by Carol Wyer
‘A small black car outside the dance school at about three thirty or three forty. Any chance you picked up such a vehicle on ANPR or CCTV?’ Natalie paced the office floor, aware time was racing by and they were no closer to uncovering the murderer.
‘No, guv.’ Ian was looking as downbeat as Natalie felt.
Natalie ceased her pacing. ‘I wonder if our possible witness really did see Rainey or just thought they did. We have the forensic evidence that puts Rainey at Monks Walk. There were fibres in the shrubbery where she entered. I think they were mistaken.’
‘What if she didn’t come into Monks Walk via the bushes but was trying to get out?’ Ian suggested. ‘How about if someone dropped her off at the dance school, or even the entrance to Monks Walk, and she tried to flee from them?’
Murray spoke up. ‘No. We’d have spotted her on the library CCTV. That makes no sense either.’
‘No, it might make sense,’ Ian reasoned. ‘Especially if she got picked up by the dance school and dropped off near Monks Walk and avoided the camera.’
‘Nah. That’d mean two people were involved: one who collected her from school and let her out at the dance school, and another who picked her up there and set her down a little way along the road,’ said Lucy.
Ian rested the back of his head against the top of his chair, staring at the strip lights above him. ‘Yeah. You’re right. The witness is mistaken. Rainey wasn’t there and didn’t get into a car. We’d have some way of tracking her if she’d been anywhere on St Chad’s Road.’
Natalie spoke. ‘I have to agree. It makes far more sense if Rainey walked home using the shortcut that Lucy discovered, and ended up coming into the back of Monks Walk via the gap in the bushes. The witness was mistaken.’
‘It wastes time when we have to check out these false leads,’ said Ian.
‘We still have to follow them up. Just in case,’ Natalie replied.
Exhaustion was setting in. It was visible on the strained faces in front of her. ‘I’m calling a break. Go grab a sandwich, pint, a walk, whatever you want. We’ll meet up again in an hour. We need some time out.’ She scraped back her chair and stood up.
Murray stretched and yawned. ‘You staying in?’ he asked as he flung his jacket over one shoulder.
‘No. I’ll nip out in a minute.’ Natalie waited until the office was empty and then dialled David. It went to answerphone. She texted Leigh, asking what she was up to, and sent another message to Josh. There was no instant reply from either of them. She shoved the mobile in her bag and headed off outside.
The green near Samford Police Headquarters was mostly used as a cut-through to a housing estate but on the more pleasant days was a spot frequented by employees of the many businesses scattered on the enormous business park surrounding it. One of the companies, a construction firm, had dug out a decent-sized reservoir and erected a sculpture in the middle of it, along with a walkway around it. Natalie chose to follow the circular path and give her mind a chance to digest the facts. The problem was she didn’t have enough information to act upon. Ava’s body had been uncovered and Audrey and Rainey were now both dead, strangled like Ava, and all of them wearing yellow dresses. Without a doubt the cases were connected but who was behind them?
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she lifted it to her ear, waiting to hear the excited jabbering of her daughter, the most likely of the three to call her, but it wasn’t Leigh. The voice was urgent and fearful. It was Howard Franks.
‘Natalie. Sage has disappeared. She went to her friend Louise’s house about an hour ago and hasn’t come home.’
Thirty-Two
SATURDAY, 29 APRIL – AFTERNOON
Howard’s face said it all. It was contorted as if in great pain, the corners of his mouth pulled downwards. There was an edginess to his movements that had not been apparent during other meetings, a nervous tightening and untightening of his hands, and his eyes darted crazily from left to right as if to suddenly alight upon his daughter.
His house, a simple semi-detached, was the last at the end of a row of similar properties on Lavender Rise and bordered a lane that led away from Uptown. A bright red phone box opposite his home and a signpost stating the village of Garrington was seven miles from this spot were the last indicators of civilisation as the main tarmac road ebbed away into lesser B-road, flanked by tall hedgerows that created an impression of an ever-narrowing route that came to a full stop in the distance.
Natalie stood by the sitting room window that overlooked the road. It was a comfortable, homely room furnished in good taste and cluttered with knick-knacks and china ornaments only a woman could have purchased. She studied the photograph Howard now held out to her. It was of him, his wife and their two daughters, each mini copies of their mother with high brows, sparkling green eyes and soft, light-brown hair that tumbled in curls. The youngest, Kerry, was only about two in the picture. Howard had the widest smile Natalie had ever seen. One hand was placed on his wife’s shoulder in an easy gesture that was not merely posing for the camera.
‘She’s wearing that necklace,’ he said. The necklace was a silver locket bearing a delicate pattern and Sage’s name engraved across it. ‘It contains a photo of her mother. She only puts it on at weekends. She’s in a pink, check shirt dress, a blue denim jacket and white, laceless trainers. This is a more recent photo of her.’ He pulled out his phone and scrolled to a picture of her smiling softly. His face crumpled again. ‘Oh God. The number of times I’ve been in your position, trying to locate a missing person, and now, the horror is mine.’
Natalie put a hand on his arm. ‘Howard, we’re on this. The team are already canvassing the street and we’ve officers searching the route she took with Louise. We’ve got people interviewing Louise and her family and all of Sage’s friends. You did the right thing contacting us immediately. We haven’t lost much time. Try not to stress too much. I know they sound like empty words but they’re not. The more focused you are, the better the chance we have of locating her. Can you run through what happened again for me, please?’
‘Louise Harbourn lives on the road behind this one, in Larkspur Close. She came by half an hour after we returned from swimming with her new puppy, Benji. She asked if Sage could go back to her house to play with the dog. I agreed and told Sage not to be too long because we had to go and pick up Kerry from my mother’s. I watched them set off, then my mother rang me, so I went back inside to talk to her. Kerry, my youngest, wanted to stay with her grandma for an extra couple of hours so she could watch a Disney film. I checked my watch. It was two thirty on the dot. I said it was fine and I’d pick Kerry up at five to give them plenty of time.’
He raked his fingers through his hair and then rubbed his scalp before continuing. ‘I put the dishwasher on and went upstairs to sort out the girls’ rooms. They’re supposed to keep them tidy but they only do half a job. I was about twenty minutes in Sage’s room, picking up clothes and toys, and when I looked at my watch I was surprised to find it was already gone three.’
He drew a lengthy breath. ‘I became a little agitated. It wasn’t like Sage to lose track of time. She knew we had to collect Kerry and had no idea her sister was staying for longer than planned, so she ought to have returned. I went around to fetch her. Louise told me Sage had left twenty minutes earlier to come home. It’s two minutes away. That’s all. Two minutes. There’s a grassy path that passes to the left side of our house next to the brook, and from there you can reach Larkspur Close. I returned, thinking maybe she’d come back the longer route along the road, but she wasn’t here, and then… then I knew something terrible had happened and I rang you.’
Natalie kept a steady gaze on him. He was about to fall apart and she needed him to keep clear-headed. His recollections were vital. ‘Did you hear any traffic pass by when you were inside?’
‘After I finished talking to my mother, I turned on the radio,’ he said. ‘It was quite loud.’
‘You didn’t glimpse anything or any
one from the window?’
‘No.’
‘This is going to sound awful but Sage wouldn’t have deliberately run off, would she?’
A pitiful sound escaped his lips. ‘No. We are sound. She and I are best buddies. More so since her mum passed away.’
‘She hasn’t been upset recently?’
‘No. You saw her at the pool. She’s quite cheerful at the moment.’
‘Have you been threatened by anyone either recently or in the past? Has anyone ever suggested they’d harm you or your family?’
He shook his head and a solitary tear rolled down his face.
‘We’re going to do everything, and I mean everything, to get her back, okay?’
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down several times before he could speak again. ‘Do you think it’s because of Ava Sawyer? I was the investigating officer and I didn’t find her. Audrey and Rainey, who were at the birthday, have died and now Sage has been taken.’
‘We can’t leap to conclusions, Howard. You know that, although we’ll obviously be mindful of it. We’ll explore every angle and set up taps on your phone in case anyone tries to contact you and demand a ransom. I’m going to leave you with the liaison officer and will come back as soon as I can.’
It was hard to tear away from the man who was clearly in shock and despair.
‘I want to help search for her.’
‘You can’t. You must stay here in case this is a kidnapping. Or in case she returns.’
Her words had the desired effect and he sat down. ‘Okay.’
The street outside was busy with officers and vehicles. The dog unit van had manoeuvred into a space in front of her car and was parked on the grassy verge opposite the houses. Howard had already pulled out some of Sage’s clothes for the hounds to pick up a scent. The neighbourhood was awash with activity. Lucy was talking to the next-door neighbour. She came away from the door and, catching sight of Natalie, shook her head. Natalie refused to accept the person who’d taken Sage had not been seen. He wasn’t the invisible man and the police had arrived on the scene very quickly. Ian was already examining ANPR points in the area. If the kidnapper’s vehicle was on any of them, they’d find him.
Murray approached her. ‘Not looking hopeful.’
‘It’s a quiet road. It’d be most unusual if one of the residents didn’t spot something, and if nobody saw any unusual activity, then I’m guessing whoever took Sage didn’t drive down Lavender Rise and then follow the lane,’ she said, turning to check the route. The main road curved to the right and disappeared from view. She looked towards the lane. ‘They might have come from the direction of Garrington, turned around and headed back that way.’
‘And made a three-point turn in the road?’
Natalie chewed on a thumbnail. ‘No. You’re right. That’s quite risky and might have drawn attention to their vehicle. They’re more likely to have driven into Larkspur Close, which runs parallel with this road, and parked up there, then taken the cut-through by the brook and waited around Howard’s house. It’s unlikely this was a spur-of-the-moment act. The perpetrator wasn’t just “passing by”, saw Sage and decided to snatch her. They planned this. Either they parked in the close or hid a vehicle somewhere, up an empty driveway, maybe?’
‘What about the cut-through? Could they have hidden along there?’
Natalie and Murray walked to the trodden-down pathway. It was a narrow grass strip, large enough for one person to walk along, that ran alongside a small stream. Natalie strode ahead. To her left were tall fence panels painted dark green that enclosed Howard’s garden and prevented anyone from peering in. To the right of the path and down a slight slope, the crystal-clear water babbled over smooth pebbles. They continued past Howard’s garden. Where his fence panels ended, new, brown ones began. The house behind his was equally shielded from view. A few more paces and the path opened into the turning circle at the bottom of a cul-de-sac, with houses to the left and right. Louise’s house was on the bend to the right. Natalie observed the two officers walking up pathways, gathering information from residents.
‘It’s possible to park up here,’ she said. ‘Look at the number of cars strewn about. I bet the kidnapper could have left their vehicle anywhere along this road and driven away undetected. What I don’t get is how they knew Sage had gone out.’
‘They might have been hanging around here,’ said Murray.
‘No. Too risky. And if they’d been lurking on that path between Lavender Rise and this road, they’d have been at risk of being spotted.’
She turned around and began pacing back to Howard’s house, checking left and right. There was nowhere for anyone to hide. When they reached the main road once more, she faced Murray and, cocking her head to one side, asked, ‘How could the perp know Sage was outside and alone? Were they watching the house?’ Natalie turned a full circle slowly. ‘What about that phone box?’
‘What about it? It’s one of those old-fashioned ones. I’m surprised there are still boxes like that around,’ Murray said.
‘They were put out of commission a few years ago and the phones removed.’ She tapped her chin thoughtfully. ‘When you get used to seeing something every day, it blends into its surroundings. What if somebody was actually standing inside the cubicle, casing Howard’s house? Howard might not have noticed anyone, especially if the person inside didn’t move. The abductor might have waited there before, hoping for such an opportunity. They might even have dragged Sage into the box for a while until he could escape with her, maybe after Howard went running off in search of her. Where’s Mike?’
‘He’s not here.’
‘Anyone from Forensics?’
‘On their way.’
‘When they arrive, ask them to check out that phone box and also get background checks on all these neighbours and those in Larkspur Close. Someone knew Sage went off with Louise, and that person could only have known if they’d seen her go.’
She returned to the house and called out, ‘Howard. Does anyone use this old phone box?’
He appeared immediately. ‘No. It’s empty. The locals wanted the structure left. Something to do with bygone British. There’s a campaign to have a defibrillator installed inside it so it’ll be more useful. I know what you’re thinking. I opened the door and looked inside just in case Sage was hiding there or worse. Nothing there.’
‘I’m thinking the person who took your daughter might have been spying on you. I’m going to get Forensics to examine it.’
‘Thank you. The thought hadn’t crossed my mind. I was so concerned about Sage. Who’d be watching me?’
‘I don’t know but it’s a possibility we can’t ignore.’
The dog handlers were approaching the house and she made way for them.
‘Speak to you later,’ she added as she hastened away. Time was of the essence.
Thirty-Three
SATURDAY, 29 APRIL – AFTERNOON
Superintendent Aileen Melody stood at the back of her office, arms folded, head resting against the wall. Natalie stood opposite her. Following the news about Sage, Aileen had come into work and wanted an immediate update. Natalie had left her team, who were frantically collecting information two floors below, to get Aileen up to speed.
‘This has to be connected to the disappearance of Ava Sawyer. What about her family? Have you spoken to all of her relatives?’
Natalie had done little else since she’d returned to the office. She and Ian had contacted everyone related to the girl, while Murray had run checks on every household member in Larkspur Close and Lavender Rise.
‘Beatrice has been staying with her mother in Sheffield since Thursday. She’s not left the house other than to go to town accompanied by her mother. Beatrice’s father remarried several years ago and lives on the Isle of Wight. He hasn’t been back to the mainland in the past year. Carl Sawyer has an alibi for the days the girls were killed and also for today. He was at a football match with a friend until an hour ago.
He doesn’t have any close family connections. His older brother, Pete, works on an oil platform in the Hebrides and hasn’t visited Carl in months. Carl’s parents are both deceased and he isn’t close to his only other living relatives—two uncles who live in the south of the country. That doesn’t really leave us with many relatives who might be out for revenge.’
Aileen gave her a disapproving look at odds with her gentle Irish lilt. ‘I know you’re in charge but I can’t fathom out who else could be responsible. The killer went after two girls who attended Harriet’s party and has now taken Howard’s daughter. It’s no coincidence. Howard was in charge of the investigation. I’m presuming the perpetrator snatched Sage because he couldn’t get his hands on any of the remaining girls who attended the party in 2015. Whichever way we look at it, it comes back to that event in 2015.’
‘I know it appears that way but I can’t shake off the feeling there’s something else we’ve missed or haven’t yet established. I’m following up every lead and every piece of information. You have to trust me on this.’
Aileen pushed herself away from the wall with a sigh. ‘I don’t need to remind you this is a high-profile case, and if you aren’t able to deliver results very soon, I’ll have to find somebody else to handle it. Have it your way for now but we need results and we must find Sage Franks – alive.’
‘I know. I want that more than anything. We’ve got search parties, dogs and a helicopter out. The missing persons team is handling that side of it. We’re doing what we can to identify and track down the perpetrator.’
Aileen pressed her elegant fingers against her forehead. ‘And you have no clear idea of who it might be? No suspects? Nothing?’
‘It’s not proving easy.’ Natalie bit back what she really wanted to say, that she needed to end this pointless conversation and return to the action downstairs. Aileen knew witnesses and suspects couldn’t be conjured up from thin air and it took time to establish alibis. If she’d come in on her day off, it was because she was under pressure from her superiors to resolve the case. Nothing put fear into the general public more than a child killer on the loose. Aileen must have picked up on her tone and dismissed her with a sigh.