'Keeping Secrets' - The White Bridge Crime Series 1 - LGBT, manXman

1

Adrian Sloan knocked on the blue-painted front door and stepped back. The house was quiet; he could hear no happy screams and yells from the back garden.

Adrian glanced down at his watch, and saw he was fifteen minutes late.

Rachel was probably waiting for him inside, lonely after all her other friends had left the party.

The door swung open to reveal a stout woman, with dark hair pulled into a loose bun at the base of her neck. Her arms were full of ripped wrapping paper and flattened cardboard boxes.

"Adrian? What're you doing back here?" Rebecca White frowned. "Is Rachel okay? She had rather a lot of cake and ice cream, and said her stomach was hurting her."

Adrian frowned.

"I've come to pick Rachel up, Rebecca."

"You came by half an hour ago. I saw you take her when I was chatting to Daisy Miller's mum."

"Rachel's not here?" Adrian asked blankly.

Rebecca shook her head.

"I was at the restaurant until ten minutes ago," he said faintly.

Adrian felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

"Call the police," he said faintly.

Rebecca grabbed Adrian's arm and pulled him into the house, guiding him to an armchair before he collapsed.

He'd gone as white as a sheet.

"I'll go and call them, Adrian. You wait here."

Adrian nodded numbly.

He could hear Rebecca calling for her husband.

Benjamin White came into the sitting room holding a glass of whisky. He pressed the glass into Adrian's hand, urging him to drink.

Adrian swallowed the liquid numbly, wincing when the liquor burned his throat.

Rebecca came back in, and sat beside Adrian, rubbing his suddenly cold hands.

"I've called them Adrian. They're coming over now."

Adrian nodded dazedly.

Rebecca and Ben sat with Adrian until the police arrived.

Rebecca hurried to answer the knock at the door, and Adrian heard her ushering two policemen inside.

Adrian stood up as they came into the room.

One was tall and thin, with a bushy moustache, the other shorter, with close-cropped hair and a pierced ear.

"Mr Sloan?" The shorter one asked. "I'm PC Pierce; this is my partner, PC Halls. We understand your daughter's missing?"

Adrian nodded.

"Yes, she's... Er, she's not here."

"Is this your home, sir?"

Adrian shook his head.

"No. It belongs to..." Adrian motioned Rebecca and Ben.

"He dropped Rachel off at about eleven o'clock this morning. It's our daughter Karen's birthday tomorrow. Today was her party." Ben supplied. He squeezed Adrian's shoulder reassuringly.

"Adrian came by fifteen minutes ago to pick her up, but I'd already seem her leave with him." Rebecca said.

"You already picked your daughter up, sir?" Asked the taller policeman.

Adrian shook his head again.

"I came to pick her up, but Rebecca said she'd already seen Rachel leave, half an hour before I got here. I was at my restaurant until about half an hour ago."