Chapter 15: Monday 18th May.
By 7 am, as my alarm clicked on, all thoughts of Aleesha had been erased from my mind as I dressed for work and I caught sight of ‘Suzy’ watching me again.
This strange sadness on her face intrigued me as I again, unintentionally, exposed myself to her.
I breakfasted, as usual, and made my way to my car to find a small piece of paper tucked under the windscreen wiper.
At first glance I thought I had been given a parking ticket as it was encased in a small polythene wrapper, but on my way to work I saw it lying on the passenger seat and I realised that it was not.
At the next red traffic light I unwrapped it to find a note written in red biro.
HELP ME - I THINK I CAN TRUST YOU –
CAN YOU MEET ME TONIGHT AT FAT SAM’S AT 8pm.
I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE - PLEASE HELP!
Although it was unsigned I instinctively suspected it was from ‘Suzy’, and although I remembered my promise to Tracey - that I wouldn’t get involved - I couldn’t help thinking that Aleesha may be have been alive had she talked about her problems.
An irate driver behind me brought me back to reality by sounding his horn to tell me the traffic light was now green.
I hurried past the girls in the outer office without saying “Good morning” although I usually gave them some kind of morning greeting.
As I passed Sarah’s desk I, very ignorantly, snapped my fingers at her and motioned her to follow me into my office which she did giving a little shrug of her shoulders to Julia and the others.
“What’s up?” Sarah asked crossing to sit on her usual spot while I slumped into my seat. ”Bad weekend was it?”
“Everything is up.” I snapped reaching to take the notepad from her left hand.
“Firstly,” I sighed, finding a fresh page and scribbling onto it while I sighed.
“Aleesha, one of the girls from the flat, took a ‘header’ off the Forth Road Bridge on Friday night and I had to identify her yesterday at the morgue, which wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
“Good Lord,” Sarah exclaimed, shocked, covering her mouth with her hand,
“I heard it on the radio on Saturday morning,” she informed me, “but I didn’t know she was one of your girls or I would have called you.”
“Damn,” I said throwing my pen down, “I woke up on Saturday to the news, but I turned it off before it woke Tracey, damn.”
I covered my eyes as I realised my error.
I took ‘Suzy’s’ note from my pocket and handed it to her saying,
“I found that on my windscreen this morning.”
“Oh, good Lord,” she said reading it, “She turned to you for help and you didn’t see the note until it was too late?”
“No,” I sighed, “that note appeared since I came back from the morgue.”
Sarah handed it back to me saying. “It’s not signed.”
“That’s what’s worrying me, Sarah. If anybody calls me - and I mean anybody - wherever I am please find me.
If you cannot locate me, at least, get a number where I can reach them. Okay?”
“Absolutely.” she replied.
“On a happier matter,” handing her back her notepad,
“Could you call round these hotels and ask them if they can accommodate a wedding reception for about 50 people on 26th September?”
“Will do.” Came her reply.
“When you get a venue call Tracey to confirm it. Okay?”
“Sure, boss.” she confirmed.
“Now,” I lifted my pen, “Jump to it. I’ve got a hundred and one ‘phone calls to make.”
Sarah jumped from the desk saying, “Will do.” and left my office as I dialled my brother’s number to ask if he would be my best man. Which he confirmed.
I then called Tracey.
“Hi honey,” I called, “Big Brother says yes, so that’s the best man sorted then.
Sarah is calling a few local hotels to arrange the reception and ‘Diamonds’ have confirmed for 26th September. Now, is there anywhere in particular you want to go on honeymoon?”
“Anywhere,” came the reply, “but my passport is due to expire soon.”
“Okay, I’ll sort something out. I’ll catch you later, bye.”
I knew she would want confirmation of our identification at the morgue but I cruelly avoided her questions by cutting our conversation short.
By Noon I could feel it all getting on top of me and needed a break.
“I’m out to lunch.” I called to Sarah as I passed her desk while she was on the 'phone.
“Hold on a second,” she called both to me and to whomever she was speaking, lowering the phone she asked, “Where are you going if there are any messages?”
“Alfresco,” I answered, “back in about one hour, okay.”
I left the office leaving her to it.
I made my way to Princes Street; buying a cheeseburger, chips and a pint of milk along the way and sat on a bench to consume them as the world rushed by.
“Hello Chief.” I heard a familiar voice call as I looked to my left to see Sandy and Charlie heading towards me.
“How are you today, big man, mind if we join you?” Sandy asked politely as he crossed in front of me and sat down to my right.
“Sure,” I answered without looking at him, “as long as you don’t talk to me. I’m really not in the mood today.”
“I know what,” Sandy smiled ignoring my wish, “if you need cheering up, big yin, then I’m your man. I will tell you what. I’ll give you a song.”
His voice suddenly became gripped in panic as he continued,
“It’s okay, Inspector, we’re not annoying the big man here - we’re just trying to cheer him up because a wee lass has fell out with him. There’s no law against that is there?”
I wondered what he was talking about until I turned and saw PC Kelly standing a few feet in front of Sandy with his arms folded, in his usual pose, looking at me.
“Good God Kelly, do you ever stop?” I asked him dismayed.
“Unfortunately,” he answered motioning Sandy to move along the bench to allow him to sit. “Crime never stops.”
Kelly sitting between me and, a very nervous, Sandy continued,
“Actually Brian, I was hoping I would see you here today for two reasons.”
“We spoke to that young girl’s father,” he spoke very quietly, “and unfortunately he doesn’t want anything to do with her.”
I buried my head in my hands moaning. “Oh, my God.” While Kelly put his hand onto my back. “I’m really sorry to have to tell you Brian.
One of our detectives tried all night to change his mind but the father has disowned her, so there’s nothing further we can do.
I’m very sorry.”
“So,” I asked straightening up, “What happens now then?”
“Well,” he sighed, “there are a number of possibilities.”
“Her father could still change his mind, or a relative might take her, or we could ship her back home and let her own authorities deal with her. We could leave her to be disposed of by the state here, or sort out something between yourselves?”
“Sergeant MacDonald is intending to call round tonight to inform your friends of what her father decided and give you, in detail, the alternatives.”
“I’m really sorry, Brian, but there’s no easy way of saying it.
Her father just doesn’t want to know, and there’s nothing we can do to change his mind.”
“Thanks for trying anyway.” I sighed.
Taking a deep breath we sat in silence for a few seconds before I asked, “What’s the other reason?”
“Sorry sir?” he asked confused.
“You said you were hoping to see me for two reasons?”
“Oh, Yes.” Kelly sighed reaching into an inside pocket of his heavy coat producing a colour photograph of a very pretty dark-haired girl wearing a smart school un
iform.
“I just wondered,” handing me the photo, “have you seen this young lady?”
I stared at the photograph hoping I hadn’t seen her but unfortunately I recognised her immediately, it was ‘Suzy’, taken a few years earlier when she was in high school, but it was unmistakably ‘Suzy’.
I looked at her smiling face confirming, with a heavy sigh, I had indeed seen her.
“Who is she?” I asked quietly.
“Just a runaway.” Kelly answered evasively.
“Runaway from where?” I asked.
“You’ve seen her then?”
Taking ‘Suzy’s’ note from my pocket I held it in my left hand and confirmed, “Sure, I’ve seen her - so who is she?”
“That’s classified information sir,” he answered, returning to his authoritative voice.
I handed him back the photograph saying. “On second thoughts, I’ve never seen her before in my life.”
I teased him by holding the note out of his reach while he studied it as I turned it in my fingers.
“Okay,” he conceded, “Her name’s Jaclyn Bradley, she’s eighteen and all I know about her is that she has run away from Aberdeen and her parents are very worried about her.”
There were a few moments silence before I quietly asked,
“Before I show you this piece of paper can you promise me not to do anything about it?
I’d hate another visit to that place we were in yesterday.”
Kelly looked shocked. “She’s not in any trouble or anything.
We just want a chat with her to reassure her parents she’s okay, that’s all.”
Then he asked confused, “What makes you think she’s heading the same way as Miss Kennedy?”
I drew his attention to the note.
“I do know where she is, and she doesn’t appear to me to be okay.
I just want an opportunity to talk to her and maybe I can get her to ‘phone home to say where she is and, maybe, stop her doing something silly.”
He looked at the note and conceded. “Okay, you win,
Now can you tell me where she is?”
“Can you promise to give me 24 hours with her?”
He sighed, “I suppose so.” I handed him the note, which he read confused.
“This is from her, is it?”
“I’m sure of it,” I answered.
Kelly re-read the note and handed it back to me deep in thought as I said, “You promised – 24 hours?”
He sighed and stood up saying, “Okay, you’ve got it.
I’ll meet you here tomorrow to find out how it went.”
“By the way,” I asked looking up. “May I have that photo of her?”
Reaching inside his coat he produced the photo, while looking around hoping his superiors couldn’t see him, and almost jumped out of his skin when a loud bang rang out from the castle making us all jump.
“Don’t tell anybody,” he implored handing me the photo and slowly walked away as my gaze went from him to Sandy, whose face suddenly changed from a sombre frown to a beaming smile as he announced, “She’s not dead - there’s ‘starry eyes’ there.”
Looking up I saw Sarah walking towards us saying, “I’d hoped I’d find you here.”
She sat ignoring Sandy. “Are you okay?” I put my arm around her shoulders and sighed.
“Sarah, about the way I acted this morning, I’m sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind right now, okay?”
“I understand,” she sighed nestling into me and turning her gaze towards a smiling Sandy asked him cheerily. “Hi Sandy, how are you doing, Sir?”
“I’m all right now, hen, I thought you were dead there. Was it the other one that died?”
“No,” I sighed getting up with Sarah. “The other one’s fine as well.
I’ll catch you gentlemen later, we’ve got a funeral to arrange, bye.”
I explained to Sarah, on the way back to the office, what PC Kelly had said while she told me that the wedding reception was all sorted out.
I tried to make up for my behaviour by telling her to buy the most fantastic party frock she could find to wear to the wedding and I would pay for it.
Arriving home Rachel and Debbie were preparing our meal while Marcie sat at the table working out a new rota to cover the absence of Aleesha.
I offered my help to everyone and assured them I could cook, clean and do most household chores - whatever they wanted me to do I’d gladly do it.
After tea Lynda helped me with the dishes then I prepared to go and meet Jaclyn.
I arrived at Fat Sam’s bar at 7:45 not expecting to see her yet, so I ordered lemonade from the bar and surveyed the crowded room.
A seven-piece jazz band played noisily in a corner to my right while, all around, the waiters and waitresses busied around taking orders and supplying drink and food to the assembled chattering customers.
To my left I noticed a flight of steps, which led to an upper gallery of tables and chairs where people were laughing and drinking while looking down at the floorshow.
‘If I sit up there,’ I thought, ‘I’ll see her as soon as she comes in, and I would be out of the way if Kelly has betrayed me.’
I made my way slowly up the wooden stairway where, in a corner, I saw Jaclyn sitting at a table looking very dejected, puffing on a cigarette, with her eyes closed.
She was holding onto an empty glass taking absolutely no notice of a guy who sat clutching a pint of lager in one hand while stroking Jaclyn’s arm with his other - whispering seductions into her closed ears. This youth had unkempt shoulder-length greasy hair, leather jacket, tee shirt and jeans.
Slowly wandering over I sat at Jaclyn’s other shoulder motioning the, rather annoyed, youngster to leave her.
“Piss off” he hissed, “I saw her first.”
I stared into his eyes and forcefully said, “Beat it, punk!” through clenched teeth.
He removed his hand from her arm and we sat staring at each other psyching each other out for a few seconds - before I repeated more forcefully. “I said Beat it!”
He banged the table hard with his clenched fist, grabbed his pint, and stood up while I sat back in my chair and sneered through clenched teeth as forcefully as I could,
“Don’t even think about it punk, just piss off.”
Kicking the chair away from behind him he slowly made his way to a group of people at another table without taking his eyes from me.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I turned towards Jaclyn who remained motionless throughout with her eyes closed.
She looked very unclean and very unsteady as I looked at her and saw her figure for the first time. She was unkempt, but very pretty. Her dark, greasy, unbrushed hair was swept across her unmade-up face. She had a largish bust, which obviously was not supported and just, sort of, hung there beneath a black tee shirt, which showed off her bare arms, which appeared to be extraordinarily hairy.
Around her very slim waist a black belt held a straight denim blue skirt, which hung at an awkward angle. Her outfit was set off with a black leather jacket which hung from her shoulders and surely would have been on the floor had she not been leaning onto it as it hung haphazardly between her shoulder blades and the high back of the chair.
The cigarette she held in her left hand had almost burnt away, so, leaning forwards I removed it before it burned her nicotine stained fingers and stubbed it out into a rather full ashtray at the centre of the table.
“Jaclyn.” I whispered placing my hand on her wrist as she clutched her empty glass. “Jaclyn.”
Her eyes began to move around inside their lids as she slowly filled her lungs with air while raising her sleepy head forcing her eyes open which blinked heavily.
She stared directly ahead of her for a moment then she was suddenly gripped with terror and began to panic.
Her breath came in short gasps as she suddenly moved both hands to her chest with the palms pointing outwards as if trying to shi
eld herself in defence from someone.
She turned her head to the side and pulled her legs up under her although her chair caught them, and all this time her frightened eyes stared out into space.
She vibrated, as her entire body shook with terror, and her head shook, as she repeated, “No more, please, no more.”
I felt a deep concern for her and did not know what I could do to comfort her, so I repeated, “Jaclyn.”
Her eyes moved to focus on me and she stared at me for a few seconds before beginning to relax.
“Jaclyn, what’s wrong?” I asked quietly as she lowered her legs and arms slowly, staring through me.
“How… how do you know my name?” she asked hoarsely.
“That is not important, what’s wrong honey?”
“Are you a policeman?” she asked curiously.
“No I’m not. Why are the police looking for you?”
“I don’t know,” she reached for her cigarette packet, which was empty.
She scrunched up the packet and tossed it sideways from the table.
I took my packet from my pocket took two cigarettes from it, handed her one, lit it, and she breathed the smoke deeply inflating her chest.
I lit mine while she lifted her empty glass a few inches and then she banged it loudly onto the table.
I feared that it might be in for the same fate as her cigarette packet, so I prised it from her shaky fingers moving it out of reach.
“Would you like a drink?” I asked unwisely as I believed she had had quite a few already, but I felt it would help gain me her confidence.
She nodded slightly as a waitress appeared before us lifting the glass.
“Can I have a lemonade and,” I turned to Jaclyn and asked, “what’s yours?”
“Vodka and coke.” the reply.
“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” the waitress asked writing the order down.
Jaclyn looked up scornfully as the waitress turned leaving us alone again.
“Jaclyn?” I began,
“Call me Jackie,” she interrupted.
“Okay, Jackie, what’s your problem?”
She took another long puff on her cigarette and blew it out slowly saying.
“I’m really sorry for getting you involved in my totally mixed up life, but I feel I can trust you, and I’m really sorry for spying on you.
I don’t mean to, but I just can’t help myself.”
“How long have you been watching me?” I asked trying to assess the gravity of the situation.
“A few weeks,” Came her reply, “I just looked out one morning and saw you getting up.”
“I hope you’re not mad at me?” I assured her I was not as the waitress returned with the drinks.
“Do you live on your own?” I asked.
“Sort of,” she replied, “I share with a few other people, but I have a room to myself.
I reckon all the places around there are all the same story.”
“Probably.” I laughed and agreed.
“Where are you from?” Jackie finished her drink.
“I came here from Aberdeen, but I’ve been all over the place.
My Dad travelled about a lot, so I’ve never been in one place for any length of time.”
“Oh,” I said, trying to get her mind off her empty glass, “what does your dad do?”
“He’s a Presbyterian minister,” she answered, “could I have another drink?”
“I doubt that young lady will serve you anymore.
Why don’t we go for a drive and maybe get a carry-out?”
She thought about my suggestion then smiled saying. “Okay, let’s go.”
She rather shakily got to her feet, straightening her skirt, draping her jacket around her shoulders.
Lifting a black shoulder bag from her feet she staggered towards the exit.
I put my arm around her waist to steady her as we reached the top of the stairs, much to the annoyance of the young guy I had chased, who now sat with a few friends and growled at me as we staggered past him.
How we made it to the bottom of the stairs without falling headfirst down them, I will never know, but eventually we made it to my car where I propped Jackie against the rear door and held her upright.
I opened the passenger door bundling her inside.
A few minutes later we were heading out of the city into the countryside in complete silence as she slept the entire twenty-minute journey.
We reached a deserted farm outhouse as darkness began to fall.
Jackie spent a very restless journey as every time I turned a corner she hit her head on the doorframe.
After hushing the engine and switching off my headlights I let her continue to sleep while I watched her in the twilight wondering if I should wake her and what I would say to her if I did.
As I sat there for a few minutes pondering my next move I saw her face slowly become gripped by terror again and the spasms I had witnessed earlier in the bar returned.
She followed the same frightened routine for a minute or two until she violently threw her head to one side and cracked it loudly on the door, waking her up with a squeal.
Jackie let out a long painful moan as she held her head and began to weep as she slowly turned towards me.
I put my right hand over hers to comfort her.
Immediately her hand shot away from me, very frightened, her rigid body almost bouncing off the door in an effort to escape.
She stared at me as her whole body began to vibrate with fear until she remembered who I was and slowly relaxed. Breathing heavily she returned her hands to her aching head.
“Sorry, I must have had a bad dream.”
I lit another cigarette handing it to her saying. “That’s why you asked me to meet you, because you wanted someone to talk to, wasn’t it?”
Her tears and terror slowly subsided as she took the cigarette, breathed the smoke deeply into her lungs and sat up looking around as dusk fell.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“Haven’t a clue,” I answered, “tell me what your problem is?
I want to help you Jackie, if I can?”
She rolled down the window in silence and as she turned her head to blow the smoke out into the cool dusky air she saw the farmhouse.
“Does anybody live here?” she asked poking her head out to survey the ruined building.
“I shouldn’t think so,” I replied getting rather annoyed by her evasiveness, but I figured that as long as she was talking she would eventually get around to discussing her problems.
She located the door lever and opened it saying, “I wonder if they’ll let me use their toilet? I’ll go ask.”
“Hold on,” I called grabbing her arm, “It’s likely to be very muddy out there, so watch yourself.”
“No problem,” she sighed, “You won’t bugger off and leave me here will you?”
I assured her I wouldn’t although I had a few doubts as to whether I should or not.
She got out, threw the cigarette away, and slowly crept towards the farmhouse door.
“Hello?” she called at the half open door.
The moment she was out of sight I bent down and grabbed her handbag as I figured it might give me an insight into her mysterious profile - It was full of junk.
There were cans of hairspray, deodorant, toiletries, bottles and packets of pills for almost every ailment.
There was a jar of Vaseline and packets of birth control pills.
Inside a zipped compartment I got the biggest surprise of all - I saw a few packets of condoms and a lot of money in five and ten pound notes. “There must be over two hundred pounds here,” I sighed,
“This kid must be working as a prostitute.”
I replaced her bag on the floor of the car and got out to stand at the front of the bonnet to look at the reddening sky until I heard Jackie stumbling to rejoin me.
“A thought has just occurred to me,” she smile
d sitting onto the bonnet of my car. “I don’t know your name.”
“I’m Brian,” I answered.
“Hi,” she said cheerily, “I’m Jackie.”
She offered her hand for me to shake so I placed my hand in hers and held it.
Leaning backwards she lay down on the warm bonnet looking up at the stars.
”How did you know my name?” she asked.
Taking the photograph Kelly had given me I held it out for her to view noticing it had ‘JACLYN BRADLEY (18) and a reference number which started ABN with 6 digits’ typed onto the reverse.
She immediately recognised it and sat up with a start.
“Where the hell did you get that?” she snapped grabbing it.
“From a policeman.” I answered as she jumped from the bonnet to her feet.
“You’re a cop then?” she growled.
“No, I’m not,” I assured her, “why would every policeman in Edinburgh be carrying a photo of you? What have you done?”
She looked at her photo and sighed, “Did you tell the police where I live?”
“No, I didn’t, honest. Is there any reason why I should not tell them? Jackie, please, tell me what is frightening you?
I want to help you, so please, what’s wrong.
What’s the problem?”
“Did you seriously need to add another girl to your, already complicated, life?” Emily asked.
“I couldn’t turn my back on Jackie - that was my biggest problem back then.
I believed I could help everybody.”
“Didn’t help Aleesha much?” Emily sighed.
“Sadly, no it did not.
But I firmly believed I could help Jaclyn and should help her if I could.”
“I was intrigued why Kelly would have been issued with her photo – so figured she must have done something major and that was probably the reason she ran away from her family, but I felt there would be a lot more to her story than I could possibly have imagined.”
“I wasn’t prepared for the shock I was about to experience when Jaclyn began to tell me her tale of woe - not prepared at all.”
Diamonds by Brian Ritchie Page 21