Lost Girls (5 page)

A
s Bryant spoke
into the phone, summoning Brad back to the CCTV room, Kim knew they had a problem.

The case was top secret and she could not divulge the details to anyone.

The manager poked his impatient head around the door. ‘What now?'

‘About that sketch,' Kim said, pleasantly. ‘Any chance you could come with us now to make a start?'

His eyes widened and Kim sensed that his patience was already stretching beyond its normal tolerance.

He shook his head. ‘I'm sorry, that's impossible. I've got plans, Officer.'

‘Brad, I need you to come with us to the station. This is not an assault case, it's much more serious, and now you're involved.'

He paled as he looked from her to Bryant and back again.

‘But … I don't get it. That bloke was a copper.'

Kim shook her head. ‘No, he wasn't. He was impersonating a police officer to get what he wanted and you can identify him. I think you're vulnerable.'

Brad was now standing fully in the room. ‘What's he done? Has he killed someone?'

‘Well … not that we—'

‘Inspector, I'm over your cryptic answers. You can't tell me what's going on but you want me to cancel my plans?'

Kim was astounded at the drama of it all. Not going out for a few beers was hardly the end of the world. Not much of a sacrifice for the rest of your life.

‘Brad, I can only ask that you—'

‘Are we done?' he asked, as the colour returned to his face.

Kim reached into her pocket and handed him a card. ‘Okay, keep your wits about you and if you experience anything out of the ordinary I want you to call me. Got it?'

He put the card in his pocket without even looking at it and held the door open for the two of them to leave.

She paused as she drew level with him. ‘Brad, will you just listen to—'

‘Officer, please let me lock this building and get on with my life.'

She hesitated for another minute but Bryant nudged her forward.

‘Damn it,' she said, pushing the automatic door before it got a chance to open.

Bryant matched her step as she headed back towards the car. ‘Much as you'd like to, Guv, you can't protect 'em all.'

True, but she could bloody well try.

She turned back as Brad locked the door.

‘Sorry about this, but there's something else I need to look at,' Kim said, offering what she hoped was a regretful smile.

His face darkened. ‘Is this some kind of joke?'

She stepped closer to him. ‘Please don't be rude, Brad. I'm not being rude to you. I just need—'

‘I'm not being fucking rude. I'm just saying—'

She stepped forward again and frowned. ‘Please don't swear. That's an offence under the Public Order—'

‘Is she for real?' Brad asked Bryant.

‘Don't ask him, Brad. Speak to me. Unless you're trying to insult me by speaking to “the man”, that is?'

‘You're a fucking lunatic,' Brad said, stepping back against the wall. He had nowhere left to go.

Kim took another step forward and crowded his personal space. Her face was an inch from his. ‘I've only asked for your help and co-operation …'

‘Back off, Officer,' he said, pushing her shoulder.

She turned to Bryant with a smile. ‘Okay, cuff him and read him his rights.'

Woody was going to love her for this one, but it was as much as she could do to keep Brad safe. Even for just a little while.

She just hoped it was enough.

‘
I
hope
you know what you're doing,' Bryant said from the side of his mouth as he closed the back door.

You and me both, she thought, heading to the passenger door. ‘You drive. I'll call Ambo Control.'

The temperature had dropped two degrees and was barely hovering above zero.

Being in a car after riding the Ninja always felt like trudging up a mountain with a twenty-pound backpack. The abundance of metal and trim was cumbersome. She drove her own battered Golf only when taking Barney to the Clent Hills or when the roads were icy.

‘Detective Inspector Stone; I wonder if you can help me,' she said into the phone.

‘I'll try,' answered the female voice.

‘Paramedics were called to a female who had collapsed at a leisure centre in Old Hill. Around lunchtime today.'

There was silence on the other end as the despatcher tapped a few keys.

‘Yes, I can confirm that to be the case.'

‘Can you tell me where she was taken?' Kim asked.

‘The patient was taken to Russells Hall hospital.'

‘Can you tell me her name?'

‘No, I'm sorry but I can't give you that information.'

‘I understand the data protection issues but we really need to identify this woman.'

‘Inspector, I'm sorry but I really can't give you those details …'

Kim growled. They had to establish for certain whether that woman was involved but there were times when the legislation of data protection was like quicksand.

‘Listen,' Kim shouted at the phone. ‘We need to know—'

‘I can't give you any information,' the despatcher said, coldly, ‘because I don't have any details to give. The female in question never made it into the hospital. As soon as the ambulance doors opened, she bolted.'

K
im headed
past the lounge and straight into the war room.

Stacey was connecting cables to two laptops and a network adaptor.

Dawson stacked a fourth plastic box in the corner.

‘Is that it?' Kim asked, surveying the case notes from Lloyd House. She had expected more. They were talking double abduction and one murder.

Dawson nodded.

‘Okay, Bryant will fill you in. I'm going to talk to the families.'

Kim headed through to the informal lounge, which appeared to have become the gather point. They all looked at her expectantly.

‘Right, folks, my team is now here and we'll be working out of the dining room. I have to ask that you stay out of that area.'

Three of them nodded but Stephen just glared at her.

She glared back. ‘I will be putting a lock on that door, just to make sure. You may agree to it now but if we're still here in a few days you will not keep that promise.

‘You're all acquainted with Helen, who will be with you most of the time, but the rest of us will be in and out. An officer will remain on the front door for the duration. Now, what are your stories?'

‘Food poisoning,' Robert and Elizabeth said together.

‘We'll each call the school in the morning. It won't be much of a stretch. The girls are always together.'

‘What about family?'

‘Same story,' Stephen said. ‘I'll be taking Nicholas to my parents shortly and they'll be told the same thing.'

Kim saw Elizabeth swallow deeply. Clearly it was a decision she didn't agree with and Kim could understand it. With one child missing, Elizabeth couldn't bear the thought of the other one being out of her sight, but it appeared that she had given in to her husband. Kim thought it was the wrong call. The child would have provided a small amount of distraction for them all.

It was not her job to disrupt the dynamics of these marriages but each hour that passed told her something.

‘On the way back I'll collect clothes and personal belongings from our home. We'll be staying here.' Stephen said.

‘Good idea,' Kim said. Having them all in one place would certainly make her life easier.

‘Then we can support each other.'

Kim found his qualification of the decision unnecessary and, to her ears, insincere. That might have been how he'd sold it to his wife but Kim guessed it was because he wanted to stay close to the investigation.

And if she were in his position she would be exactly the same.

‘I'll go and prepare one of the spare rooms,' Karen said, jumping to her feet. She appeared eager to actually do something.

‘Wait, there's something else. We have reason to believe that there is a female involved in the abduction of your daughters. A diversion was caused at the snatch point by a woman feigning illness. I think she is known to one of you.'

She took the still photo from her pocket and held it up.

Elizabeth gasped immediately and covered her mouth. Her expression showed shock and then disbelief. She stared at the photo and began to shake her head.

Kim looked to Stephen for clarification.

The colour had been sucked from his face. ‘There must be some mistake. She …'

‘Who is it, Mr Hanson?'

‘That's Inga, our daughter's ex-nanny.'

I
nga Bauer felt
the crowd dying down around her. The last eleven hours had been the longest hours of her life.

The pub was emptying of couples and groups, satisfied they had squeezed the last few hours from the weekend before returning to their homes.

Inga could no longer return to hers.

Before being thrown out of the shopping centre earlier, she had watched the daytime crowds head home, weighed down by bags after an afternoon browsing and buying. They had talked and laughed, sipped overpriced coffees. They had lunched or snacked and they had spent. And then they had left.

Inga had been with them the whole time. Trying not to die.

She adjusted her position against the fruit machine. It was a spot that had enabled her to remain unnoticed for the last few hours, but safety was slipping away again. Only a couple of diehards remained at the bar, nursing little more than the foam in their glasses. Two male bartenders were busy washing up and stacking, clearing down for the night.

She couldn't leave yet. She needed more time. Her body was tired and only tension held it upright. She needed to sleep. She needed to relax. She needed to rid herself of the fear. Just for a while.

Instinct had told her to stay amongst crowds. But on Sunday night there were no crowds left to find.

They would already be looking for her. Of that she was sure. She hadn't stuck to the plan. She was supposed to have remained at the hospital until Charlie and Amy were safely hidden. And then they were going to collect her.

The two males at the bar exited the pub and now she was on her own. The shorter bartender stared at her pointedly. She got it.

She stepped out of the bar and braced herself against a cold wind that immediately paralysed her cheeks. Her heart missed a beat as a plastic bag skittered past her feet.

She headed for a multi-storey car park that would at least shield her from the wind and give her a moment to think.

A smattering of cars were lit by a few yellow spot lights recessed into the ceiling. It was a game of extremes, Inga realised, as she wandered around the space. Stay with crowds and light and chatter, or find a dark, silent corner.

She felt sure there must be a nook or cranny somewhere that she could fold herself into and remain out of sight. Just for a few hours, so she could rest and think.

She spied a lift shaft in the far right corner. From a distance it looked dark and eerie, a place any lone female would wish to avoid. Inga headed right for it.

As she neared the area she found that there was no corner. A walkway circled the shaft, leaving it too exposed. Danger could come at any angle if she dared to close her eyes.

She headed out of the car park, her eyes searching every structure, every shadow for a crawlspace.

The exit led on to a road that travelled between two car parks. At the edge of the car park sat an outdoor play area, surrounded by green mesh fencing that rose to chest height.

A sudden memory engulfed her. She began to head towards the colourful shapes. A white security vehicle approached. She ducked down.

She held her breath, pressed against the wall and waited for it to pass.

If the patrol vehicle was carrying out regular checks she guessed she had a good ten minutes until it came around again.

She moved amongst the shadows and crouched beside a bin.

She held still and listened for any sounds. The silence reassured her that it was safe to proceed. She climbed onto the bin and over the fence. Her foot met with a wooden bench on the other side.

The blood pounded in her ears. Now she was trespassing. If she was caught she might be held until the police arrived. The thought caused fresh terror in her chest.

But she'd come too far to turn around now.

She inched across the bark surface and headed to the wooden climbing frame. It was shaped as a castle with ropes, steps and ladders. And at its pinnacle was a turret; small, confined and safe.

She negotiated the apparatus and threw herself into the enclosure. The breath finally left her body as her back hit the wooden wall. The two-centimetre gap between each slat would not afford her much warmth but it would allow her a view.

She would know if anyone was coming.

She closed her eyes for a second. She felt safe. For now.

As the fear eased out of her body exhaustion moved in. She was crammed into a small wooden structure six feet from the ground.

They would never find her here.

That one single thought dragged the last bricks of tension from her stomach. She would worry about her exit strategy later. She had hours to form a plan but for now, just for a little while, she could rest both her body and her mind.

Exhaustion weighted her eyelids like roman blinds. She felt herself falling away from her own consciousness. Her thoughts broke away and floated outside her head.

The memory that had brought her to this safe place played in front of her eyes like a film.

Amy climbing up the structure. Amy swinging on the parallel bars. Amy waving to her from the rope swing. Amy getting her lace caught at the foot of the turret and falling to the ground.

Amy hugging her tightly.

With the dread leaving her momentarily, Inga was hit with the full force of her own involvement.

The tears rolled over her cheeks.

‘Oh, Amy, what the hell have I done?'