Little Girl Gone

by Stephen Edger

  Owen looked at the door again. ‘Trent had us knocking on known offenders’ doors all morning. Richmond and Farris called at his, and when he answered the door, he was acting suspiciously, so they exercised caution and went in. They found a child’s cot in the back room, a number of stuffed toys and a digital camera. After reviewing the images on the camera, they discovered Thornby has been taking photographs of children in two local playgrounds, including the one that’s only yards from the Woodside Road car park.’

  Ray slammed his clenched fist onto the table, and this time Owen’s glass wobbled and fell against the varnished top. ‘Was Carol-Anne in the photographs?’

  Owen raised his hands in sympathy. ‘I don’t know, mate, I wasn’t there and the camera is under review with Scientific Services Technicians.’

  ‘Was Carol-Anne at the house? Was there any sign he took her?’

  ‘Listen, Ray, I’ve told you everything I know. Okay? Farris and Richmond have just finished the first interview with Trent observing. It was a standard “No Comment” response from Thornby. He’s in with the duty solicitor now, and then they’ll reconvene.’ Swinging his legs out of the booth, Owen stood unsteadily. ‘Listen, I’ve already been too long. I need to head back. Go home, Ray, and wait for Trent to call there. It’s the best thing you can do right now. Cheers for the drink.’ He paused, fixing Ray with an assured look. ‘We’re even now. No more favours.’

  And before Ray could ask him anything else, Owen headed for the door.

  Instead of following his colleague out, Ray remained where he was, opened his wallet, and pulled out the picture of Carol-Anne he kept in there. Dropping it to the table he buried his head in his hands and wept for the first time since Alex had called yesterday.

  19

  ‘I don’t understand why I feel so nervous,’ Alex mumbled, clutching the hot mug of tea like it was life itself.

  Isla strained a reassuring smile, something she’d been doing all day, and now it seemed to be finally taking its toll. ‘That’s understandable given what you’re about to watch. Just remember that DI Trent will be dealing in cold, hard facts. I know the last thing you want is to relive the memory of what happened yesterday afternoon, but public appeals can do wonders for providing valuable intelligence in cases like this.’

  Alex nodded, watching as Isla turned her attention back to the advertisements, and the clock ticked closer to six. It was hard to believe that twenty-seven hours had already passed since the event that had turned her world upside down. It had felt like time had deliberately slowed as one second dragged into another while they’d waited for further updates from Trent and her team, yet considering it now, it seemed to have flown by. The reality was Alex had little concept of time, trapped in a mournful limbo, somewhere between life and death.

  She’d phoned Ray to see if he would be home for the televised appeal, but he hadn’t answered and according to her phone he had yet to read either of the messages she’d sent him. She wondered if he was still working, if he had actually gone to the gym to work through the stress, or if he was with her.

  Isla turned up the volume as the opening credits rolled and the two presenters introduced themselves, summarizing the headlines. The breath caught in Alex’s throat as Carol-Anne’s face filled the screen, and the newscaster announced a televised appeal for a missing toddler from the area. Alex would have given anything to have Ray at her side, wrapping one of his large arms around her shoulders, telling her everything would be okay.

  The anchor, with his shiny head and tufts of hair above his ears confirmed the two remaining headlines, before the shot cut to him and his female colleague staring directly at her, like they could see her sitting there and were silently judging her lapse of concentration.

  ‘Hampshire police are appealing for witnesses,’ the female began, ‘who were in the city centre around three p.m. yesterday, particularly anyone in the vicinity of the Woodside Road pay-and-display car park. That’s where two-year-old Carol-Anne was last seen, strapped in a child seat in a grey hatchback. Detective Inspector Serena Trent, who is the Senior Investigating Officer on the case, had this to say to reporters earlier. We should warn viewers that the following footage contains flash photography.’

  The scene cut to a table covered with large microphones, behind which sat DI Trent, looking fresher than she had when she’d briefly questioned Alex at the car park yesterday; her hair and make-up clearly fixed for the cameras. Behind her hung two enormous photographs of Carol-Anne: the one Alex had provided and another that Ray must have supplied. Alex’s hand gripped the arm of the sofa as she struggled to breathe.

  Trent cleared her throat. ‘Please look carefully at the beautiful toddler behind me. Carol-Anne is two years old, has bright blonde and curly hair, chestnut-coloured eyes, and an infectious giggle when she is happy. She answers to her name and can say yes and no to questions, though her conversational speech is otherwise limited. Carol-Anne was last seen in the Woodside Road car park at three p.m., by her mother, who was away from the car momentarily, and upon her return Carol-Anne was gone. We are currently reviewing security camera footage from the time period. This is an urgent appeal for anyone who was either in the car park or in the near vicinity at around three yesterday afternoon and may have witnessed someone taking Carol-Anne from the car park.’

  A flurry of camera flashes reflected off the hanging images.

  ‘I also want to appeal directly to the individual who took this innocent little girl. Her parents miss her dearly and want nothing more than for Carol-Anne to be returned unharmed. While abducting and incarcerating a child is a serious crime, if you come forward and return Carol-Anne safely to us, you will be given the opportunity to explain what happened without pre-judgement. We just want this little girl home to her parents before any serious harm befalls her.

  ‘Finally, we would like to appeal to anyone who may know who took Carol-Anne. You would know if one of your friends has suddenly welcomed a young child into their life or home in mysterious circumstances. There is an emergency contact number at the bottom of your screens now where you can pass on information in confidence to one of my officers. This isn’t about apportioning blame or making headlines with a series of arrests; it’s about bringing this little girl home.’

  The two newscasters reappeared on the screen with the two images of Carol-Anne superimposed in the background.

  ‘So, to recap,’ the bald male said directly into the camera, ‘Carol-Anne is two years old, has blonde hair and chestnut brown eyes. Were you in the Woodside Road car park yesterday around three o’clock? Did you see anyone urgently leaving the car park with a little girl who may have been crying? Have you seen Carol-Anne since yesterday afternoon? Carol-Anne is a vulnerable child who needs to be reunited with her parents urgently.’

  ‘Such a horrific crime,’ the woman agreed empathetically. ‘I can only begin to imagine what those poor parents are going through right now.’

  ‘The police hotline will remain on the screen for the rest of the programme,’ the man continued. ‘If you have any information that may aid the police in their investigation, please call as a matter of urgency.’ He paused. ‘And in other news …’

  Isla switched off the television and made eye contact with Alex for the first time since the report had started. ‘I know that can’t have been easy. Do you have any questions about the appeal, or anything you’d like me to raise with DI Trent?’

  Alex stared at her, fighting the urge to yell out in angst. ‘It’s just so …’ she began as her voice cracked under the strain. ‘It’s so-so-so cruel. Who could …?’ The words came out in a high pitch.

  Isla waited for Alex’s stuttering breaths to ease. ‘If my experience has taught me anything, it’s that there are some vicious and sick people out there. People who do unimaginable things that any reasonable person wouldn’t dream of doing. Do you know what? We catch them in the end. It’s not always as efficient as we’d like, but we catch them. Rest assured, nobody wil
l give up on Carol-Anne.’

  The words were empty promises, but Alex appreciated the sentiment.

  Isla glanced up at the clock. ‘We haven’t discussed sleeping arrangements. Every one of these cases is different and your feelings on the subject will undoubtedly be unique to you. As I have been designated as your Family Liaison Officer, I am at your disposal for whatever you require until such time as the case is concluded or I am reassigned. To that end, I can stay here with you tonight and going forward so I can be at your beck and call twenty-four-seven. Some victims prefer their own space, and if you’d prefer I check in to a hotel and return at an agreed time in the morning that’s also fine. It really is up to you. What would you rather I do?’

  Alex dabbed her eyes with a tissue. ‘You want to stay here? As in sleep?’

  Isla nodded. ‘If you’d like me to. If you want space then I can go elsewhere.’

  ‘We don’t have a spare room. There’s only ours and … and Carol-Anne’s.’

  ‘I’ve slept on plenty of couches in my time. I also have an airbed I can inflate if you don’t mind me using the floor in here. I promise I’m very tidy and will live out of a suitcase until we’re done. And I’m house-trained,’ she added with just a hint of a smile.

  ‘Um, yeah, okay, I guess. If you’re happy on the floor then you can stay.’

  Isla clapped her hands together and stood purposefully. ‘Great! Then if you don’t mind, I’ll nip home and pick up a few things and will be back here in an hour?’

  Alex wasn’t really listening, nodding as Isla left the room, the front door closing a moment later.

  20

  Hours had passed since Ray had last smoked, and although the craving was tearing through his mind, he didn’t cave, knowing that Carol-Anne wouldn’t want to see him on a path to selfdestruction. She knew far more than she was able to communicate, and she would know that what he was doing was wrong, and that Mummy wouldn’t like it. She would fire him angry glares whenever he cracked a rude joke about Alex’s cooking, or deliberately went against something she’d asked. How could someone so young be so worldly-wise and see through the façade of bravado that he had cultivated for so many years? How could one so innocent hold the key to his heart and well-being without intending it?

  Plenty of people had told him that parenthood would change him, and he hadn’t believed them. He’d acknowledged the guidance and had accepted that they were probably right, although he hadn’t expected it to have had such a profound effect on him. Carol-Anne’s birth had put a lot in perspective, and accepting that she was gone just wasn’t something he was able to do. It had only been a day, but deep down he couldn’t escape the feeling that he would never see her again. Maybe it was as a result of what he had witnessed over the years as a serving officer; in truth he’d already pictured himself leaving flowers at a plaque in a graveyard.

  He was grateful when his phone clattered to life on the table – until he realized who was calling. He was tempted to ignore it, but to do so would only result in a worse outcome.

  ‘Hi, sis,’ he sighed, as he put the phone to his ear.

  Eight years older than Ray, his sister Verity could be a hard woman to ignore; built like a sumo wrestler and with a voice capable of chilling the bones of any man at fifty paces, she was the epitome of the idiom, ‘You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family’. The significant age gap hadn’t helped them build a close relationship growing up, and their father’s death last year had only served as a further divide between the siblings. He knew she meant well; however, she was terrible at showing her caring side, coming across as an interfering battle-axe to all who met her.

  ‘Raymond? Tell me what I just saw on the news is a terrible mistake.’

  Ray glanced at his watch; the public appeal must have aired, and now Verity would want to know why he hadn’t phoned her to tell her about Carol-Anne’s abduction.

  ‘She’s missing. It’s true. I’m sorry I didn’t—’

  ‘Oh Raymond, you poor darling. You must be devastated.’

  ‘The best officers in the force are searching for her. They’ll get her back,’ he said, unable to convince himself that he was telling the truth.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ve packed my bags and I will be over as soon as Henry is back with the car.’

  His eyes widened. The last thing he needed was Verity complicating the already stressful dynamic between him and Alex. ‘No, please, that really isn’t necessary.’

  ‘Nonsense! At times like these you need family around you. I won’t hear another word about it.’

  ‘Please, Verity, it isn’t that I don’t appreciate your offer of support, it’s just—’

  ‘I presume you’re still working?’ she said curtly.

  ‘Well, yes, I am, but—’

  ‘So there’s nobody home looking after Alex during this nightmare? Who better than me to provide the love and support she needs?’

  He could picture Alex waving her arms frantically at the prospect of being stuck for hours on end with Verity; the two had never seen eye-to-eye on anything, and Verity’s arrival would be like pouring petrol on a bonfire.

  Ray squeezed the bridge of his nose, searching for a polite way to put her off. ‘What will Henry do without you? He needs your love and support more right now.’ Using his brotherinlaw’s recent diagnosis didn’t feel right, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

  ‘He’ll manage. There’s plenty of food in the freezer he can reheat while I’m away.’

  ‘What if he takes a turn for the worse? You’d hate yourself if something terrible happened and you could have prevented it had you been there. Believe me, nobody knows that better than I do right now.’

  A hesitation.

  Ray crossed his fingers, hoping it had been enough.

  ‘No,’ she eventually declared. ‘He will just have to manage without me. He’s a grown man for goodness’ sake, and the nurse said he has Type 2 diabetes, which means as long as he’s careful with what he eats, nothing bad will happen.’

  Ray slapped his own forehead in defeat. ‘I’m sorry, Verity … I didn’t want to say this, but you’ve left me no choice. The police have told us that we need to act as if nothing has changed. That’s why they didn’t mention us by name in the appeal tonight. The thing is,’ he paused, pushing the mouthpiece closer so he could whisper, ‘they think we’re under surveillance.’

  The shock was apparent in her voice. ‘By whom?’

  ‘I can’t say, I’m sorry, in fact I’ve already said too much; I just hope I haven’t now put you in any danger.’

  ‘I don’t understand what’s going on, Raymond—’

  ‘That’s probably for the best. Just trust me, sis, please. I’ll explain when all this is over.’

  ‘And is Alex okay? She’s not had a relapse of her—’

  ‘She’s coping as well as can be expected under the circumstances. Listen, I know I should have called you yesterday and told you what had happened. I was instructed to keep the information on a need-to-know basis.’

  ‘Will you at least send Alex our love? I remember how awkward it was when all that nasty business occurred last time. What was the name of those drugs the doctor gave her?’

  ‘She’s fine, Verity. She hasn’t had any kind of relapse. Listen, I really have to go, my boss is calling on the other line.’

  ‘If you’re sure there’s nothing else I can—’

  ‘I’m sure. Thank you for calling, and I’ll keep you posted.’ He hung up before she could argue anymore. At least he’d averted one crisis.

  He checked his messages as another threatened to blow up in his face.

  21

  Fifty minutes after the appeal, Alex found herself in the kitchen, stirring some soup as it simmered in the pan. She caught a glimpse of one of her neighbours across the street, wheeling his bin to the bottom of the driveway ahead of the morning’s collection. Before turning to head back to his door, he looked across at her. Wi
th the kitchen light on, he’d be able to see her and the immediate area behind her. He made no effort to wave or come across; he just stood there, watching.

  It had to have been the news. He must have recognized Carol-Anne’s picture or name and realized exactly who she was, why she’d looked so familiar. The appeal had gone out on the regional news. Anyone who was tuned in at that time – which could easily amount to thousands, if not hundreds of thousands – would have seen it. The average viewer would have no idea that Carol-Anne was her daughter, although most in this street would, including the neighbour now shaking his head disapprovingly.

  Alex’s response was to lower the blind, shutting out the rest of the neighbours who were probably sitting in their living rooms debating what a terrible mother she was. Suddenly her memory flooded with every confrontation she’d had with her neighbours, whether it was over parking spaces in the street when friends had visited, or too much noise during the early parties they’d hosted, or waking other children with late-night spontaneous fireworks. She could picture each neighbour she’d argued with now judging her behaviour and saying to their partner, ‘I never did like that woman’.

  Alex looked down at the soup, her appetite waning. She needed to battle through it and eat something, even if it was just to keep Isla off her back later. Tipping the pan over a bowl, she watched as the warm red soup splashed against the sides, before tearing a slice of bread and dropping it in. Then placing the bowl onto a tray with a spoon, she carried it through to the living room.

  Her phone flashed on the coffee table where she’d left it. Placing the tray on the cushion next to her, she unlocked the screen, expecting to see a response from Ray. Instead she saw close to a hundred notifications from her Facebook and Twitter apps. Confused, she opened the Facebook app and saw messages and wall posts from a host of people she’d never met. Isla had warned her of the potential backlash to the appeal, but how had so many strangers worked out so quickly that she was Carol-Anne’s mother?