Missing Years ( Part 9)

Tom Lucas was on his way back to the Travel lodge to see Ray. The Commander had been quite clear with him and Spencer how he wanted things to proceed.

He was to stay with Ray, get close to him, try to make him open up. Basically get him talking. At first Tom was a bit uncomfortable with this; he thought he was somehow betraying him. But the more he thought about it the more he understood why he had to do it.

Whatever happens, Rays life will never be the same again. Tom decided it was up to him to try to help in any way he could. Since he’d met Ray only 48 hours before, he seemed to have bonded with him, felt close to him. To be honest he felt sorry for him, he realised that things could only get worse before they got better.

Spencer on the other hand had a much harder assignment, get evidence, as much as he could. Test the clothes that Ray had been wearing; get dental records, photographs, anything he could that proved beyond doubt that this person was indeed Ray Samuels.

That’s all they both knew for now, what would happen after that heaven knows.

Tom arrived back at the Travel lodge and went to room 37. The Policeman was sitting in the corridor reading a paper.

“Anything happening?”

“Nothing, all very quiet in there”

Tom went in and found Ray asleep on the bed. He looked like he’d been that way since Tom left 3 hours before.

Spencer was at the station, he had to work in secret which wasn’t going to be easy. He had Rays dental records on file from when he had gone missing in 1982. Now he had to get Ray to a dentist and get a full x-rays of his teeth so they could be compared. He also had about 20 photographs that Laura Samuels had given them from 1982. As he looked through them he was even more convinced that they really did have the right man. He also had the running shorts and vest that Ray had been wearing when he came into the station along with the trainers. He made a phone call to a friend at Upminster Running Club.

“Hello Billy, its Albert, Albert Spencer”

“Hello mate, what do you want, two tickets for next year’s Olympics?”

They both laughed, it was some kind of “IN” joke.

“I want you to do me a favour, I know you’re a bit of a running nut and know all kinds of stuff about it. If I send over some running kit, can you have a look at it and let me know how old it is. Basically anything you can about it?”

“Yeh sure, when can you get it over?”

“Actually mate it’s on its way now, be with you in about 10 minutes!”

“Fuck me, bit of an emergency?”

“As always!”

“Ok, I’ll have a look and call you back later today!”

Spencer hung up and then made an appointment for Ray to go to see a Dentist in Brentwood later that afternoon. It was a dentist that he had used a few times on other cases so he knew he would be discreet. OK so far so good!

A young PC came into his office.

“Sir, I’ve got a Laura Crossley on the phone she says it’s urgent”

“OK, put her through”

Damn, he could have done without this; he knew that Laura Samuels was now Laura Crossley, coincidence she was calling? Don’t think so.

He picked up the phone.

“DCI Spencer, how can I help?”

“It’s Laura Samuels, well, Crossley now. I hear there has been a new siting of Ray Samuels”

“Where did you hear that from Mrs Crossley?”

“That doesn’t matter, is it true?”

“There was a siting in Derbyshire, we looked into it but it couldn’t have been Ray”

“Why not?”

“The man was only in his twenties so it was a hoax”

“Why would someone do that, after 25 years, why would they do that, what would be the point?”

“I don’t know Mrs Crossley, but it takes all sorts as they say, but rest assured if we hear anything else we’ll be in touch, Goodbye”

Spencer put down the phone. Had he done enough to put her off, he wasn’t’ sure.

Ray woke up and saw Tom sitting watching TV.

“Ahh, sleeping beauty has awoken”

“I don’t know what’s the matter with me; every time I sit down I fall asleep”

“You’ve got an appointment in Brentwood in 45 minutes so we better get going”

Ray never asked any questions about the appointment which surprised Tom; Ray seemed to be a bit quiet. Tom tried to engage him in conversation but Ray seemed to be far away, deep in thought, in another place.

They drove to Brentwood and Ray went in to see the dentist, within 30 minutes he was back in the car and on his way back to the Travel lodge.

As they travelled down the A12, Ray suddenly shouted out.

“Stop, stop, I live down there”

He was pointing to a road full of nice 3 bed detached houses.

“That’s where I live, that’s my house”

Tom didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to state the obvious but he couldn’t help it.

“No Ray, it used to be, but not anymore, that was a long time ago”

For the first time in 48 hours Ray Samuels started to cry.