Read Online Now You See Me by Emma Haughton - Free Book Online Page B

gone.
    Martha wouldn’t let this happen again.

10
then
    Martha stepped into the porch, avoiding the broken flowerpot in front of the door, and rang the bell. The sound reverberated through the house, loud as a fire alarm.
    I stood behind her, hugging myself to keep warm, trying to kill the tiredness and boredom by examining the entrance. This featured black peeling paintwork and a crack in the little window to the side. Ivy scrambled up the brickwork, and the tiles on the floor were faded and chipped. The small front garden looked almost derelict in the cold November light.
    Someone elderly, I guessed, or maybe young, just renting the place, not much caring what kind of a state it was in. It was amazing how often you could tell what kind of person would open the door, long before they did. But you could never know for sure; there was always room for surprise.
    A noise from inside, someone making their way to the door. The odds narrowed. They moved slowly, shuffling almost. Older, most likely. Man or a woman? I tried to guess, but already the key was turning in the lock, the sound of a bolt sliding back.
    The door opened about fifteen degrees. In the gap a sliver of head appeared, grey-haired, uncertain.
    A man.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œHello,” Martha said in her brightest, friendliest voice. “My name’s Martha Geller, and this is my god-daughter Hannah.”
    I dug out my most encouraging smile, glad I hadn’t bothered to change after school. People always seemed reassured by the sight of my uniform.
    The door opened another ten degrees. The head peeked out a little further. Martha offered a hand. A pause, then a gnarlier version clasped hers.
    â€œAre you collecting for something?” the old man asked, adjusting his hearing aid.
    Martha shook her head, holding out a photograph of Danny. “We’re here about my son. He’s been missing for two months now. We’re just asking people in the area if they can remember seeing him.”
    The man brought out a pair of glasses from his shirt pocket, settled them carefully on his nose, and took the photo, squinting in the dim light of the hallway. He stood peering at it for what felt like for ever, like one of those endless TV pauses before they announce the winner.
    No prize for us, though. Only the inevitable shake of the head.
    â€œNo,” he said finally. “Never seen ’im.”
    â€œWould you mind if we left a copy of his picture and details?” Martha held out a smaller version of our poster. “If there’s anything you remember, anything at all, my number’s on the bottom.”
    The man took it, nodding without speaking, and we said goodbye. Pulling the gate behind us, I glanced back at the door. It was already closed.
    Seventeen houses to go. I counted as we walked down the street to the neighbouring driveway, trying not to think about how long it would be before I got home and had something decent to eat. Not to mention my homework; I still had those geography questions from last week and a pile of French verbs to learn for a test.
    â€œYou okay?” Martha asked, catching my expression. Like Dad, she had an uncanny knack of reading my mood.
    â€œFine,” I lied.
    No way was I letting her send me back. Martha did too much of this on her own as it was. Paul refused to come with her, even when he wasn’t working. He didn’t approve, I’d gathered – and he wasn’t the only one. Janet Reynolds was far from keen. And judging by Alice’s recent tantrums, you could add her to the list.
    I’d even tried to broach it myself. “Haven’t the police already done this?” I asked when Martha first showed me the map and told me about her door-to-door campaign.
    â€œYes, but only in those areas you and Danny went to. I just want to make sure we cover everywhere, that’s all.”
    Covering everywhere in a town of over 30,000 inhabitants was easier said than done, I