Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie Read Free Book Online Page A

emerged out of the shadowy private land into the
sun-washed clearing.
    I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked around. We were standing in a gravel-strewn space, about fifty metres square and surrounded on all sides by trees. Four grubby maintenance vans were
parked in a row at the far end, next to an iron hut. There was a rubbish tip next to the hut – mostly made from broken bits of stone, as far as I could see – and scrap metal lay
scattered across the ground.
    Two long, winding gravel tracks led away from the clearing in opposite directions. I had no idea where we were, but it couldn’t be too far from the road as traffic noises hummed in the
distance.
    The sun was now high in the sky, but despite the fierce heat on my head and back I still felt cold. Cold to my bones.
    Where were the kidnappers? Where was Madison?
    I glanced at my phone. No message. Nothing.
    I tightened my grip on the backpack with the money. The handle felt sticky against my palm.
    ‘They’ll be here in a minute,’ Jam said, looking round.
    I thought of Rick, stuck on the other side of the gate. Had we been really stupid to come through here alone?
    A white van appeared on one of the gravel paths. We stared as it drew slowly closer.
    At the edge of the clearing – about fifty metres away – the van swung round so the back was now facing us. It stopped. A man got out. He was big . . . muscular, with a cap pulled
down over his eyes. He walked to the rear of the van.
    ‘You were supposed to come alone,’ he called out. He had an American accent.
    I said nothing. My heart was pounding in my ears.
    ‘Marcia says to put the money there.’ He pointed to a spot halfway between us, on the dusty gravel ground.
    I glanced at Jam. Marcia Burns was Sonia Holtwood’s real name. So she was behind the kidnapping. Jam said nothing, but the muscles in his jaw tightened and I knew he’d clocked
the name too.
    ‘Where’s Madison?’ I shouted, trying to stop my voice from shaking. ‘We’re not giving you anything until we’ve got Madison.’
    The man reached for the back door of the van. He opened it slowly, keeping his eyes on Jam and me.
    I gasped. Madison was inside, curled up on the floor. She struggled to her feet as the door opened, turning to face me. There was a gag round her mouth, but even from this distance I could see
the terror in her huge, brown eyes. Instinctively I rushed forward, my breath catching in my throat. ‘Madison!’
    ‘Get back!’ The man’s yell stopped me in my tracks.
    I stood, shaking, in the middle of the clearing. ‘It’s OK, Mo, we’re here now. Are you all right?’
    Madison gave me a small nod.
    ‘You better not have hurt her!’ The words exploded out of me.
    The man chuckled. ‘She’s fine. Now bring the money over. Slowly. Put it down and we’ll do the exchange.’
    I walked towards the van. My legs were trembling, but I kept my gaze on Madison. She was still wearing the denim shorts and blue top from our outing to the beach. Her plaits had mostly come
undone and, for some reason, it was the sight of her messy, unbrushed hair that hurt the most . . . the thought that there had been no-one to look after her . . . no-one to hold her when she cried
. . .
    ‘I’m going to get you,’ I called out. ‘Everything’s going to be OK.’
    Madison’s hands were tied behind her with rope. I took another step forward. My legs could barely hold me up. This had to be the longest walk of my life.
    ‘Come on!’ the man shouted.
    I had a flashback to the boat on which Sonia had left me to drown. This man had been with her then – his name was Frank.
    The sun beat down, fierce against my face. It was almost directly overhead now, glinting off the side of the van.
    ‘OK, Frank,’ I said.
    His head jerked up. He stared at me.
    Good, I’d unsettled him by recognising him
    Madison was now pointing at Frank as if trying to warn me about something. She twisted round, moving her fingers like she was firing