The Disappearance in Liverstone

CHAPTER 2

The cold April wind started blowing into Ella and Maeve's faces as they walked up the road back to Maeve's house. The thought of the e-mail was still sitting at the front of her mind. It wouldn't let go. No matter what Mae tried, the thought clung on. 

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow." Ella said as she stopped in front of the path towards Maeve's front door. "Am I picking you up tomorrow?" Maeve asked, walking up 1/4 of the path then stopping and turning round. "I think so?" Ella tilted her head in confusion. "Okay. I'll pick you up tomorrow. Bye." Maeve was now standing next to the front door. "Bye." Maeve watched as Ella walked back down the street. Dara stood, leaned against Maeve's leg. "Come on Dara. Let's head inside." Maeve opened the door and followed Dara inside. 

"I'm home." Maeve closed the front door behind her. She felt the cold air be pushed out the warm house. Mae took off Dara's lead and hung it up. She slipped her shoes off and walked through to the open living room. 

Maeve's dad lay sideways on the couch, watching the tv in front of him. "Hi dad." Maeve sat down on the armchair next to his head. "How was the walk?" Maeve's dad looked behind him at his daughter. "Good." There was silence for a little while as Maeve's dad watched the tv. "Do you mind taking James to football?" Maeve's dad looked behind him again and Maeve looked up from her phone. "Why?" Maeve has only taken her little brother to football a handful of times. "Mum's at work and I need to collect some paperwork from the office." 

Maeve's mum and dad worked high paying jobs. They always seemed busy. Maeve's mum worked as a doctor and her dad owned a small window cleaning company. Even when Maeve and her little brother were little, they knew they were well-off people. Most of all, they were both very grateful for it. They were grateful for their big house and their general lifestyle. 

"Sure." Maeve got up from her seat and walked out into the hallway. She walked up the stairs, across the landing and towards James' bedroom door. Maeve knocked twice on the white closed door. "James. Are you ready? You need to go to football." Maeve called. A few seconds passed and James opened his bedroom door. "Okay. Are you taking me?" James adjusted his bag that was on his shoulder and closed the door behind him. "Yes. Mum's at work and dad needs to go into the office." Maeve followed her brother back downstairs. 

"Right. Here we are." Maeve said as she pulled up the handbrake. She looked back at her little brother who was sat in the backseat. "Want me to stay here in the car?" Maeve asked as she undid her seatbelt. "Sure. You can go get a coffee from the cafe." James said, he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door. Maeve exited her car and walked round the car to meet James. "Okay, I'll do that. Enjoy football." Maeve watched as James walked through the gate and into the football fields. Maeve stood watching her brother for a bit then headed over to the cafe across the road. 

"Hello Maeve!" Linda said as Maeve walked through the door. 

Linda was Maeve's auntie. Linda was Maeve's dad's sister. Both Maeve's dad and Linda had a small cafe in the middle of Liverstone. 

"Hiya Aunt Linda." Maeve walked up to the Navy counter at the other side of the room. The cafe was a little busy. As Maeve looked around the cafe, she knew who everyone is. Liverstone was a medium sized town with around 6500 people living in it. Everyone knew everyone basically. 

"Can I get a Caramel Frappuccino? Take-away please." Maeve said, leaning on the Navy counter. "Coming right up!" Linda said, walking towards the appliances along the back wall. Maeve looked around the cafe again. "Here's one Caramel Frappuccino." Linda handed the drink to Maeve. "Thanks Aunt Linda." Maeve walked out the cafe, saying bye to her aunt. 

Maeve stood against the back panel of her Hyundai i10. She watched as all of James' teammates came running out the gates like it was the last day of school. James ran over to Maeve. "Hello, how was football?" Maeve asked, unlocking her car again. "Good." James climbed into the backseat. "That's good." Maeve walked around the back of her car and sat in the drivers seat. "Ready to go?" Maeve asked as she buckled her seatbelt. "Yes." 

"And we are home." Maeve said, stopping the car on the driveway. "What's for dinner?" James asked, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I don' know. I'll message mum and dad when we get inside." Mae and James stepped out the car. They walked up the path and Maeve locked the car. James tried to open the front door but failed. "Dad's away, silly. The door's locked." Maeve placed the key in the door and unlocked it. 

"Hey Dara." James said, sitting on the cold floor, clapping Dara. Maeve closed the door behind her. "James? Could you go have a shower? Mum would probably like you too." Maeve asked, placing her shoes under the bench. "Yeah. Sure." James ran upstairs and into the upstairs bathroom. "Come on Dara. Let's go to the living room." Maeve said, walking past Dara and towards the living room. 

Maeve sat down where her dad was laying down an hour ago. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked her messages. No new messages. Maeve clicked onto Messages and onto the Family Group chat. Hello. Do you want me to make dinner? If so, what do you want me to make?  Maeve typed into her phone. She clicked send then set her phone down beside her. Maeve sat and watched tv for a bit, then her phone buzzed. She stared at the notification. 

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