“You hear news of your next-door neighbor vanishing without a trace.”
I open the curtains, snow has come down fast and heavy. The garden is covered in around 5 inches of the fresh clean white stuff.
The chickens in their coop looking shell shocked at the surroundings. They won't be coming out today for a run about in the garden. The plastic compost bin, green with an ice cream topping. The shed and greenhouse off limits until the thaw comes.
Unlocking the sliding door, the dogs escape to empty their bladders. Instead of chasing and playing in the fluffy snow, they run to the fence and see tails wagging.
I stick my head out and peer to my right.
Two policewomen are at the neighbours door talking to Mrs Cleary. From her facial expressions alone it's obvious that she is worried.
"You ok Jo," I ask
"No… NoNo I'm not… Tom's missing"
"Missing?"
"I've just got back from my mothers and there's no sign of him"
"It is early, maybe he crashed pissed at one of his mates"
"His phone, wallet, everything is here"
"Gone for a walk?"
"All his shoes are here"
"Not likely to have got far barefoot in this. I thought he'd been quiet. We haven't heard the telly since Thursday"
One of the policewomen walked towards the fence and removed her notebook from her trouser pocket.
"Mr?," she asked
"Mark Sawyer" I relied
"Can you narrow down a bit further, the last time you saw or hear Mr Cleary?"
"Yeah, it was definitely Thursday, as we could hear him yelling at the football. By the sounds of it they were losing"
"Nothing since?"
"Not a peep"
A few more questions are asked but I couldn't help them further. The police finish up and leave.
Jo smiles at me. I smile back. I tip my head to the bottom of my garden. She looks and smiles more at the compost bin.
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