The Front (31 page)

       
‘Yeah, stroke of luck, that,’ he went on. ‘Shame it was so dark she couldn’t get the reg. on the cars, but we’ve got a lot to go on – particularly the big silver job.’

       
‘Sounded like a Merc or a BM,’ Paul volunteered.

       
‘Mmmm.’ Jackson nodded. ‘We’ll get some pictures over to her, see if she recognizes it. In the meantime, I’ll get my head together with Mac – that’s DS Macintosh to you – see if we can get a book of mugshots over to her. You never know, she might just recognize the scabs if she sees their mugs. Particularly the girl she mentioned. I’ll have to see if I can get hold of a tape of that news broadcast, see if we can spot her.’

       
‘Bit strange for a girl to get involved in something like this, isn’t it?’ Paul asked.

       
Jackson pulled a world-weary face. ‘Shame to say, but no. In places like this the women can be as bad as the men. Never turn your back on them or underestimate them. They might not be the one holding the gun, but they’re usually right there, screaming at the one who’s got the shooter to pull the trigger!’

       
As they pulled into the car park at the rear of the Station, Jackson turned to Paul, his expression serious. ‘Don’t breathe a word of what we just heard to anyone in there. I want to keep Mrs Lilley’s identity safe for the time being. It’d take just one of these idiots to blab to the wrong person, and her life would be in danger. You understand?’

       
Paul nodded.

       
‘Good lad.’ Jackson smiled and patted Paul’s shoulder before climbing out of the car. Leaning back in, he said, ‘By the way, I’ll want you to run me and Mac about tomorrow, so keep yourself free.’

       
Jackson stopped by the desk on the way in and told Sergeant Booth to send DS Macintosh straight to his office when he came in. He also told him to make sure the lad and the car were available for the next day.

       
‘Well, well – who’s teacher’s pet, then!’ Booth teased Paul when he came to hand over the keys a minute later. ‘Only wants you again tomorrow! Shall I put in a request for a chauffeur’s uniform for you, then? By ’eck! You’ve got it cushy, haven’t you?’

       
Paul grinned sheepishly and headed off towards the canteen.

       
Eddie Walker collared him as soon as he sat down. ‘I’ve been looking for you,’ he hissed, looking around furtively. ‘You haven’t told anyone about the other night, have you?’

       
Paul smiled slyly. ‘Your little walk on the wild side, you mean?’

       
Eddie groaned. ‘Don’t! I feel bad enough already without you taking the piss! Why didn’t you tell me?’

       
Paul sat back with a look of innocence. ‘I thought you were being “right on”!’

       
‘The only thing I was right on was the last bus home when I felt that
thing
between its legs!’ Eddie snapped. ‘Swear you haven’t told anyone?’

       
Paul laughed. ‘Stop panicking. I haven’t breathed a word. And if it’s any consolation, I’m sorry, mate! It was cruel. I should have told you. But honestly – would you have believed me?’

       
‘No,’ Eddie conceded. ‘Probably not. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about that any more. Is it true you’ve been out with the Dragon Master all morning?’

       
‘Yeah,’ Paul admitted. ‘And he’s not that bad.’

       
‘Come again?’ Eddie pulled his head back.

       
Paul laughed. ‘Honest, mate, he is so on the button it’s frightening! He’s not bad when you get to know him, and he’s even got a sense of humour.’

       
‘I’ll take your word for that,’ Eddie said doubtfully. ‘So what were you up to?’

       
Paul shrugged, remembering Jackson’s warning. ‘Just a bit of driving about. He wanted to take another look at the supermarket.’

       
‘So what about that call from Iggy’s?’ Eddie persisted. ‘Booth said you took the message in. Did you go over there with him?’

       
Paul shrugged again and opted for a lie. ‘Yeah, I took him there, but I didn’t go in. I waited in the car while he had a word with the warden. I don’t think it came to anything, though. He didn’t say anything when he came out, anyway.’

       
‘Yeah, he’s well cagey, that one,’ Eddie said. Glancing at his watch, he pushed his chair back with a scrape. ‘Shit! I should be at Barton Street. You want to come to The George again tonight?’

       
‘I was going there anyway,’ Paul said. ‘I’m meeting Jane and Vanda.’

       
Eddie gave him an incredulous look. ‘Since when?’

       
‘Since you abandoned me with them and we had a good laugh,’ Paul told him.

       
‘At my expense, no doubt?’ Eddie said, grimacing.

       
‘Only for the first couple of hours.’ Paul grinned. ‘But, seriously, they’re sound.’

       
‘Each to his own, eh?’ Eddie said, jumping up with another glance at his watch. ‘See you tonight, then.’ Waving, he dodged through the crowded tables and disappeared through the door.

       
Paul watched him go, grinning. It was a shame he couldn’t tell him what was going on – it’d be good to get his head together about these cars. But if DCI Jackson didn’t want anyone to know, he’d have to abide by that.

18

Ged had just stepped out of the shower when the phone rang. Grabbing a towel, he threw it around his waist and went to answer it. He was shocked to hear Caroline’s voice. His ex-wife never rang him! He was even more shocked when she told him their daughter hadn’t been home for two days and demanded to know if she was with him.

       
‘No, she bloody isn’t!’ he snapped. ‘D’y’ really think I’d have kept her here without telling you? Jeezus, Caroline. You never change, do you?’

       
Caroline went quiet, and for a moment Ged thought she’d hung up. Then he heard her breathe deeply, and realized she was making an effort to calm down.

       
‘She’s not been home since Monday morning,’ she said at last. ‘I’m not accusing you of kidnapping her or anything, I just thought she might have come to you?’

       
Ged breathed out through his teeth, consciously relaxing his grip on the phone. She was making an effort so the least he could do was be civil.

       
‘She didn’t,’ he said after a moment. ‘So what happened?’

       
‘Nothing
happened
,’ she retorted angrily. ‘She’s just bloody well disappeared!’

       
‘Look, there’s no point getting into an argument over this, is there?’ Ged said.

       
‘No,’ she agreed quietly. ‘That wasn’t my intention.’

       
‘Yeah, well, I’m sorry. Look, why don’t you come over and we can talk it through? See if we can work out where she’s gone.’

       
Caroline hesitated for a moment, then said, ‘No, I’d best not leave the house in case she turns up or tries to phone. Can you come here instead?’

       
Ged sighed and bit his lip. He hadn’t set foot in the house for over a year – never thought he would again. But this was too important to play petty games.

       
‘All right,’ he agreed. ‘I’ll get there as soon as I can.’

       
He replaced the receiver with a frown. His fifteen-year-old daughter had gone missing, and Caroline was seriously worried. She must be. She’d never have phoned him otherwise. And she had every reason to be worried. It was Wednesday now – two full days since she’d seen or heard from her.

       
He only hoped it was nothing he’d said or done on Monday morning that had sparked this off. He didn’t think he’d said anything bad about Caroline, but he might have made the odd snipping remark. Would that have been enough to make his daughter run away? He wouldn’t have thought so, but it was hard to tell what ran through a teenage girl’s mind when her parents were pulling in opposite directions.

       
Half an hour later, dressed and dried, Ged grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. He hesitated at the car, loath to drive it illegally – especially now. But this could be serious. Deciding to take a chance, he hopped in, amazed when the engine immediately fired into life. Maybe it’d be worth getting it MOT’d now that he had the money. It was a damn sight better than catching buses or cadging lifts.

The house looked exactly the same as it had when he’d left, and Ged felt his stomach lurch as he stepped through the door.

       
Closing it behind him, Caroline edged past him into the living room. He followed, flicking his eyes around at all the old familiar things. He realized with a shock that Caroline had kept his photo. It was on the fireplace with the school pictures.

       
‘She wanted to keep it,’ Caroline muttered, following his gaze. ‘I would have put it away ages ago otherwise.’ Sitting down, she pulled her cardigan tight around herself, shivering despite the gas fire raging beside her.

       
Ged sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch and watched her. She looked awful – drained, older. This business was obviously taking its toll on her.

       
‘So, how are you?’ she asked, lighting herself a cigarette with shaky hands.

       
‘So-so,’ he answered. ‘You?’

       
She looked at him with haunted eyes, a quiver puckering her chin. She bit her lip to keep from crying and raised the cigarette to her mouth.

       
He knew she was struggling to keep her emotions in check and felt he should give her a moment to regain her composure.

       
‘I’ll make a coffee,’ he said.

       
Caroline had pulled herself together by the time he came back.

       
‘Thanks for coming,’ she said, taking the cup from him. ‘And I’m sorry about that just now. I’m just worried . . .’ Trailing off, she looked away, pulling long and hard on another cigarette.

       
Ged felt sorry for her. ‘So, she’s been gone for two days?’ he asked softly.

       
Caroline nodded, letting the smoke trail from her nose. ‘I saw her Monday morning before I went to work, but I haven’t seen her since. I thought she’d gone to her friend’s – a girl she hangs about with, Alison. But I rang there yesterday and Alison said she hasn’t seen her.’

       
‘Had you had a row or something?’ Ged asked.

       
‘No!’ she snapped. ‘And I hope you’re not implying this is my fault?’

       
‘I’m not implying anything,’ he said. ‘I’m just trying to put together a picture of what might have happened.’

       
‘Well, it was nothing
I’d
done!’ Her chin wobbled again. ‘I thought you’d come to help, Ged? You’re not just going to sit there being sanctimonious, are you?’

       
He sighed. ‘No, I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to make it sound like that. Let’s not get into a fight, Caroline. Let’s just try and find out where our little girl’s gone.’

       
She smiled sadly. ‘That’s half the problem. She’s not so little any more. She’s growing up fast. Too fast!’ Lighting yet another cigarette, she looked him full in the face, saying almost accusingly: ‘You probably couldn’t see it because you haven’t seen that much of her. I wish she
was
still little. It would be a damn sight easier keeping an eye on her.’

       
He frowned. ‘You make it sound like you’ve got no control over her. She can’t be that bad?’

       
‘I’m not saying she’s
bad
,’ she told him quietly. ‘But she’s definitely out of control. She’s stays out later and later all the time. Sometimes she doesn’t come back till the early hours. I’ve tried everything to stop her, but nothing works.’ She looked at him resentfully. ‘It’s all right for you. You come and go as you please. But I’ve got all the responsibility. And I’ve got to work to keep the house going, so I can’t be here to make sure she stays in. Every time I come home, she’s already been and gone.’

       
‘Have you tried putting your foot down? Telling her to stay in after school?’

       
Caroline laughed bitterly. ‘I’ve told her, and I’ve threatened her. I’ve even tried slapping her, but it doesn’t make any difference. She just nips in while I’m at work, changes her clothes and takes off again. At least before, I knew she’d come back at some point. What am I supposed to do now?’

       
‘Have you tried all her friends?’

       
‘Yeah – the ones I know, anyway. Trouble is, most of them reckon they haven’t seen that much of her lately. Seems she’s got herself a new boyfriend. Some fella she met at a blues in Moss Side.’

       
‘A blues?’ Ged snapped. ‘What the hell was she doing at a blues? Jeezus, Caroline! She’s only fifteen!’

       
Caroline’s face hardened. ‘Maybe now you’re getting an idea of what she’s like! She’s running wild, and there’s nothing I can do to stop her.’

       
Ged shook his head. But angry as he was, he knew he couldn’t blame Caroline. She was a working single parent, with precious little time to be enforcing time restrictions on a headstrong teenager. And if they were going to get into the blame arena – he had to admit to his fair share, didn’t he? He’d walked out without a backward glance. Best thing for everyone, he’d said at the time. And maybe he’d been right, but there was no excuse for the sporadic nature of his contact with his daughter ever since. He’d blamed it on Caroline’s bitchy attitude, but if he was honest, he couldn’t blame her for that either. He’d behaved like a pig.