Falling to pieces

Part 8

Whilst Victoria and her grandparents were downstairs watching telly, Gabby tried to think of who would know be able to tell her who Sophie was talking to that night and who could of kidnapped her. She was trying so hard to think, to remember when she realised, Meghan! She was, Sophie's best friend she had to know something. As Gabby found her contacts, hope ran through her. She answered on the third ring, Gabby spoke in a calm and gentle manner at first but then she broke down and burst into sobs. Meghan tried to calm her down but Gabby pleaded for her to start telling her things, she said that she wanted answers and she was desperate. Meghan gave in and told her that she saw Sophie go off with this person called Jack who was much older than Sophie and Meghan. Gabby's heart started beating, she was scared, and who was Jack?

"Do you think he hurt her?" squeaked Gabby. She heard Meghan sigh on the other end.

"No, for some reason I don't," she said. Gabby wanted more information and Meghan kept saying she did not have any, she knew she was lying.

"So where can I find Jack then?" asked Gabby. She had no intention on finding him, but she had to find a way to get answers from her.

"Gabby you can't possibly find him, he could be very dangerous! Please don't go searching for him!" pleaded Meghan.

"I need answers! Anyway, if you think he didn't hurt Sophie then he cannot be that bad. Also you said it sounded like he was WARNING her not putting her in danger," exclaimed Gabby. There was silence, Gabby knew she was getting somewhere and she knew that Meghan was going to say what had happened that night.

"Ok look, I also heard them talking about an after party at the mixed cocktail club, they were talking about a guy called Gavin Woods," said Meghan. Gabby frowned, Jack? Gavin Woods? These were two new people to her. Gabby knew all of Sophie's friends, well some, but she had never heard of these boys. She had a completely different string of friends, that no one knew about. That made everything so confusing.

"A nightclub? Sophie's sixteen, she's too young to get into a nightclub, right?" questioned Gabby, unsure.

"Well Jack is over eighteen so he can get in and I'm sure him and the rest of their gang, got her in!" said Meghan making Gabby feel sick to the stomach, the word gang seemed terrifying and Gabby had to hang up, whilst Meghan was telling Gabby not to go near that club.

Victoria came upstairs soon after and she clamoured into bed, whilst Victoria was watching TV. Gabby was looking at all the photos of her family that were everywhere in that room, walls, tables, drawers, everywhere. It was like living in a memory, and she tried to find clues linking to the club or the boys but she couldn't.

"What are you doing?" asked Victoria looking up. Gabby looked at Victoria and felt embarrassed, she must have looked demented, staring at those pictures.

"Nothing, just looking. How was your day today?" asked Gabby, glad those boys were gone and her little sister was back to her usual self.

"Amazing, I had great fun with Toby, I love it at granny's!" exclaimed Victoria and Gabby smiled, she was glad her little sister was happy.

"Good, I did to! I think tomorrow, we are going to watch Tommy play rugby and then we are going to the stables," said Gabby.. The stables were across the road from her grandparents, they belonged to Gabby's Aunt and uncle who lived next door. They had raised horses, donkeys and chickens there for over ten years and as children, Gabby and her siblings loved going there.

"Yay!" said Victoria. She curled up in her bed and she made Gabby tell her a story. At nine, Victoria went to sleep and so did Gabby, realising how tired she was.

The next day, Gabby smiled as soon as she saw her horse, Pim. She was liver chestnut, with a gold mane and tail. She was beautiful. Gabby groomed her, fed her apples and sugar cubes, and then finally got to ride on her beautiful back. There weren't many people at the stables, only Gabby and her family and an old couple who were looking at the public horses, anyone could ride them but the horses Gabby's family owned, they were private and only for them and so was the field they rode on. As she trotted around the apple trees, she saw Sophie's horse. It was black with white rings around his eyes; her name was Tay, short for Taylor. The horse looked sad, as if she missed her owner, Gabby's heart throbbed and she went over. She stroked Tay's brown mane and fed it.

"Hey there," said Gabby softly. Pim was getting restless and started whining.

"Hey you! Stop it, I'm spending time with Sophie's horse!" said Gabby realising how stupid she sounded. She moved along again, she saw her little sister ride hers. She looked so calm. Her name was queenie, after Queen Victoria, she got her horse when she was a baby so her mum named it.

After they finished riding, they had a picnic in the woods. Gabby started wondering if Jack or Gavin abandoned Sophie in the woods. She still could not think who they were so she was going to the nightclub tomorrow, with Oliver. He would understand or with Luke as he was her boyfriend. Once she started thinking about these people, she couldn't stop.

"Are you alright?" asked her Granny, when they were walking home. Gabby nodded, she wasn't but couldn't be bothered to be sad.

"I don't think you are, something is bothering you, spit it out," said her Granny. If Gabby told her about Gavin woods and Jack, her Granny might make her stay away so she could not investigate and she might make her parents put Gabby on house arrest. Alternatively, she could help her.

"It's just I really want to know where Sophie is, I've got some clues but they don't mean anything!" exclaimed Gabby. Realising she said more than she should.

"Ok, have you told your mum?" said her granny intriguingly.

"No," said Gabby and her Granny shot her an evil look.

"You should!" she said and then just walked away. Just to prove a point. Gabby gave an aspirated sigh. She went to her room and she decided to tell Luke her plan, it was lunchtime at school for him so he was on break.

"Gabby? Hi," exclaimed Luke, sounding excited to hear from her and she smiled. He sounded cheerful and Gabby felt bad for telling him something that would make him sad, but it would be worse if she told Oliver or someone else instead of him.

"Um hey Luke, Look I need to talk to you!" said Gabby, making an awkward silence.

"Ok, go ahead that's what I'm here for babes," said Luke. Gabby smirked and her cheeks went red, he was such a romantic.

"Have you heard of the Mixed Cocktail club? If you have, do you know where it is?" asked Gabby. He probably did know about it, it must be one of the nearest ones to where they lived.

"Yes I have, it's about a five minute walk from my house, why? You're not planning to go to a club are you?" said Luke. The last part was a joke but it shook her, she had second thoughts about the whole thing, and she wondered if she should maybe tell her mum or the police. They could sort it, but no, she wanted to find things out for herself, her mum will only sugar coat the truth and that was not what she wanted.

"No, well yes actually but it's because I found a clue, that links to Sophie. The bouncer at the club, was working on Saturday night and Sophie and a group of people she hung round with got her in after my party, I need to talk to him," said Gabby praying that Luke will just go along with it.

"Ok, what makes you think he will actually talk to you, no offence but there will be a club full of people and we are underage," said Luke sounding all-serious but he did have a point.

"Well that's why we need to go whilst he is opening up and also Meghan said he will talk to us," said Gabby, a white lie never hurt anybody and anyway he didn't need to know that Meghan told Gabby not to go. "He can help us Luke!" said Gabby.

"Fine, when I get home from school, I'll have a look at the opening times and I will let you know," said Luke. Gabby sighed with relief and happiness, something she had not felt in a long time.

"Oh Luke thank you so much! I love you loads," said Gabby.

"I love you too princess, I have to go now as it's nearly the end of lunch but speak soon yea!" said Luke.

"Ok, bye!" said Gabby and she hung up.

Gabby was sitting in the cool autumn sun late that afternoon, when Luke finally texted her.

Luke: Hey princess, sorry I texted you back so late, had to do homework. The opening time for the club is 8:30 pm, do you want to come to my place and maybe the cinema before? Xx

Gabby: Sure, what time do you want my mum to drop me of at yours? Xx

Luke: Um 3:30, is that ok? Xx

Gabby: Okay, cool! Xx