Too Many Words to Say

Chapter 48

Howard went back several times to Allie's house only to find the same, that it was empty and she wasn't there. He peered in through the windows and discovered that the furniture was now gone. She had disappeared into thin air. Even Cassie didn't know where she was.

"You mean that she's put her house on the market and you didn't know anything about it?" he asked her, unable to believe that even her closest friend didn't know.

"I've been away with work for the best part of a week. It's as much a surprise to me as it is to you," she told him. "I sent her a couple of texts and she didn't mention anything in her replies. I'm worried now that you've told me this."

"Why don't you text her and find out what's going on?" suggested Gary who like Cassie and Howard, was becoming concerned. "She must be staying somewhere close by for work," he reasoned.

Cassie sent off a couple of texts which remained unanswered. By the time their meeting with their management came around, all of them hoped to get some answers.

Norris was in the office waiting for them when they arrived the following Monday for their first meeting. Howard for once, was the first to arrive immediately followed by Gary, Jason and Mark.

Glancing around the room it was obvious that Norris was there alone, with Bea in the outside office, getting drinks for them.

"Where's Allie?" was the first thing that Howard asked. "We've not been able to get in touch with her and her house is for sale. What's happened?"

Norris sighed and leaned forward over the table towards him.

"I'm sorry to tell you this guys, but she's gone. She left on Friday. Where she's gone to I don't know. She left no forwarding address. Said she needed to get away for a complete change. Told me her doctor said it was the only way she could avoid becoming really ill. So she's selling up and leaving London. She said there were too many sad memories for her around here." For the first time he realised that she could have been referring to Howard as it dawned on him that they had become good friends during the tour

"Surely someone knows where she is. What about Bea?" Howard suggested.

"What about me?" asked Bea as she came in with a tray of coffees for them all. "Are you talking about Allie?"

"Yes. it's been a shock finding out that she's left and no one knows where she's gone. Did she tell you anything before she left?"

Bea shook her head in reply. "I asked where she was going and she said something about staying with an old friend for a while before she found somewhere to rent."

"Did you know that she was planning to do this?" Howard wanted to know. He was growing more concerned by the minute. Bea and Allie had worked together closely for the last few months. He felt sure that Bea knew something.

"I was just as surprised as you are. I thought that she was really happy working here, but..." she sighed and paused wondering how much to reveal about her former boss.

"But what?" Gary persisted. "What do you know that we don't?" he asked her. "Tell us what you know Bea."

"Well recently she's not been her usual self. Tired, not eating, getting headaches. It affected her work. She wasn't as on the ball as she usually is. I could tell that something was wrong but she insisted that everything was fine"

"What about Friday when she left, did you see who she left with?" asked Howard. "You mentioned that she was going to stay with a friend for a while. Did she say who this friend was? Did they meet her after she finished work?"