Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Michael Donovan - Free Book Online Page A

relevant.
    â€˜Becky’s had some problems,’ she said.
    â€˜What problems?’
    â€˜She’s split with her boyfriend. It kind of got to her. Now she’s started hanging about with this older guy? He’s like, a real creep. Into drugs. I told Becky she should be careful but she says there’s nothing going on. Claims she just hangs out with him.’
    â€˜The boy she split with,’ I asked, ‘was that serious?’
    â€˜Yeah. They were together for a couple of years. His name’s Marcus. He’s doing IT.’ She tilted her head back towards the college buildings behind us.
    â€˜When did they split up?’
    â€˜Couple of months ago. I thought they’d get back together but I guess it’s not going to happen.’
    â€˜Why did you think they’d get back together?’
    â€˜They were into each other. Like, real sweet. Marcus is okay. Not my type.’
    â€˜What type is he?’
    She rolled the question around and took a swig of her can. ‘Bookish,’ she concluded. ‘You wouldn’t think he was Becky’s type but you couldn’t separate them.’
    â€˜So why did they split?’
    â€˜Some kind of fight? Becky didn’t say. One day it was all off.’
    â€˜Has Marcus got over her?’
    â€˜Dunno. I haven’t spoken to him.’
    â€˜What about this guy she’s taken up with?’
    â€˜He’s called Russell Cohen. Becky’s been keeping it low profile but there’s definitely something going on between them. He works up the West End? She’s down there every other night.’
    â€˜You don’t like this guy?’
    â€˜Nah. I only met him a couple of times but he was all over me every opportunity. I wouldn’t let a creep like that near me.’
    â€˜In what way is he a creep?’
    â€˜Every way. He’s a smarmy bastard. Likes the girls chasing him. Thinks it makes him a celeb. Fancies himself – all muscles and fuzz. He tries to act tough but he’s just a loser with no proper job.’
    â€˜What does he do?’
    â€˜Works on the door up the West End,’ Sadie said, ‘but I heard he’s into dealing. I went to the club with Becky once, saw him and his mates - guys trying to act cool and sluts who think they’re something. Pricks, the lot of them. They’d never guess how stupid they all look.’
    â€˜You said the guy is old.’
    â€˜Yeah. Twenties or something. He just needs to grow up past ten.’ She pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
    I gave her my Sly Uncle. ‘I hear that smoking is what the girls do to act cool too,’ I said. ‘They’d never figure how it makes them look either.’
    â€˜Right,’ she said. ‘Sod that.’ She lit up.
    Kids. You can only advise.
    She blew a vapour trail and looked at me. My advice was on-target. The cigarette put ten years on her, lost the cute. Trouble was it would still be putting ten years on in ten years’ time. The years would get behind, as the song said.
    â€˜What’s this got to do with Becky disappearing?’ she said.
    â€˜We still don’t know if Rebecca has disappeared,’ I pointed out. ‘But if she has, then anything might be relevant. You tell me she’s had a rough time splitting with her boyfriend and now she’s involved with a guy who’s into dealing drugs. That doesn’t sound irrelevant to me.’
    â€˜So how do you explain the fact,’ Sadie countered, ‘that Becky was fine that day. No mention of Marcus or Russell or anything. Then she’s, like, gone! And what’s with her parents?’
    Smart one, this. I’d been asking myself the same question. Even if Jean Slater’s story about illness was true the family was still acting strange. First thing I needed to do was find the aunt and confirm whether Rebecca was with her.
    â€˜Have you got it?’ I asked.
    Sadie rooted in her bag.