Great Expectations. - Now Complete

Chapter 17

 Day 4

Alice was inconsolable. Neither sleeping or eating, she spent her time in Alexander's room, staring into his cot or crying. Nothing George said or did helped her. She was pushing him further and further away, retreating deep inside herself. He was close to despair himself. Fears for Alice combined with his own desperation about Alexander. He felt as though with Alexander's disappearance, he was loosing everything that mattered.

There was a knock on the door. George dragged himself to his feet and went to open it. There was the Dectective leading the investigation. With him was a young girl, aged about 13 with a woman.

"Mr Harrison," said the Dectective, "Could we please come in. This young girl has some information which we need to share with Alice to see if it means anything."

George stepped to one side and let them in. The girl looked frightened. He hoped this wasn't going to be some kind of false hope by a fan, just to talk to him.

"I'll go and get Alice," said George, leaving them sat in the kitchen.

Alice was where he expected, in Alexander's room, but she was asleep. He shook her gently. She opened her eyes.

"Have they found him?" She looked hopeful.

He shook his head sadly. "No my love, but the police are here. They have some information that they need to ask you about."

Alice sighed. George waited as she stood up and held her hand and took her through to the kitchen. She looked at the people in the room, confused. Then she saw the young girl.

"It's you! You were in the park!"  said Alice, suddenly recognising her. She sat down and looked at the detective. "What do you need to ask me?"

"Alice, this young lady here is Charlotte. Apparently she was playing truant from school on the day Alexander disappeared. She was in the park."

Alice looked at her. She could see how scared she looked and, despite her own sadness, she gave her a gentle smile. "You saw me with my son?"

The girl nodded. "You were walking along, talking to your baby. I followed you. I was trying to pluck up the courage to speak to you. I knew who you were. I wanted to see the baby and give you a message for George." She blushed as George looked at her, "I'm a fan...you're my favourite." she said simply.

"What stopped you talking to Alice?" George asked.

"When you had gone round the corner, near the boat house, I ran to catch up with you." she said, "As I came around the corner I could see you had been stopped by a man. He talked to you but you looked scared. Then two other people came around you from behind the bushes but didn't seem to notice. One was a man, the other a woman.  The man  hit you with what looked like a cricket bat and you fell over. You didn't move after that. The woman took hold of the pram and started walking away. I ran after her, saying I'd seen what had happened but then the man who'd hit you came behind me. He grabbed me and touched me in a horrble way." she began to cry, "He threatened to come and find me and do more things sexual to  me if I spoke out. I wanted to tell someone sooner but I was too scared. I didn't want mum to know I'd sagged off school. Then man said he'd come back and get me. That he'd do horrible things to me. I'm sorry!"

Alice took her hand. "Did this man say anything else?"

"He said that he was taking what was his and that no one could stop him. Really I'm sorry. I should have said something sooner."

"Alice," the Detective interrupted them, " Does this account match what you remember?"

She nodded. "Perfectly."