1. GEORGE HAS A PERFECTLY WRETCHED TIME

Chapter 12 - GEORGE AND DICK GET A SURPRISE

Roland kept disappearing in his car for long periods of time and being evasive and mysterious whenever anyone asked him where he was going and what he was doing. George couldn't help being suspicious, he had this very strong feeling that Roland was up to something or hiding something. He just couldn't shake off this feeling. And thoughts kept coming into his head that maybe Roland was the one who made Quentin disappear the same way he made Timmy disappear.

George shared his feelings with Dick, the only one he could confide in since Anne and Julian still worshipped Roland and would not listen to a bad word against him

Dick listened to what George had to say about her gut feeling that Roland was up to something and that she felt he may have been behind her father's disappearance. After he had finished talking Dick shook his head ''Look George I don't really like him that much you know that, but you're taking it a bit too far to suggest he may have caused dads disappearance''

''It happened so soon after he moved in here, I can't help thinking it. The way he moved in and got his feet under the table. No one even wonders why he didn't go back to his own house, surely the house is mended now from the flood damage?''

''He told us the other day he wants to sell the house now and live here permanently, you know he and mum are together now''     

''I want to know what he gets up to when he drives off for hours at a time and won't say anything when he gets back. I bet he goes off and does something shady''

''Like what?''

Oh, Dick, I don't know but something. Something isn't right about that man. I'm going to follow him next time he goes out and see where he goes''

''How are you going to do that? Dick was very puzzled by how George would be able to follow Roland '' He drives off in his car and you can't drive so how can you follow him?''

''Alf passed his driving test a few weeks ago and his parents gave him a car for his 18th birthday, I'll ask him if he can drive, I bet he won't mind he is such a nice guy''

''If you go I want to come too'' Dick said ''I am as curious as you are''

''Ok you can come too, just don't say anything to Julian or Anne, they will blow the whole thing if you do''

''Yeah, I know. Anne especially can never keep her mouth shut about anything''

'' All I have to do now is go and ask Alf  if he doesn't mind driving us''

George went to ask Alf and, happily, it was as he expected, Alf didn't mind at all. He really was a very kind and friendly young man.

''Well today I'll go out again'' Roland told everyone the next day at breakfast ''I will be gone for most of the day today. I will leave here after I have finished breakfast''

George and Dick looked at each other and George quickly took his smartphone out of his pocket to give Alf a Whatsapp message to tell him to be ready to go soon. 

Fanny wasn't very happy about this  ''Oh Roly, must you go out all day again really? It's the weekend and I was hoping we could spend the day together as a family, maybe go out somewhere since it looks like it will be a splendid day today''

''Sorry love, I must go, I have to go over to the house today and start work on getting it up to standard so I can sell it, it needs redecorating''

''Oh can mummy and I come with you and help you?'' Anne asked excitedly ''I'd like to see your house and help with the decorating''

''Not today Anne darling, maybe another day though''

''Oh ok uncle Roly'' Anne said disappointed   

When Roland left in his car Alf was parked on the street waiting to follow with George and Dick

''Thank you again for doing this'' George said with a warm smile ''It's very kind and helpful of you'' 

''It's no bother at all really. To be honest, I was grateful for an excuse to take a break from studying, it gets a bit too much sometimes. I just hope we don't lose Roland, I will try my best to keep up and not lose him''

''I hope he doesn't notice he is being followed either'' George said fretfully ''but we have to give this a try''

Roland drove for nearly an hour and luckily they didn't lose him. He drove out into the open countryside away from the built-up areas. Alf kept the car far back in case he noticed them. Finally, he pulled up outside a large mansion in the middle of nowhere with no other houses nearby. Alf found a copse nearby to park in so that the car could remain out of sight. They watched as Roland went into the huge mansion.

''Is this his house?'' Alf asked George ''I can't believe he kept it hidden from you if it is. Also, it doesn't look like it's been flooded to me. '

''It's certainly very strange'' said George ''if he owns it then he must be extremely wealthy. It would certainly explain how he always has money to spend and how he was able to pay my father's debts''

The three of them sat there for a couple of hours waiting for Roland to come back out again. They started to get bored and impatient. They also started to get hungry. George wished she had remembered to bring sandwiches.

Dick got fed up ''Is there really much point in staying here like this?'' he asked George ''we've seen where he goes so what's the point in waiting now?''

''The point is that after he leaves I want to go and have a better look at this place. We might not be able to get inside but we can have a closer look anyway''

Eventually, Roland came back out and George and Dick got a shock when they saw a woman walk out with him. He stood in the driveway with the woman for a few minutes and they hugged and kissed, they looked like a couple. Eventually, he got in his car and left and the woman went back into the mansion. Seeing him with another woman like this, a woman who it looked like he might be cheating on their mother with, was a bad enough shock for George and Dick. The fact that the woman was Joanna the housekeeper was an even bigger shock.