It’s 4pm on the 9th of February, 1988. 

A 22-year-old woman named Helen McCourt, with long, dark brown hair picks up the phone.

She's about to leave work at the Royal Insurance office in Liverpool, having negotiated with her boss to leave an hour early. 

Helen is ringing her mother, Marie. She tells her that tonight she’ll be going out with her new boyfriend, but asks that her mother have tea ready when she arrives home so she’ll have enough time to wash her hair. 

Marie agrees. Sitting with her daughter Helen and discussing her work or her relationships or her friendships are among one of her favourite things to do.

Once Helen puts down the receiver, she walks out into the wintery afternoon. It's raining, with fierce gusts of winds, as is often the case in northern England. In just a few hours, the temperature will be near freezing. 

Helen estimates it will take her about an hour and fifteen minutes to arrive home, which she shares with her mother and younger brother in Standish Avenue. 

But 5:30pm comes and goes. Helen’s tea goes cold. Her mother looks out the window at the foul weather making the streets unbearable. 

Where is Helen?

And how close has she come that evening to opening the front door?

 

CREDITS

Guest: Marie McCourt

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

 

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