‘8175.’
‘Right. Night.’ And with that, he reached over to close the door then roared away. She watched until she could see the car no more then turned, walked across the car park and into the station. For a few seconds the room fell quiet, the silence broken finally by someone giving a soft wolf whistle. Bugger. She was still in the dress and heels. But it was too late to do anything about it now.
‘Incident room everyone,’ she said, making for the door. When they had gathered, she looked round. ‘Tony?’
‘Not coming out yet, Clare,’ Chris said. ‘He asked to be kept informed.’
Clare rolled her eyes. His concern for her wellbeing hadn’t lasted long. But, in truth, she was relieved not to have him around. She knew now that she should have spoken to Lisa about the note in Abi’s pram. She should have done it straight after the press conference but it was too late for that now. And she knew as well that there was no chance Tony would back her on that. He wouldn’t want any mud sticking to him with his upcoming interview. No. Tony McAvettie would hang her out to dry. But that wasn’t her immediate concern. ‘Okay, fill me in, please.’
‘Wendy called in about an hour ago,’ Chris began. ‘She took Lisa and Kevin home after the press conference. Said they seemed fine. A bit subdued. They ordered a takeaway and it arrived about six. After they’d eaten it Lisa said she was going for a bath. Wendy heard the taps running. When she hadn’t come back downstairs an hour or so later, Wendy went to look and she was gone.’
Clare ran a hand through her hair. How the hell could this happen? ‘Did Wendy not hear her go?’
Chris shook his head. ‘She thinks it was probably when she was in the kitchen making a cup of tea. Reckons Lisa waited until she heard her ask Kevin if he wanted a cup and she took her chance.’
‘Did Kevin know?’
‘No, Wendy thinks he didn’t. He looked shell-shocked.’
‘Tried the sister?’
‘Bringing her in now. Should be here soon.’
‘And the phone? The one Lisa had hidden in the bathroom?’
‘Gone too.’
‘Dammit. What about her iPhone? The one we’re monitoring?’
‘She left it behind. On the coffee table.’
‘Okay, Chris. Get hold of the phone company for that bathroom phone. See if she’s made any calls – pinging any masts, assuming it’s switched on. What about friends? Other family? Sacha at the tanning salon?’
Chris shook his head. ‘Kevin’s tried everyone he can think of. No one’s seen her.’
Clare looked round the room. ‘Is Nita here?’
‘On her way in.’
‘Good. She knows where Kevin and Lisa’s parents are. Get her to check on them. I know they’re estranged but desperation might just have driven Lisa to her mum.’ Clare checked her watch. Half-past nine. ‘So Wendy’s best guess is – what time?’
‘She reckons between half-seven and eight.’
‘What about the Mitchells’ cars?’
‘The Audi’s gone. Keys gone too, according to Kevin. They always keep them in a bowl near the door.’
Clare turned to look at a map. ‘So realistically she could be a hundred miles away by now. Maybe even more.’
‘You reckon she knew anything? Someone contacted her?’
‘Wendy checked the phone before the takeaway arrived. No outgoing or incoming calls. After that, she doesn’t know, but we’ll find out, assuming it’s switched on.’
Clare leaned against a desk, facing them all. ‘Right. That Audi’s bound to have pinged an ANPR camera somewhere.’
Erin raised her hand. ‘I’ll do that, boss.’
‘Thanks, Erin,’ Clare said. ‘Find the last camera she passed and take a thirty-mile radius from there. I want as many cars as possible out looking for that Audi.’
Clare scanned the room again. ‘I need two of you to get onto Tech Support to go through her social media accounts – Facebook and Instagram. With luck she’ll be logged on. She could have another laptop or a tablet we don’t know about. If she does, she’ll be using that to access emails and social media, so check everything. All her accounts. Get hold of Diane if you can. Tell her we need anything that’s been deleted. Go back a couple of months. If that doesn’t throw up anything, start going through her friends for anyone with pre-cons. When you’ve done that, get into her emails. Kevin should know the address.’
Clare turned to Chris. ‘I want Lisa’s photo on the Force portal as soon as possible – do it now, please. Then you and I are going to pay Kevin a visit.’
‘Shouldn’t we contact the press?’ Chris asked.
‘On what grounds? She’s only been gone a couple of hours at most. Hardly makes her a missing person.’
‘Yeah, but given the circumstances…’
Clare stood thinking. Then she said, ‘Let’s see what we can find out in the next couple of hours. If she doesn’t turn up soon, we’ll go public.’
‘What about Ashley?’ another officer asked. ‘She’ll be here any minute.’
‘Stick her in an interview room when she arrives and let her stew. I’ll bet my pension she knows more about this than she’s letting on.’
The assembled officers began to move.
‘One more thing,’ Clare said. ‘We can’t discount the possibility that the balance of Lisa’s mind is disturbed.’
‘You thinking she’s topped herself, boss?’ one of them asked.
Clare winced at the expression. ‘It’s possible. Check car parks beside bridges, rivers, beaches, Tentsmuir Forest – any known suicide spots. And if you find the car, call it in as an emergency. Get an ambulance and a negotiator. But no sirens, mind. If she is teetering on the edge of whatever, we don’t want her frightened.’
‘Could she be in danger from the kidnapper?’ Chris asked.
Clare considered this. ‘If she has some idea who’s taken Abi, then it’s possible. Remember that lad Devon saw her take a note from inside the pram. She might well have gone after them herself. Things could be very serious for her so let’s throw everything at this.’
* * *
Kevin Mitchell looked haunted. His face was ashen, his eyes bloodshot. He sat on the edge of a dining chair, his hands gripping the sides. He rose when Wendy led Clare and Chris into the room. ‘You found her?’
Clare shook her head. ‘Kevin, we have every available officer out searching and we’re checking traffic cameras for the Audi. We’ll find her.’
‘You said that about Abi.’
Clare pulled out a couple of chairs and they sat down. ‘Kevin, I know this is a dreadful time for you…’
‘With respect, DI Mackay, you know fuck all.’
‘Kevin, if we’re to find Lisa we really need to know what’s been going on in her head. If we can work out why she’s gone, we’ll have a better chance of knowing where.’
Kevin forced a smile. ‘Sorry. I know you’re only doing your job.’ Then he brightened. ‘Maybe she’s just gone out for a bit of air, you know. Clear her head. I’ve been driving her mad. That’s it. She probably just needs a break.’
Clare smiled at this. She didn’t share his optimism but there was nothing to be gained by saying so. Instead, she asked, ‘How was Lisa after the press conference?’
Kevin thought for a moment then said, ‘Quiet. Not like herself.’
‘Did she say anything? Share any thoughts with you about what might have happened to Abi?’
He shook his head. ‘No, nothing.’
‘You watched the press conference on the news, didn’t you, Kevin?’ Wendy said.
‘Yeah. We watched it on iPlayer. Lisa kept watching it. Again and again. Like she thought it would help, I suppose.’
Clare and Chris exchanged glances. Was there something there? Had watching the press conference over and over stirred some memory for Lisa? Something that had made her take her car keys when Wendy wasn’t looking and go off to find Abi herself?
‘And then there was another new
s flash,’ Kevin went on. ‘Said you were looking for someone called Paul Sinclair.’ He raised his bleary eyes to meet Clare’s. ‘Was that the same man you showed us in that picture? The motorbike man? Is this Paul Sinclair – is he the one who took Abi?’
‘We think so. We have men out looking for him. And we’ll find him, Kevin. I promise you that.’ She paused. They couldn’t wait any longer. ‘Kevin, I’m sorry to ask, but did you and Lisa have any money worries?’
He stared. ‘Eh? What sort of worries? Why are you asking that?’
‘It might be important. So – did you?’
‘Important how?’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t know why you’re asking me.’
They waited.
‘But no. We don’t. Lisa – she’s really good with money. Makes a little go a long way.’ He shook his head. ‘I still don’t know why you’re asking.’
Clare continued. ‘Kevin, did you know Lisa had another mobile phone? One she didn’t tell us about?’
He stared. ‘What phone? What’s going on? I don’t understand this.’
Clare glanced at Wendy, who gave a slight nod. ‘Wendy happened to see it in the bathroom. We think Lisa’s been making phone calls from it since Abi was taken.’
Kevin shook his head. ‘We don’t have any old phones. Lisa sells them on eBay. Maybe she kept one. I don’t know.’ He frowned. ‘Is it important?’
‘Do you know who she might have phoned?’
‘Dunno. Ashley, probably.’
‘Anyone else?’
He spread his hands. ‘Her work? I really don’t know.’
Clare smiled. ‘Okay, Kevin. Don’t worry. It’s probably not important.’ She glanced across at Chris and Wendy. ‘Kevin, there’s something else I need to ask…’
‘Okay.’
‘On Sunday, after Abi was taken, we have a witness who says that Lisa took a piece of paper from the pram. He thinks there was something written on it and that Lisa read it.’
‘Paper? What sort of paper? You mean like a ransom note? Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
‘We don’t know what was on the paper. Only that Lisa read it, then she stuffed it in her pocket.’
Kevin was on his feet now, pacing the room. ‘But she’d have told me! If it had been a ransom or something like that. She’d have told me. And we don’t have that sort of money! Not like kidnappers want.’
‘Are you sure? Could Lisa have been keeping something from you?’ She hesitated, thinking of Lisa’s on-off affair with Phil Patrick. ‘You know we talked about Lisa having a relationship with another man.’ She softened her tone. ‘Could there be some other things? Maybe some things she didn’t always tell you about?’
Kevin clutched his head. ‘No, no-no-no-no!’ His voice was high and unnatural. ‘It can’t be anything to do with Lisa. Must have been a Tesco receipt or something like that. It couldn’t have been a note. She’d have said…’
Wendy had an arm round Kevin’s back, guiding him to a chair. ‘It’s okay.’
Clare motioned to Chris. ‘Hot sweet tea – now, Chris. Then call his GP.’ She moved to sit next to Kevin. ‘Chris is going to bring you a cup of tea and then, if you don’t mind, we’d like to look through Lisa’s things. Her clothes, bedside drawer – that sort of thing. Anywhere she might have put that piece of paper.’
He looked at her. The energy seemed to have drained out of him. ‘You really think it has something to do with Abi?’
‘We simply don’t know, Kevin. But we can’t discount the possibility.’
He waved a hand. ‘Look where you like.’
* * *
They pulled on disposable gloves and began in the bathroom, checking the laundry basket. The phone was gone, of course, but Clare removed every item of clothing and checked carefully in the pockets. Then she moved to the bin, emptying the contents bit by bit onto a mat. Nothing. The cabinet on the wall held only medicines, contact lens cleaner and the like. Clare checked behind the curtain, feeling in the lining in case the note had been concealed there. Chris prised off the bath panel and even lifted the linoleum. Satisfied that the bathroom held nothing of interest, they moved on to Lisa and Kevin’s bedroom.
The room was much as it had been on Sunday. The only difference was the baby blanket Lisa had clutched at the press conference. It hung now over the cot bars, a forlorn reminder of Abi’s plight. Clare checked the cot, lifting the blankets and mattress, then she tipped it up to check the underside. Nothing.
Chris moved to the wardrobe and slid the door to the side. He stooped to look at the shoes and saw that the pink tissue paper holding the gold necklace was still there. Then he stood up and ran a hand through the dresses and tops that hung there. ‘She has a lot of clothes.’
‘Check everything.’
‘I know. Just saying.’
It took them a full hour to go through all the clothes, the bed linen, the curtains, to look under the bed, empty cupboards and replace the contents.
Chris stood and brushed some carpet fluff off his trousers. ‘There’s nothing here, Clare.’
‘On to Abi’s room then.’
Again, the room was almost unchanged from their last visit. With little furniture, the search didn’t take long.
The other rooms yielded nothing and Clare peeled off her gloves. ‘Come on,’ she said, and Chris followed her downstairs. ‘We’d better get back to the station. See what Ashley has to say for herself.’
Wendy met them in the hall. ‘The doctor’s with Kevin now,’ she said.
‘I’ll send someone over to relieve you, Wendy,’ Clare said, giving her arm a squeeze. ‘You must be exhausted.’
‘Thanks, Clare. I must admit, my bed is calling me.’
* * *
Ashley McCann was strutting round the interview room when Clare and Chris entered. ‘What the fuck time do you call this? Two hours I’ve been stuck here. Two hours while my sister’s Christ knows where!’
‘Sit down, Ashley,’ Clare said.
Ashley scowled at her.
‘Please?’ Chris said, pulling out a chair.
She regarded Chris for a moment and the scowl disappeared. ‘Since you asked so nicely…’
‘Right,’ Clare said. ‘Let’s not waste any more time. Ashley, do you know where Lisa is?’
She shook her head. ‘No, I fucking don’t. You think I’d be sitting here if I knew?’
‘We know that Lisa had a mobile phone she didn’t tell us about. Did you give her that?’
Ashley began examining her fingernails.
‘Ashley, it’s not a crime to give your sister a phone. We just need to know where she got it.’
Ashley glanced at Clare then away again. ‘Yeah, what if I did?’
‘Did she ask you to get the phone or was it your idea?’
Ashley bit her lip and flashed them a look. ‘My idea. It was just a cheap one.’
‘Why did you think she needed another phone?’
Ashley shrugged.
Chris took over. ‘Come on, Ashley. We can’t find Lisa if we don’t know what’s been going on in her head this week. So why did you give her the phone?’
Ashley gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘You lot. You haven’t a clue.’
‘Okay,’ Chris said. ‘Tell us.’
Ashley met his gaze. ‘Okay. It’s like this. Soon as you guys get involved with anything, you take over. You take away anything you damn well like. Evidence, you’ll say, and to hell with whether we need it or not.’
‘But we didn’t take Lisa’s phone,’ Chris said. ‘Or Kevin’s.’
‘No, but you’re bugging it, aren’t you? I knew you’d probably take the phones or do something like that. Lisa’s the victim here but you lot are treating her like a criminal.’ She broke off to nibble at a broken nail, then said, ‘I just thought she might want a bit of privacy, you know? Make a few calls without the world and his dog listening in.’ She looked from Chris to Clare. ‘I mean, put yourself in Lisa and Kevin’s shoes. They’ve had t
heir baby taken. No idea where she is – how she is – and they can’t even make a phone call without it being overheard.’
Chris smiled. ‘Yeah, I get that, Ashley. I really do. I’m sure Lisa appreciated it.’
‘Fuckin’ right,’ Ashley mumbled.
‘Do you know who she might have been calling?’ Chris asked. ‘There’s one number in particular…’
‘Is it not on her other phone? In her contacts, like?’
Chris shook his head. ‘The number’s there but it’s unlisted. Pay-as-you-go phone.’
Ashley shrugged again. ‘No idea.’
Clare decided they had exhausted that topic. ‘Okay, Ashley,’ she said. ‘Let’s try something else. On Sunday, when Lisa discovered Abi was missing, she was seen taking a piece of paper out of the pram and reading it. She then stuffed the paper into her pocket.’
Ashley picked up her mobile phone and began tapping at it, avoiding Clare’s eye. ‘Paper? What paper?’
‘That’s what we’re trying to find out,’ Clare said. ‘Now, we know you went round to see Lisa on Sunday. After Abi was taken. Did she mention the note?’
Ashley swiped to read a text message and she started typing a reply.
Clare’s lips tightened. ‘Could you put the phone down for a minute? Please?’
Ashley gave an exaggerated sigh and slammed the phone down on the table. ‘Yeah, what?’
‘On Sunday – Lisa texted you, didn’t she?’
‘Yeah, so? What do you expect when her baby’s been taken?’
‘She asked you to come round?’
Ashley nodded. ‘I was in Dundee for the night. Got the next bus over.’
Clare watched her carefully. ‘When you saw Lisa – on Sunday afternoon – did she mention finding a note in Abi’s pram?’
Ashley’s eyes strayed back to her phone again. ‘Don’t think so. She was in a right state but she didn’t say anything about a bit of paper.’
Clare rose. ‘Okay, Ashley, we’ll take a break for now. Can I get you a cup of tea? Or a coffee?’
‘I’d rather have a drink.’
‘Me too,’ Clare said, and left the room.
In the main office, waiting for the kettle to boil, Clare said, ‘She knows more than she’s letting on.’
In Plain Sight Page 16