Nowhere Child Read Free

to grab his beer from the garden, turned off the heater and came back inside. He pulled out a stool and sat at the central unit, resting his elbows on the work-surface. He took a swig from the bottle.
    It was all so complicated. Since being abducted at the age of six, Tasha had endured a terrible few years in the care of a member of an organised crime gang, being forced to shoplift and ferry drugs. Now there was nobody left to assume parental responsibility for this child – to make decisions for her – and so it would come down to the local authority and what they believed to be in the child’s best interests. She still had family on her mother’s side, but when Emma had approached them to ask for help in finding Tasha, they had made it clear that she wasn’t part of their family any more. Her grandfather had made the decision and instructed his family to abide by his wishes.
    ‘We lost our granddaughter the day her mother died. The child is a criminal now,’ he had said. ‘Nothing is going to change the way she has been brought up during those formative years, and it’s best she sticks to the life she knows.’
    That was it – all he’d had to say on the matter. Emma hadn’t spoken to Tasha’s family since.
    Tom picked up the phone and dialled a number. It was answered almost immediately.
    ‘Becky, how up to speed are you in the details of the search for Natasha Joseph?’ he asked without further introduction. Becky Robinson was a detective inspector on his team and had been closest to the Joseph family during the events eight months previously.
    ‘Hi Tom. Just give me a sec while I turn the TV down.’ There was a brief pause as the background noise came to an abrupt end. ‘Okay – Tasha Joseph. I’ve been keeping an eye onprogress – I had a look earlier today, actually. But we don’t seem to be making much headway, I’m afraid. Not a peep from anybody. Why the special interest now?’
    ‘I’ve just had a call from Emma. She thinks she’s seen Tasha.’ He heard an intake of breath from Becky.
    ‘That’s brilliant news, Tom, if it’s true. Do you think it really was her, or is it wishful thinking on Emma’s part?’
    ‘She seemed fairly convinced.’
    ‘Where was Emma when she saw her? It will help us hugely in focusing the search, and we’re running out of time. We’re lucky that we’ve had this long to try to find her.’
    ‘I don’t know where she was, because I’m ashamed to say I didn’t answer Emma’s call – I just listened to her message. I’m finding it hard to deal with her optimism about Tasha.’
    Tom took a final mouthful of his beer.
    ‘That poor kid.’ Tom could hear the genuine sympathy in Becky’s voice. ‘I wonder what she’s thinking?’
    ‘God knows. I should imagine she’s lost, lonely, scared and probably confused about why Emma is looking for her. I’ll have a think about the best way to show Emma some restrained enthusiasm, and then I’ll call her back and find out where she saw Tasha. I’ll let you know, and let’s hope we find her.’ He ended the call and threw his beer bottle in the recycling bin.
    He couldn’t ignore the fact that they needed Tasha. She was a vital witness in a trial that was due to start just one week from today.

4
    Andy has gone to try to find us something to eat. Neither of us has eaten a thing all day, but I don’t feel hungry – just empty. There’s a massive hole where my belly should be and it feels as if all the water I’ve drunk is just sloshing round in there on its own. I picture it like a washing machine, splashing the water from side to side as the drum turns.
    I was supposed to get food for us. I was going to try the new Sainsbury’s Local. It’s always busy, and I’ve not nicked anything from there for a few weeks. The security guy was on to me last time, I’m sure, but the shop was packed, and I got away with it. I borrowed Andy’s black baseball cap today, thinking I might not be recognised. It’s