The Vanishing of Brandyn Taylor

Snookered

I was starting to feel like all I was doing lately was go in and out of Phil's coffee shop, but at least this time I wasn't alone, I had Rachel with me. The snow was still holding off, so that was one good thing I suppose. We turned right once we had exited the shop, heading to Brian's, the nearest bar to us that Brandyn went to. It was quiet, seeing as it was a weekday afternoon it was what I had expected though. Entering the bar brought back memories of a lot of fun times had there with Brandyn. Just the smell of beer could jog some memories back into my head. We could see around the whole room from where we were standing, just inside the door. There was no signs of him in here, so we left and headed for the next bar.
Two bars later and still no sight of of the boy, but I knew it had been a long shot anyway. Now just the snooker club left to check. When that also turned up empty I reluctantly agreed it was time to head home. Both Rachel and I were freezing cold and hungry. There was no sense in just wandering around the town hoping to bump into him. I wondered if his neighbour had seen him yet , and then mentally kicked myself for not having thought to get her number or leave mine with her. I would possibly never know if she had seen him, it was a stupid mistake to make.

"Shall we just hop in a taxi Kiera? I'm just about done in." Rachel asked me.

"Yeah sounds like a plan, it would be nice to be dropped off right out outside the door especially in this cold."

I called scooby's again, and this time there was only a fifteen minute wait. As we stood there waiting for the taxi we stomped our feet and shuffled around to keep warm.

"I'm glad I remember my gloves today, for once." I said.

"I'm surprised that you did, you never usually do."

"I made a mental list in my head, of what I would need for a day stomping about in snow, as I was getting ready. I don't think I was very well prepared for anything though. I only packed a flask and a sandwich. I did put on loads of layer of clothes though."

"Well at least you wrapped up. You really didn't take many supplies did you!" Rachel laughed.

"I just can't think what to do now though. He can't just vanish into thin air. He's got to be somewhere. I just don't know where that somewhere could be."

"I'm sure it will all make sense in time. Ooh I see a taxi. Hopefully this is for us."

The taxi drove past us without stopping, as it was almost level with us we could see it was from a different company.

"It shouldn't be long now. So what do you do when someone goes missing Rach' ?"

"Erm, I guess a lot depends on the person; what their age is, if they have any medical problems, what frame of mind were they in the last time they were seen."

"I'm sure I read somewhere, or heard something about it having to be twenty four hours before the police will take notice."

"Yeah it's something like that. Best not to contact them yet I suppose."

"Yeah, but then we don't even know how long he has been missing for. I mean, I've not spoken to him on the phone for around two weeks. I think I had a text from him last week. So he could have been missing over a week already."

"Yeah I suppose. Let's give it some thought after dinner. We can put our heads together and think of a plan of action."

"Sure thing batman. Oh I see our taxi I think."

This time the car stopped, and we hopped in, glad of the warmth and comfort. We were soon home, and Rachel set about making dinner while I got out a pen and notepad, and began trying to think of ideas what to do now.
Brandyn's parents had divorced several years ago, his father moved out of town, but died a couple of years later from cancer. His mother had remarried, but I couldn't remember where she had moved to, which was no help. I scribbled down 'try to find his mum' on my paper. It was still the only thing on my list when Rachel served up spaghetti Bolognese for us both.