Free Tunnels 03, Freefall by Roderick Gordon, Brian Williams

was cluttered with piles of discarded newspapers, as it always was, and the air smelt sour.
    "You shoulda rung first, just in case," her sister said, then hacked loudly.
    "I did. You hung up on me."
    Auntie Jean seemed not to have heard this. "Fancy a cuppa?" she offered as hey went into the kitchen. "Thought you were in that Herbert House place, with all them doctors? They let you out, then?"
    "I decided it was time to leave," Mrs. Burrows said as she surveyed the appalling state of the kitchen. In the same breath, she asked, "I really thought Rebecca would've had this place spick and span by now. Where is she, anyway? In her room?"
    Auntie Jean turned and blinked at her. "No," she said, only it sounded more like a combination of 'No' and a surprised 'Oh'.
    "What?"
    "She's gone."
    "What do you mean she's gone? " Mrs. Burrows' face blanched. She took a sudden step towards her sister, knocking a polished wooden bowl of half-rotted bananas and an overflowing ashtray from the table.
    "Took herself off yonks ago. Packed her bags and walked out, she did" Auntie Jean couldn't look her sister in the face, as if she knew she had done something wrong. "I'm sorry, Celia, but I want nothing more to do with 'er. Little guttersnipe ruined all me fags and poured me--"
    "But, Jean!" Mrs. Burrows grabbed her sister and shook her. "You were meant to be looking after her for me. For Christ's sake, she's only twelve years old! When and where did she go?"
    Auntie Jean was slow in answering. "I told you -- it was yonks ago. And I dunno where she went. I left a message with the woman from social services 'bout it, but she never called me back."
    Mrs. Burrows released her sister, and yanked one of the chairs from under the table, knocking more items to the floor. She sat down heavily, her mouth open, forming words but not actually saying anything.
    Leaning against the sink, Auntie Jean was waving her hands and burbling on when she stopped and said, "Then Will came by with his cousin."
    Mrs. Burrows turned her head slowly towards her sister. "I'm sorry, did you just say Will? My son, Will? "
    "Yes, 'e came by with 'is cousin. And they brought that lovely big pussy cat, Bartleby, with 'em--"
    "But Will's been missing for six months. You know that. There's a nationwide investigation going on for him, and his friend Chester."
    "Can't tell you 'bout no Chester, but all I can say is Will was 'ere about tow months ago. "E wasn't well when 'e got 'ere, but that Cal -- what a lovely boy -- 'e nursed Will back to 'ealth. And Bartleby! Ain't never laid eyes on a big cat like that before, 'cept down the zoo."
    "Big cat?" Mrs. Burrows said, without any emphasis. "Big cat?" She selected one of the many empty vodka bottles from the table and took it in her hand. She didn't speak for a while, simply staring at the silver and red label. In the silence, all that could be heard in the small room was a rattle then a low hum as the fridge's cooling system started up.
    "It's funny but our Bessie's been 'aving bother with 'er eldest, too. "E 'ad a bit of a episode and..." Auntie Jean tailed off, realizing that her effort to divert Mrs. Burrows from the matter with family gossip wasn't going to cut it.
    Her eyes still locked on the silver and red label, Mrs. Burrows gave a small shake of her head, but remained silent. Auntie Jean grew increasingly agitated, until she suddenly blurted out, "Celia, speak to me. "Ow d'you expect me to know 'e was still missing? Why ain't you saying nothing?"
    Mrs. Burrows carefully replaced the empty bottle, sliding it back from the edge of the table, as if it was a valuable ornament. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then she raised her eyes to her sister.
    "Because, Jean, right now I don't know whether I should call the police or... or whether I need to get you put away somewhere because you have so obviously lost the plot. Or maybe both."

    * * * * *

    Following the frantic messages Mrs. Burrows left at Highfield police