by K Leitch
Before she got to her office however she met Frank and Jay who were on their way down to see her. Mandy had come up trumps again, with a name for Kerry Webb’s travelling companion and the name of the graphics company that Kerry had worked at before she left for America. The company was called ‘D.B Graphics’; it had gone bust a few years ago but Mandy had been able to track down one of the designers that had worked there at the same time as Kerry, a girl called Hannah Tanny. It seemed Ms Tanny remembered Kerry pretty well and had been fairly sure that the man that she had eloped to America with was an American himself, his name…Paul Klossier…which was also the name of the second of the murdered men to be discovered in Florida!
‘My god it has to be her…’ said Carla excitedly. ‘Right Jay we need to find out what happened to Kerry and this Paul Klossier when they arrived in Florida…I mean there’s a lost year and a half…did they stay together all that time?
‘That seems unlikely given Kerry’s history,’ said Frank. ‘I bet they lost touch and then she gets hold of him again on Facebook.’
‘I need to look over the reports that the Florida PD sent over,’ said Jay, ‘I’m pretty certain I remember that he wasn’t with anybody when he was killed, no relationship I mean…so it could be that Frank’s right, I mean there seems to be a pattern forming here doesn’t there?’
‘Right you get on to that Jay, Frank you and I are going to see if Larry Pincher is at Daniel Rushton’s house…’ she filled him in on her interview with Mrs Pincher. ‘I’ve alerted the DCI that we have a missing child and Becky Hale is going to get us a recent photo etc…but my gut feeling is that this little idiot is giving his mum the run around. She thinks he might have gone to Danny’s he’s done it before apparently, so…’
‘Oh so I might get a chance to take a look at the famous Dulcie then,’ said Frank with a leer, Carla had told him all about Dulcie and Duncan.
‘Yes,’ said Carla, ‘but remember I promised I wouldn’t mention her son to Duncan so if you see him not a word ok?’
‘My lips are sealed,’ said Frank zipping up his mouth.
No one responded to the door bell when they rang it half an hour later and Carla had to admit that it certainly looked like there was no one home. The curtains were all drawn and there were no lights visible from inside; however when Carla walked round to the side of the house she could see Dulcie’s little red Volkswagen Polo parked beyond the double gates. She tried the door bell again, still no answer.
‘House is locked up tight,’ said Frank, who had been round to the back, ‘curtains are all drawn so I couldn’t see inside, but it looks to me like they’ve gone away.’
‘Yeh I suppose that could be it,’ mused Carla, ‘although it is still school term time, would be a bit unusual to take a holiday at this time.’
‘Yes well not everybody is as conscientious as you and James about their children’s schooling Carla,’ said Frank wryly. ‘I mean some people have to count the pennies…it is so much cheaper to go away in school term time…maybe that’s what Dulcie’s thought.’
‘Hmm maybe,’ was all Carla said, but Dulcie hadn’t struck her as the type to treat her son to a holiday. Carla hadn’t got a very good impression of Dulcie’s mothering skills, in fact she thought she came across as a bully. Nevertheless there was no more they could do here; obviously Larry Pincher wasn’t hiding at Daniel’s house after all, which meant that on top of everything else she really did have a missing child to deal with. She decided to speak to DCI Drew when they got back…she needed more officers to deal with this, on top of a murder enquiry.
Frank turned the car around and Carla glanced back at the house and drew in a sharp breath…ice ran through her veins…for a minute she was sure she caught a glimpse of Daniel Rushton’s white and terrified face at an upstairs window.
‘STOP…stop the car!’ Frank slammed on the brakes Carla swivelled round trying to get a better view…there was nothing there…she must be more tired than she realised, she shook her head at herself. ‘Sorry, sorry I’m going mad,’ she apologised to Frank who just raised his eyebrows, and carried on down the road.
Daniel sobbed in frustration; it had taken him all the time that the two police officers were looking round the house to work up the courage to make a dash for the window…only to see the car driving away in the split second before his mother’s fist had caught the side of his face, and he had fallen back down to the floor, she had added a few kicks before leaving the room, locking him in again.
CHAPTER 46 – MAGGIE
Thomas and Fiona had hit it off straightaway, as Maggie always suspected they would. Thomas was a natural flirt (he couldn’t help himself) and Fiona needed her ego stroked at least ten times a day.
Obviously Jerry had been doing plenty of stroking, but when the choice is one of flirting with six foot four inches of total hunk, or five foot six inches of salami coloured camp…Fiona definitely preferred the hunk. This suited Maggie perfectly, it kept her mother off her back and actually Thomas seemed to rather enjoying himself so she had no qualms about letting him get on with it.
Jerry on the other hand was not a happy man, and Maggie had heard a few loudly whispered arguments from their room at night, but her mother always seemed to be able to pacify him and they would come down to breakfast all smiles and cuddles again.
The phone call to her father had been a sort of success; he had agreed to let them do the shoot, but only if his new partner Sophie, was acknowledged as the mistress of the house so to speak.
‘I’m not having that woman (as he referred to Fiona) lording it about over Sophie in her own home,’ he had told Maggie when she had spoken to him, ‘your mother has been quite vicious enough about her in the press, so that’s the deal she can take it or leave it,’ he had finished determinedly.
Of course Fiona wasn’t happy. ‘Why on earth would ‘Tres Chic’ magazine want that dumpy little thing on the cover of the magazine, oh that is so typical of your father…never thinking of anyone else but himself.’
‘I thought the shoot was all about the house, not the people in the house,’ said Maggie, trying to keep her patience.
‘Oh well yes of course darling,’ countered Fiona, ‘but it adds an interest you know, if the readers know the house belongs to someone famous…’
‘And you know sweety,’ interrupted Jerry, gazing adoringly at Fiona, ‘your mother can add a touch of glamour to anything…and the readers definitely love that. I don’t know if it’s going to work so well with…what’s her name…Sophie, I mean I know she’s some sort of author so maybe we could use that angle but…’
‘Well I’m afraid my father was pretty definite, it’s Sophie or nothing so you will just have to live with it Mother. Are you planning on travelling to London soon then?’ Maggie added hopefully.
‘Jerry’s going to go without me darling,’ said Fiona smiling at Jerry, ‘I told him I couldn’t leave you…not so close to the wedding…’
‘Oh that’s so sweet of you…but really there is no need for you to stay…I’m sure Jerry would rather have you with him, wouldn’t you Jerry?’ said Maggie desperately.
Jerry opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Fiona saying, ‘No, no, Jerry quite agrees with me that my place is with you darling at this time…don’t you Jerry?’ Jerry just nodded miserably.
So the next morning Tiny arrived with the limousine and Jerry’s bags were loaded into it and he was waved off by Maggie and her mother.
Once Jerry was out of the way Fiona’s flirting with Thomas seemed to move up a gear and it seemed like all you could ever hear in the house was Thomas’s deep voice followed by Fiona’s girlish laughter. Maggie gritted her teeth and told herself that it was only for a little while and threw herself into the last minute wedding preparations.
The wedding itself however was beginning to take on an unreal quality; although Maggie was planning everything, down to the very last almond filled favour, it was like she was doing it for someone else.
In fact whenever she thought about actually walking down the aisle and marrying Thomas, she went into a hot sweat and turned her thoughts to more pleasant subjects… like how cute little Abby was going to look in the adorable dress that Maggie had chosen for her.
The fact that she couldn’t even think about marrying Thomas without feeling physically sick was not lost on her. She knew there was a problem, she just couldn’t think about dealing with it…not right now anyway, so she ignored it and hoped that it would go away.
Thomas himself was not helping matters; he was always too busy or too tired to talk to her these days. Working longer and longer hours and even sometimes staying at his flat rather than coming home.
‘I didn’t want to disturb you darling,’ he would say to Maggie when she questioned him about it. ‘You always look so bloody gorgeous I wouldn’t have been able to keep my hands off you.’
In actual fact Maggie hadn’t minded him staying away for a few nights here and there. Their sex life was becoming a minefield for her. She never knew if she was going to bed with caring gentle Thomas, or Attila the Hun who would ravage her and leave her covered in bruises. Maggie hadn’t told anyone about her problems with Thomas and that in itself was very telling. She was strangely ashamed of the fact that Thomas had been hurting her, almost as if she was responsible for it…and she was feeling for the first time in her life, vulnerable and unsure of herself.
Even Duncan had been too preoccupied to have a gossip with just lately. She had felt awkward with him at Goodwood, not least because of what she thought she heard Dulcie say to her in the ladies, but she hadn’t wanted to cramp his style and no matter what she thought about Dulcie, Duncan obviously liked her so she had backed off. She realised though that she needed to talk to someone, she decided to phone Tracy later, see if she was free to pop round. Her mother was meeting up with an old friend, so she would have the house to herself for once.
On this particular morning Maggie had been out early looking for just the right coloured ribbons to thread through the bridesmaid’s hair. When she had left, Thomas and Fiona had been having a giggly breakfast out on the terrace; they had barely noticed her leaving. The house seemed empty now though, she thought arriving home, everyone must have gone out. She went through to the kitchen putting her bag and keys on the table before switching on the coffee machine. She was just spreading out the different coloured ribbons on the table to compare them, when she heard a noise from upstairs…maybe Thomas was still home, she thought as she idly gathered up the ribbons and walked upstairs.
She peered into her bedroom, but it was empty…then she heard a distinctly familiar giggle coming from her mother’s room at the end of the corridor. She walked along the landing and opened the door…
There in all his naked splendour was Thomas… holding her mother’s equally naked legs wide as he brought her to a climax with his tongue. Neither of them noticed her standing there in the doorway…Thomas being too engrossed in what he was doing and her mother, eyes closed in the throes of ecstasy…the first they became aware of her was when she loudly slammed the door shut behind her as she walked away.
CHAPTER 47 – CARLA
After alerting the press about a missing child, organising a police search and putting out a recent photo of Larry Pincher, Carla made her way home. She had been working round the clock just recently and was completely done in. She was quite surprised to find the whole house lit up and even more so when James came running out to meet her, practically dragging her into the house.
‘Why the fuck don’t you ever turn on your fucking phone?’ he began furiously shouting at her. ‘I have left you I don’t know how many messages…are we so unimportant in your life Carla…are we?’
‘What has happened…please James just tell me…what is it?’ said Carla bewildered and a little scared.
‘Rosie…Rosie hasn’t come home,’ James said simply, he sat down at the kitchen table and put his head in his hands.
Carla’s blood turned to ice in her veins, ‘What do you mean…I don’t understand…home from where…where James?’ she asked again, panic in her voice.
‘Oh god I don’t know…she told me she was going to Alisha’s house for tea, Alisha’s mum was dropping her home afterwards…remember I told you this morning…but then it started getting later and later and she still wasn’t back…so in the end I phoned Alisha’s mum. She didn’t know what I was talking about, Rosie lied to us, she wasn’t going to Alisha’s at all.,’ he said in a broken voice. ‘And now I don’t know where the fuck she is…and YOU,’ he turned on Carla angrily, ‘you can’t even be bothered to answer your fucking phone…we could all be dead somewhere for all you care, if it’s not about your fucking job…’
‘James…JAMES!’ Shouted Carla grabbing him by the arms, ‘you can have a go at me later; but first we have to find Rosie. Did she say anything about going anywhere else…try to think has she been going on about anything or anyone in particular lately?’
James paced around the kitchen running his hands through his hair as he thought, ‘No not really…only that bloody amateur dramatics group and her play, oh and bloody Sally of course…you know that girl in the group that she seems to have taken to…’
‘Where does this Sally live…do we know?’ asked Carla frantically, ‘I’ll get a car to go over there…she may be able to think of somewhere that Rosie might have gone. James, come on think…you must know where she lives.’
‘I don’t think I do…Rosie only ever saw her at the club, I’ve never even met the girl,’ James said as he started rummaging through a pile of papers and letters on the dresser. ‘Where did I put it,’ he mumbled. ‘I know it’s here somewhe…oh yes here it is.’ He held up a leaflet advertising the up and coming play. ‘Andrea’s mobile phone number,’ he explained, ‘she’ll have an address for this Sally girl.’ He was punching in numbers on his phone as he was talking, meanwhile Carla had called Frank and explained the situation, he said he’d be over as soon as possible, and he would alert any mobile officers to be on the lookout. Carla rang off and waited for James to finish his call, he seemed to be having some sort of argument with this Andrea woman.
‘What! Are you sure we’re talking about the same Sally…Rosie is only ten you know…I know she acts a lot older but…yes yes ok. Anyhow do you have an address for this woman…ok thank you that would be great.’ He turned and shook his head at Carla obviously furious about something. ‘Yes I’m still here, ok what was that…26…26 Fairlawns house, Godstone. Great thank you Andrea…and please if you remember anything… yes, yes I know…ok thanks…bye.’
‘What,’ said Carla at his grim expression?
‘This bloody Sally isn’t a little girl that goes to the club,’ he said at last, ‘she’s a thirty five year old Goth, complete with nose rings and tattoos…no wonder Rosie’s been going on about wanting her ears pierced just lately. What fucking thirty five year old makes friends with a ten year old girl, that’s just weird…I’m going to have a word with this Sally woman…’
‘No hang on James, I will send a car round, just give me the address.’ Carla got back on her mobile just as there was a bang on the kitchen door and Frank and Jay walked in.
‘Fucking hell Carla you must be so worried,’ began Frank, he went and put an arm around her shoulders at which point Carla dissolved into tears. Frank soothed her and led her over to one of the chairs at the table.
‘Come on love…sit down I’ll make you a cup of tea…’ he put a hand on James’s arm as he went passed him to the kettle. ‘How are you holding up mate?’ he said.
James just shook his head, ‘I just can’t understand how we didn’t know this Sally was a bloody grown woman, I suppose I just assumed. She just kept going on and on about her all the time…why didn’t I know?’
‘Well I didn’t either,’ said Carla tearfully, ‘and she has been pestering me for a couple of weeks now to let her get her ears pierced…I got so cross with her just yesterday evening. Well I guess we kno
w where she got that idea from now…’
‘What’s this…I don’t follow,’ said Jay looking from one to the other.
‘Oh this bloody Sally that Rosie met at her ‘am dram’ classes…turns out not only is she a thirty five year old woman, but she is a full blown Goth…covered in piercings and tattoos apparently,’ said Frank. ‘I must say I will quite enjoy interviewing her,’ he added coldly.
‘Right let’s get down to business,’ said Jay taking charge, ‘Carla you need to think of every place that she might have gone, friends, relatives, special hiding places…anything, come on you know the drill, we are assuming she’s with this Sally but that may not be the case…I presume you’ve tried her phone?’
‘Yes of course that was the first thing I did,’ said James irritably, ‘it just keeps going to voicemail. I expect the battery’s low again it always is, she’s always forgetting to charge the bloody thing…’
‘Ok well keep trying…you never know she may just pick up…right Frank let’s hit the road…’
‘Hang on I’m coming too,’ said Carla getting her coat.
‘No sweety,’ said Jay taking it from her. ‘You need to stay here…she will probably walk through that door any minute, looking as guilty as hell for putting you through this, you need to be here when she does…ok?’
Carla was about to say that certainly wasn’t ok, when she caught James’s eye, pleading with her not to leave him. ‘Ok,’ she said and sat back down next to James taking his hand.
Frank’s mobile rang as they were about to leave, he spoke for a minute then came back into the kitchen. ‘That was Midge…they’ve just been round to that address you gave them…it doesn’t exist…Fairlawns house only goes up to number 24…there is no 26.
Carla put her head in her hands and gave way to despair.