Not to be found

Chapter 6 - Day one: Pleas

"Lacey, its daddy sweetheart. Where are you? We're so worried about you." My dad sobs into my voicemail. "Please, just come home and we won't....we won't be mad darling, I swear of it."

My heart aches to hear him so distraught and stricken with worry, this is one of around a hundred messages that have been left on my phone, including fifty text messages that have been left by mum, dad and Monica.

"Lacey, where are you?" Monica asks into my ear, "I miss you so much, mum misses you so much. Your parents are beside themselves just please get into contact with any of us."

I rest my head ahead against the steering wheel and leave my phone resting on the dashboard, its on speakerphone so that I can still hear it;

"Lacey darling," my mum cries, "where on earth are you? Have you met some guy and run off with him?" that makes me laugh, typical her. "Please love, we won't get angry at you we just want you back."

It crosses my mind as to whether they've called the police yet? Surely they must have done, my dad is good friends with many of the officers down at the station, so they must have been told about my disappearance. I bring the coffee cup to my lips as I hear my dads voice come across the speaker:

"Lacey, you've been gone for over twelve hours now, we've heard nothing from you and we're so worried, your mum is loosing it. We need you honey, please come home I beg you."

"Lacey, its mum. Come home now and I'll cook you your favourite," my mum sobs into the phone, sounding genuinely heart broken.

God, what am I doing to them? It literally sounds like I'm ripping their hearts out. I don't know whether to call them or not and just tell them that I'm okay, at least that should put their minds at ease. No Lacey. You're not caving that easily.

"Lacey?" Monica whimpers, "Please call me I'm begging you. Was it something that I said? Did something happen at home? Please just tell me, I can't live without you, I need you. Please."

Monica doesn't need me, who am I kidding I thought she'd be over the moon that I'm no longer around. At least now she can hook up with and draw in as many guys as she possibly wants to without my ugly face being there to scare them away. But no, here she is pouring her heart out to me over my voicemail.

"Lacey seriously, its dad." he pauses taking in one deep breath, "Please, I'm begging you now, I'll get down on my knees sweetheart and beg for you to come home. Just so that we know you are safe, that's all we want......and an explanation darling. That's it. Please." His voice breaks into a sob and he hangs up.

I take one last gulp of my coffee and press end call so that I can't hear anymore of these messages, they're messing with my head. Messing with my plans. I can't let that happen, I've come too far and I really don't want to mess this up now. You're probably wondering where I am, to answer your question I'm down yet another back road; sitting outside of a car garage getting my paint work changed and selecting a new number plate so that my car can't be tracked. I'm hoping that the plate number hasn't already been broadcast so that the guy processing it can't call the cops.

Within a minute my phone is ringing again. Mum. I hit the voicemail button to listen to just a few more;

"Lace, its Monica. Look, you've been gone a day now and nothing is the same without you. I've never really been a part from you and its so hard not having you to text or call. I just need to hear your voice, just one last time. Then I swear I'll leave you alone, I'll never call, not once. Please."

A sharp high - pitched beep sounds across the speaker and the next message plays, "Lacey Grey, this is your mother speaking." she says trying to compose herself, "I mean it, you need to come home. This is ridiculous, I need to know that you're okay. You're my only child, my daughter. I love you Lacey and me and your father need you so just please......" she breaks down, sobbing for at least twenty seconds down the line, ".........please just come home."

A single tear escapes from my eye, this is breaking my heart although my parent's hearts are already shattered. Their only daughter missing. I wipe my eyes on the corner of my hoodie, hoping that no one at the garage notices. My red hair escaping from its bun is becoming unruly so I go into the toilet to fix it. Its dingy in here, I've never liked public toilets. There is just something about them that freaks me out. I sort my hair out quickly and exit the toilet, slamming the door behind me causing a scene which wasn't intentional.

"Get a grip Lacey!" I say to myself under my breath as I sit on a kerb behind the old garage out of sight.

I pick at my fingernails and stare up at the blue sky above hoping that this is all worth it, the heart break, the pain, the uncertainty, everything. I will go back to them, I know I will. I'll just call them from a payphone and explain the situation, I will explain myself just not now. Now isn't the time, I need this. I need this space.

"Umm.....the owner of the Fiat 500?" I hear a man yell.

I jog out from behind the corner in which I'm hiding behind. The man gives me a strange look, great. Hope he doesn't recognise me my face is probably all over the news.

"Your car is ready Miss," he points to it, he's dressed in dark blue overalls and his face is covered in oil stains don't even get me started about his hands.

"Okay, thanks." I say as quietly as possible, "how much do I owe you?"

He eyes my face for a minute, as if he does recognise it as if he's analysing it or trying to gage my emotion. I'm just about to bolt like a spooked deer when, "£250." He says quickly.

I go into my purse and count out £250 in cash, I'm given a further odd look not surprising though being that I can produce such a large sum of money out of my bag. The guy probably suspects I'm some sort of criminal that's done over a bank or jewellers. I hand the money to him and we exchange an awkward smile as I hop into my car. Its no longer baby blue but instead black, that was my second choice of colour and I hope it is not too obvious.

As I drive out of the garage car park I can't help but turn the radio on, the first thing I hear is;

"Nineteen year old Lacey Grey is still missing. It is feared the student may have been kidnapped or even killed, she was last seen on CCTV in a service station not far from the university in which she studies at. Lacey has been described by her parents as a lovely girl, who would give anyone the world if she could. Pictures of the nineteen year old have been put on our website and in local papers, anyone who may have seen Lacey is urged to contact the police so that she can be returned safe to her home, friends and family who love her very much."

Great. Just great.