Chapter 2

David walked over to the phone, his hands in his pocket. He picked it up and glanced at his mother who was washing the dishes, trying to take her mind off her missing husband. David let the phone ring in his hand and as he looked down at the screen he could see "Incoming Call → Tina". As the ringing stopped David dropped the phone onto the sofa and walked towards the kitchen.

"Tina just tried calling him again" David informed Gail, who didn't even look up from the washing up bowl.

"Really?" Gail said, trying her hardest to sound like she wasn't bothered.

"Yeah, this is the 5th time today," David said "She might start to get suspicious. Whatever happens, we can't let on that we know what really happened. Okay?" he told his mum, a stern look in his eyes. Gail turned round and looked David straight In the eyes.

"You don't think I know that? We tell anyone what happens and our lives are ruined. Nobody needs to know what went on there, least of all Tina. As far as she's concerned Joe is working in the lake district." Gail said, although she sounded like she was saying it reluctantly.

David looked at his mum sceptically, but just shrugged it off and went back upstairs. Just as he reached the top a loud banging noise came from outside. Gail flinched. Bang, Bang. She heard the noise again. Bang, Bang, BANG. Again, Gail heard the banging noise again, only this time it sounded more impatient. It took Gail a moment to realise that the noise was coming from the door, somebody was outside. Gail cautiously walked to the door, reaching for the door handle as slowly as possible. Just before she was about to open the door an aggravated voice came from outside.

"Gail. It's me, open up will you?" The voice called through the door.

Gail pulled open the door and a wave of relief spread through her as she saw a sopping wet Tina standing at her doorway. Gail had half expected it to be the police. She let out a sigh and smiled.

"Come in love, you must be soaking" She said, turned in the doorway to give Tina enough room to enter the house. Tina ignored Gail and marched straight into the living room, turning on her heels and stood facing Gail, her arms folded, looking as if she wanted answers. Gail's face fell as she soon realised why Tina was in her house.

"I want answers Gail." Tina demanded, her eyes blazing. Her hands were on her hips and she wasn't breaking eye contact with Gail. "I've been calling him for days now and I'm still not getting any answers. Where is my dad Gail and why is he not answering any of my calls?" She said a look of expectancy in her eyes.

It was at this time when Gail noticed Joe's phone lying on the sofa, just inches away from where Tina was standing. Her eyes widened. Gail gulped and shook her head back, "You must be thirsty, let me get you a cup of tea" Gail said, as she walked towards the kitchen she grabbed a cushion and used it to cover Joe's phone. Tina's eyes momentarily flickered towards the spot where her father's phone was hidden.

Tina turned on her heels again to face Gail, who was now busy boiling the kettle. "No Gail, I didn't come over here for friendly chit chat on the sofa with a cup of tea, I want answers and I'm not gonna leave until I get them." She said the burning look in her eyes still there.

Gail sighed, it seemed like she was doing that a lot lately, and she turned towards Tina, fighting back tears. "Like I said Tina, Your fathers found work in Cumbria. He'll be out there for a few more weeks I should imagine." Gail said. For a moment she thought of breaking down, making a teary confession and tell Tina everything. But then she remembered what David had said to her.

Tina looked slightly defeated, but never the less she still wasn't satisfied. "Well then, why isn't he answering my calls? I mean, where can he possibly be working that he gets a bad reception every day!?"

All Gail could do was shake her head and shrug her shoulders, she managed a stuttered "I… I… Err… Maybe he's just been busy a lot recently". She managed to let out a nervous laugh and walked back to the kettle which had just boiled.

Tina was about to leave when she noticed a piece of paper lying on the coffee table, on it was the address of the cottage Gail and Joe had stayed at in the lakes. She considered leaving it, but when she glanced over at the kitchen and saw Gail was busy, she picked up the piece of paper and put it in her pocket. She then quietly sneaked out of the door and left Gail alone.

Gail turned around with a fresh cup of tea in her hand, ready to hand it over to Tina, a false grin on her face. She stopped in her tracks and looked puzzled, noticing that Tina had gone. She walked over to the living room and glanced over at the table. She didn't seem to notice anything was missing; instead she just placed the cup down and went to sit down on the sofa.

Just has she took a seat, David came clambering down the stairs again. He walked around the edge of the sofa and stood in front of his mother. "What was all that about?" He asked in a worried voice.

Gail looked up gravely from her sofa and stared at David, after a pause which seemed to last an eternity she whispered "It seems we have a greater problem than we imagined."