Just Another Serial Part 2

Continuing on the story of Mark and his disappearing girlfriend Sandra. Mark, by the way, is the brother of Jack who lives in Sydney with a boarder Sharlene and her son Joshua. Now read on…

Mark ran through the dark streets and after an hour or so the drizzle turned to heavy rain. He didn’t mind. But the day’s swimming and cycling started to take its toll and he began to find it hard going.

He arrived back at the flat exhausted and drenched. No Sandra. She must have gone to the pub that band she likes was playing at. He dried off, put his wet clothing in the laundry basket and put on a track suit. He brewed up some coffee and sat down to wait for Sandra’s return.

Midnight arrived and still Sandra hadn’t come home.

She must be staying the night at a friend’s place, Mark thought. Probably doing it to get back at me. Then he remembered the answerphone. Perhaps she left a message. He checked. There was one missed call, but it was from Millie Green.

“Where are you Sandra? I’m sitting here waiting. Your cellphone is switched off. If you get this give me a call.”

So, she was meeting Millie. She’s likely staying at her flat tonight. That’s fine by me. Mark went to bed.

. . .

Jane Davis looked over the top of the book she was reading at her husband Ted. She thought how relaxed and calm he looked. She felt their marriage was a good marriage. Not too many couples can live and work together, they were constantly told. But she found it the most natural thing. They were fulfilled in each other’s company.

Ted had appetites that Jane couldn’t satisfy. She looked on them as character detours. She knew about them but Ted wasn’t sure if she knew or not. But he always came back on track and was extra nice and thoughtful to her when he did. She knew he would never contemplate leaving her. Jane’s tacit acceptance of his behaviour was enough of a threat of what would happen if he ever created a scandal.

It was unfortunate they couldn’t have any children of their own. When they adopted little Rachel, after years of disappointments, it was a real blessing. She had had a troubled upbringing, in and out of foster homes before her parents abandoned her completely. Rachel was seven by the time she was put up for adoption. Jane and Ted adored her. Ted especially. He took her to netball and tennis, supervised her homework and went to the parent teacher interviews. He was the perfect father. Jane even became a little jealous of their relationship. Silly really, she thought.

Rachel grew into a very attractive young lady. When she was 16 things changed drastically. She became sullen and secretive. She showed no interest in continuing her studies, wasn’t interested in working in the shop, and started going out with a rough crowd.

Ted tried everything to help her, but nothing he did or said made any difference. She left home and went to live with a tattooed gang member with a prison record. He was more than twice her age. Ted was devastated.

Then she disappeared. They tried to find her. Went to the police and when that didn’t get results, tried the Salvation Army. In the end, they acknowledged that she didn’t want them to find her. All they could do was hope she would come to her senses and get in touch. After a year they gave up. Her name was never mentioned in their house again.

A few years ago Sandra started working at the shop. Nothing was said, but Jane knew Ted thought she was what he was hoping Rachel would turn out to be. Clever, reliable, attractive and interested in books and the bookshop. Since Sandra started working fulltime Jane couldn’t help but notice that Ted began organising his work so that he could spend time with her.

“She’s so knowledgeable and full of great ideas,” Ted told Jane one night, “I think we’ve found someone to take over when it comes time for us to retire.”

Jane just smiled.

. . .

Sandra didn’t come home that night. Mark thought she was overdoing the sulk, if that was what it was. He went to work on his bike as per usual and rang the bookshop when he stopped for a coffee mid-morning.

“Jane Davis speaking.”

“Hi, it’s Mark Thomson here. Could I speak to Sandra please.”

“She hasn’t come in this morning. I was about to ring you to find out if there was something wrong with her.”

“Not that I know of. She went out with a girlfriend last night and didn’t come home. I assumed she’d stayed the night at her girlfriend’s place.”

“That’s strange. She’s usually so reliable. Opens up the shop every morning. Ted and I arrived to find the staff waiting outside, a pile of newspapers and magazines stacked against the front door getting wet.”

“I’ll ring around and try to find where she is. I’ll get back to you.”

“Thank you.”

“Would you mind getting her to ring me if she turns up?” Mark asked.

“Of course. ‘Bye Mark.”

That’s a worry, he thought.

He rang Millie at her place to see if Sandra was there. No answer. He knew where Millie worked so looked up the number in the phone book. Millie came to the phone. She was not happy.

“She suggested we meet, then she didn’t turn up. She’s got a lot of explaining to do,” Millie complained.

Mark told her that Sandra didn’t come home last night and hadn’t turned up to work today.

“Oh, hope nothing’s happened to her.”

“Thanks for your time anyway. I’ll get her to ring you when I find out where she is.”

He tried two more of her friends, but they hadn’t seen or heard from her for weeks. That only leaves her parents, Mark decided.

Mark got on quite well with Sandra’s mum and dad. They were a nice couple. He hoped she was with them.

“Hi, it’s Mark here. How are you?” he asked Sandra’s mum Norma when she answered.

“Mark, how nice to hear from you. Have you rung to say you and Sandra have some good news for us?” she joked.

“Not today, I’m afraid. But one day soon, maybe. No. I’m actually ringing to see if Sandra is with you.”

“No, why would she be?”

Mark explained about Sandra’s non-appearance for the date with Millie, her not coming home last night and not being at work.

“Oh, I hope nothing has happened to her. Bob’s at work, but I’ll ring and ask him if he’s seen or heard from her then get back to you.”

Mark couldn’t concentrate on his work and at lunch time went home. Sandra wasn’t there. He rang her work again but she hadn’t turned up. Mark then rang the hospital but no-one of her name or description had been admitted in the last 24 hours.

He rang her parents again and her dad answered this time.

“No, I haven’t talked to or seen Sandra for over a week,” said Bob.

“I think I’ll go to the police then,” said Mark.

“Have you tried the hospital?” Bob asked.

“Yes. Nothing there.”

“Hold on. I’ll come and pick you up. We’ll go to the police together.”

. . .

The police officer on the front desk was very efficient and helpful. She took Sandra’s particulars, asked when she was last seen, where she was supposed to meet her friend Millie, the names of her friends and where she worked. She also asked if she could have a recent photo of her. Luckily Mark kept a snap of Sandra in his wallet which he handed over.

“We’ll be in touch when we have any news,” she said.

Mark and Bob walked out of the police station into a rainy afternoon. The weather reflected their mood.

“Well, there’s not much we can do now but wait,” said Mark.

“I’m not going to sit idly waiting for a phone call,” Bob remarked. “I can drive round all her old haunts and visit anyone who knows her and ask if they’ve seen her.”

There was a tremble in his voice.

“We can’t think the worst. It’s early days. I’m sure there’s a simple explanation. Sandra and I had words before she went out yesterday morning. She’s probably playing a practical joke to get back at me,” Mark said, trying to be positive, but he was beginning to think something was seriously wrong.

Bob took Mark back to his place and, along with Norma, they worked out a plan. They rang everyone who knew Sandra, asked them if they’d seen her recently, but came up with nothing. They wrote down all the places Sandra liked to visit or held a special place for her in case she’d had a fall and injured herself. Anything. The three of them visited all those places, but no sign or clues. They were clutching at straws.

The next evening, with still no sightings or clues as to her whereabouts, there was a news item on the TV asking if anyone had seen her to get in touch with the Palmerston North Police or her parents. The picture Mark gave to the police was blown up to fill the TV screen.

Nothing. No information was called in to the police or to the James family.

The following night’s TV news had an interview with a detective saying the police think there might have been foul play and asking the public’s help with any sightings. They showed a street map with the route Sandra would have taken from the shop to the café where she was to meet Millie.

Twelve policemen were sent up from Wellington to help the local force in the enquiry.

. . .