be much help. He’s right, but we’re happy as we are, aren’t we?”
“Happy as pigs in the proverbial,” said Alan.
Wednesday, 28th May 2008
“I’ll see you at the usual time,” called Alan as he left the house.
Maddy walked through from the kitchen to watch him start his weekly run. He’d been quieter than usual this past few days. Perhaps the mundane routine was getting to him. Maddy promised herself they would arrange something different this weekend. A trip to the coast on Sunday, maybe. That was it. She started her chores and thought about where they might go.
As she returned the ironing board to the cupboard under the stairs later, Maddy wondered how far Alan had run tonight. It was a quarter past eight. She switched on the television and tried to concentrate on a quiz show. It was no good. Alan was never this late. What could have happened?
At half-past nine, Maddy rang Anna Phillips.
“Is Wayne home, Anna?” she asked.
“He’s just got in from five-a-side football. Hang on, do you want a word?”
“Alan’s not home from his run,” said Maddy, “I’m getting worried. Did he tell Wayne which route he might take tonight? I’ll drive out to search for him.”
Anna handed the phone to her husband.
“Alan mentioned nothing to me, Maddy,” said Wayne. “He was fine on Saturday. I saw him in Corsham yesterday, but something preoccupied him. He didn’t respond when I called out to him across the road.”
“Where in Corsham? What time?” asked Maddy. That didn’t sound like Alan. “He was at work out at the Industrial Estate at Leafield.”
“Well, he must have needed to go into town to the High Street. Alan was on the pavement outside the bank in the middle of the afternoon. Do you want me to drive over to you? We can cover two routes that way. He could have twisted an ankle or something. Did Alan take his mobile with him?”
Maddy frantically searched the house for Alan’s mobile, but it wasn’t there.
“Why didn’t I think of that,” she cried. “What a dummy. I’ll call Alan to see where the hell he is. If he’s sat in that pub out at Giddeahall the air will turn blue.”
Wayne laughed.
“Give us a ring later, Maddy, to let us know. Please don’t ground him for Saturday. I’ve got another new route for us to tackle.”
Maddy ended the call and rang Alan. It went to voicemail.
She collected the car keys from the hall table and checked her watch. Nine forty-five. Which route should she take? Sunset was over half-an-hour ago. Maddy set off along Cuttle Lane towards the centre of the village. She returned an hour later after a fruitless search. Her heart sank as soon as she rounded the bend and saw the police car parked outside their home.
Maddy stopped the car, got out, and ran towards the two officers stood beside the car.
“What’s happened?” she screamed. “Is Alan hurt? Where have they taken him?”
“Can I have your name, please, Miss?” asked the officer, PC Clare Townsend.
“Madeleine Mills, Maddy. I’m Alan’s partner. I’ve been out searching for him. He went for his usual run, but didn’t come home at the usual time.”
“This would be Alan Duncan. Is that correct?” asked PC Sam Hulbert.
Maddy nodded. She tried to see if there was anyone inside the police car. Where was he?
“Perhaps we can go inside, Miss Mills,”
Maddy opened the front door, and the two officers followed her inside.
“We received a phone call from a member of the public at seven fifty-three this evening,” said the male police officer. “They reported seeing something suspicious in a field off Ham Lane. Do you know the area, Miss?”
“Of course I do,” said Maddy. “We’ve lived in Biddestone for four years. Alan often runs along Challows Lane to Ham Lane. It’s part of one of the regular routes he follows on Wednesday nights. He leaves here at half-past six and gets back anything between eighty or ninety minutes later. What do you mean by suspicious?”
“Any problems in the relationship? Did you argue this evening before he left?”
“No, nothing like that. Everything’s fine.”
“No money problems?” asked PC Townsend.
“We both have decent jobs. There’s not much left over for luxuries at the end of the month from time to time, but we manage fine. Look, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry to have to tell you, Miss Mills,” said Sam Hulbert, “but we found the body of a man in the field off Ham Lane at eight thirteen this evening.”
“It can’t be Alan. There must be a mistake.”
Clare Townsend described the clothing Alan was wearing when Maddy watched him leave the house
