‘What is it?’ Mac asked bluntly.
‘You got a message from…?’
Jay Dee’s face showed his distress and Mac had to remind himself that he was a scummy pimp.
‘Yes I got a message and someone isn’t happy. Tell me,’ Mac ordered sternly.
‘I was only sure when I went around there this morning, please tell him it wasn’t my fault,’ Jay Dee pleaded.
‘Tell him yourself, I just need to know what you know.’
‘I went round there yesterday and her bed hadn’t been slept in. She didn’t turn up for work last night so I asked around and no-one’s seen her. When I checked this morning and her bed hadn’t been slept in again I phoned my boss.’
Mac was certain that Mr. C wouldn’t take the delay in letting him know kindly.
‘You’ve lost another girl?’ Mac asked.
Jay Dee nodded.
‘I didn’t tell anyone straight away, I was still hoping she’d turn up, I mean all her clothes and stuff are still there. Anyway, the guy who was killing all the girls is dead, isn’t he?’
‘What’s her name?’ Mac asked brusquely.
‘It’s Chanelle, Chanelle Burdon.’
For some reason Mac had been praying that it wasn’t her. Mac could picture her clearly in his mind, a young pretty girl who said she’d had bad luck. She feared that something bad was about to happen and it was beginning to look like she’d been right.
‘Who saw her last?’ Mac asked.
‘She was working with a new girl called Kate, she moved in after Kayla….after she went.’
‘She’s staying at Chanelle’s? Is she there now?’
‘Yes I just rang her, I was still hoping that Chanelle might have turned up.’
‘Anything else?’
‘No sorry that’s all I know. Please tell him I did my best, it wasn’t my fault.’
Mac turned to go and then turned back again.
‘Where are your family from?’ he asked.
‘From Andra Pradesh in India,’ Jay Dee replied, looking puzzled.
‘You still have family there?’
Jay Dee nodded.
‘If I were you I’d pay them an immediate visit. A very, very long visit, understand?’
Jay Dee understood all right. He raced upstairs to pack.
Back out on the pavement Tommy said, ‘God that guy was frightened to death, wasn’t he?’
‘He was. He was figuring that the guy he works for might think that one girl going missing might be an accident but two…’
‘Might be carelessness?’ Tommy suggested.
‘No thinking more like a death sentence. His boss is not the forgiving kind.’
‘Bloody hell! Remind me never to take up pimping for a living,’ Tommy observed.
‘Mr. Jay Dee might well be wishing someone had reminded him of that too if they catch him before he makes his flight. Anyway he’s not our problem, we’ve got a young girl missing, let’s concentrate on that.’
Mac could just about remember the way to Chanelle’s. The door was open when they arrived and they surprised a young blonde haired girl who was standing behind it. Mac could see a couple of suitcases behind her in the hallway. Tommy showed her his warrant card.
‘I’m sorry, I thought you were the taxi man,’ she said in heavily accented English.
‘We’re investigating the disappearance of Chanelle Burdon and we believe you were the last person to see her. Can we go inside?’
‘But the taxi?’
‘You can order another one, this is important.’
She reluctantly led them into the living room.
‘I can’t tell you much,’ she said defensively.
‘Just tell us what you know,’ Mac said gently.
The door knocked and Mac gestured for Tommy to go and deal with the taxi driver.
‘Okay, the night before the last one, we were on our street corner and around nine thirty I got a job and I had to leave Chanelle by herself. When I got back she’d gone and, at first I thought that she’d got a job too, but then when she didn’t turn up that night I told Jay Dee. That’s it.’
‘Did you see anyone hanging around where you work, perhaps a car parked down the road?’
‘No nothing like that, honestly I saw nothing.’
‘I take it you’re going somewhere?’
Kate crinkled her face in disgust.
‘As far away from here as I possibly can. I’ll be in Warsaw in a couple of hours. I thought coming here would be a great adventure but it’s just a pig sty. We have those too in Poland but at least its home and girls don’t just disappear.’
Tommy came back in.
‘He’s waiting for you.’
‘Can I go now?’ she asked sullenly.
‘Yes can you give us your name and address in Poland before you go please.’
‘Okay but you won’t let Jay Dee know?’ she asked nervously.
Mac reassured her that Jay Dee would never know and Tommy dutifully wrote the details down.
Outside they watched the taxi disappear.
‘Anything?’ Tommy asked
‘No, nothing. Come on back to the station, Dan will want to hear about this.’
Back at the station Dan was catching up on paperwork when Mac told him the news. Dan got up from behind his desk and started walking up and down as he thought through what he’d been told.
‘Okay, Tommy I know it’s Saturday but call around and get the team together and bring them up to date. I’m going to tell the boss that we’re opening this case up again whether he likes it or not.’
Mac grinned as Dan strode determinedly out of the door. Tommy and Martin phoned around the team. Within half an hour they were all assembled and seemingly excited about being on the case again. Dan strode in looking serious but his face broke out into a smile as he addressed his team.
‘Game on,’ he said. ‘Okay Martin get me a print out of all the pharmaceutical companies in the Cambridge area, Mary and Buddy I want you to go and interview all the girls we have addresses for and then interview anyone else who’s plying their trade this evening. Someone must have seen something. Adil…’
Dan’s words were interrupted by Tommy’s phone going off. Got his call at last, Mac thought. He was surprised when Tommy passed the phone to him. There was a text message on the screen –
‘Coming in HRA at three have poss got some info Sammy N’
Bloody hell, Sammy Newell! Mac had nearly forgotten all about him.
‘Dan I’m sorry but I think Tommy and I might have a lead, that medical researcher is back from holiday, he’s coming into Heathrow Airport in a couple of hours.’
Dan grinned broadly.
‘Well, what are you waiting for?’
‘Get a fast car with a siren,’ Mac ordered as they walked to the car park. ‘I’ve got a feeling this is going to be a good day.’
Tommy drove them straight on to the M1 motorway and then into the mad dash of the M25. Even on a Saturday afternoon the traffic slowed them down forcing Tommy to put on the siren from time to time. While they drove Mac contacted the airport police on Tommy’s phone and requested help in getting Sammy off the plane as quickly as possible. They kept asking if he was a suspect of some sort and Mac had to assure them several times that he wasn’t a terrorist but a medical witness in an important case. They eventually got the message.
In no time at all they were in the arrivals lounge waiting for Sammy Newell to appear. They didn’t have to wait long. An electric buggy approached with a policeman holding a sub-machine gun sitting in the back seat. A sandy haired man in his early thirties with a huge grin on his face was sitting in the passenger seat. His face said thirty but his expression said twelve.
Mac introduced himself and Tommy to Sammy.
‘God that was absolutely awesome,’ Sammy said enthusiastically. ‘Less than ten minutes it took. Whoosh through passports and security, bags waiting for me. You guys can pick me up any time you like.’
Tommy helped Sammy with the bags to the police car which was parked on double yellows right outside Arrivals. Mac was just about to get in the front passenger seat when he saw a look of keen disappointment on Sammy’s face.
‘Are we going to have sirens?’ he asked.
Mac smiled and let Sammy sit in the front. He decided he was definitely thirty going on twelve.
‘Take me to the Royal Free, driver,’ Sammy excitedly ordered.
Tommy gave Mac an amused glance and they set off.
‘What have you got for us Sammy?’ Mac asked.
Mr. Newell seemed a bit formal in his case.
‘Can we please not talk about it?’ Sammy pleaded. ‘It’s just a tickle at the back of my mind if I try and think about it too hard it might disappear. I need to get back to my computer at the hospital, that’s where I do my best thinking.’
Mac said no more. In a funny sort of way he knew what Sammy meant. Sometimes memories can be so elusive that they need to sidled up to rather than chased after. Traffic going into London wasn’t that bad and Mac wasn’t sure if they really needed to have the siren on quite so often. However both Tommy and Sammy seemed to enjoying themselves.
Tommy parked right outside the front doors and they followed Sammy into the hospital. They went up to the fourth floor and Sammy unlocked the office next to the one they’d interviewed Dr. Olsen in.
‘There it is, isn’t she gorgeous?’ Sammy asked.
He waved in the direction of a desk that had two very large monitor screens, a keyboard, and some games controllers. Mac couldn’t figure out what Sammy was referring to until Sammy squatted down and lovingly stroked a clear plastic box full of technology that was positioned under the desk.
‘Bloody hell what have you got in there?’ Tommy asked.
‘Made it myself, this is one of the most powerful babies you’ll ever come across,’ Sammy replied as he pressed a button on the computer. He exchanged some computer jargon with Tommy that meant absolutely nothing to Mac.
All Tommy could say was ‘Wow’.
‘I’d be grateful if you’d leave me to it gents. I’ll text you if I come up with something,’ Sammy said.
As they waited for the lift Mac said, ‘You looked quite impressed by that box. I must admit it didn’t look that fantastic to me.’
‘It’s not the box, it’s what’s in it. I’ve heard of people building their own computers, mostly for gaming, and some of them are insanely powerful but that is the best I’ve ever actually seen. God I’d love to have a go on it.’
Mac looked up to the heavens, boys and their toys, he thought.
‘Come on, stop dribbling and let’s go get a coffee.’
As they walked towards the café Mac noticed Tommy kept looking around as if hoping someone would turn up.
‘She only works every second Saturday,’ Mac said.
‘And is this a second…’ Tommy stopped in mid-sentence, his face reddening as he realised he’d been rumbled.
‘I take it that phone call you’ve been waiting for was from my daughter.’
Tommy nodded.
‘Well I rang her, just to see if she’d remembered anything and I just mentioned that we could discuss it over dinner if she liked. She didn’t say no but unfortunately she didn’t say yes either. She said she’d have to check her work rota first.’
‘If you go and get us some sandwiches I’ll put you out of your misery.’
Mac got out his phone and called his daughter. The phone rang for a while before a sleepy sounding Bridget answered.
‘Sorry love, did I wake you?’ Mac asked.
‘It’s alright Dad, we had some emergencies yesterday and I had to work late. Where are you?’
‘I’m at the hospital, back on the case. Sammy texted us and we picked him up from Heath Row. We’re just waiting for him to come up with something.’
‘Sammy’s back then? Good, if anyone will know something he will. You said ‘we’?’
‘Yes, Tommy’s with me.’
‘Oh good,’ Mac thought Bridget sounded a bit strange. ‘Can you put him on?’
Tommy arrived with a tray of sandwiches and coffees.
‘She wants to speak to you,’ Mac said.
‘Really?’ now it was Tommy’s turn to sound strange.
‘I need the loo,’ Mac said diplomatically.
He went to the toilet and peeked around the door before coming out to make sure Tommy had finished talking. He had. Mac knew it had gone well for him because when Mac got back to the table Tommy just sat there in some sort of dream with a big, sloppy smile on his face.
‘I take it went well then?’ Mac asked.
Tommy shook his head in disbelief.
‘She said yes, I mean it’s only dinner, but…Oh sorry Mac, I mean she’s your daughter and all.’
‘Don’t worry, Bridget is like her mother, nothing I could ever say would change her mind. Anyway I think she could do a lot worse,’ he said as he tucked into a cheese sandwich.
‘Do you really mean that Mac?’ Tommy asked.
Mac nodded.
‘I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.’
‘Well…’ Mac was interrupted by Tommy’s phone. Tommy took a look and then showed it to Mac.
‘Got it S’
‘Come on what are we waiting for?’ Mac said, wrapping the remaining half of his sandwich in a paper napkin.
Chapter Twenty Two
Sammy was busy blowing up spaceships on two screens when they made it back to his office. Mac turned around and saw Tommy behind him with his mouth open and eyes glazed.
‘Wow!’ was all Tommy said.
Mac looked up to the heavens.
‘Mr. Newell, Sammy, you said you found something?’ he said raising his voice so he might be heard above the sound of exploding metal.
Sammy tore himself away from his game and a picture of a handsome, grey haired man in his fifties appeared on the screen.
‘Sorry, it took me a while to locate the memory. This is the guy who mentioned a hibernation drug, it was just a comment in passing. It was after a seminar and we’d all had quite a few beers. He said he’d actually seen it in action in a lab somewhere, Eastern Europe I think he said.’
Mac and Tommy exchanged looks.
‘Who is he?’ Mac asked.
‘His name is Professor Bartholomew Moran but I think people call him Barry.’
‘How do you know him?’
‘We’ve corresponded a fair bit over the web, as we’re in the same field, but I only ever met him the once. It was at a seminar in Los Angeles a couple of years ago and, when someone mentioned hibernation, he told us this story about how he’d seen the drug in action on mice. It had some bad side effects, if I remember right, but he was quite astounded that it worked at all.’
‘Is he based in the US?’
‘No, no. He works at the Life Sciences department at UCL. He’s a director or something.’
‘The UCL here in London?’ Mac asked hopefully.
‘Yes, somewhere on the Tottenham Court Road I think.’
‘Can you get me his number?’ Tommy interjected.
A couple of seconds later a number appeared on the screen. Mac looked at his watch. It was four thirty. Mac thought they’d be lucky to get him at his office at this time on a Saturday. Tommy rang the number and got the professor’s secretary. They were lucky.
‘This is Saturday young man, and the professor sees no-one on Saturday,’ she said starchily.
Tommy explained the urgency of the situation and a few seconds later a man answered. He had a soft Irish voice.
‘I’m sorry,’ the Professor said, ‘my secretary is somewhat protective of me as it’s my day to catch up on things. How can I help?’
Tommy explained again.
‘Can we come and see you right now?’ he asked.
‘Of course,’ the Professor replied and gave an address and directions to his office.
‘Oka
y Mac let’s go,’ Tommy said.
They both thanked Sammy who had already resumed playing his game.
On their way out Tommy stopped and turned. ‘You’re not one of the Free Wizards are you?’
‘You bet,’ Sammy replied without turning.
‘I’m thoroughly impressed, really nice to meet you.’
Sammy replied with a raised fist without missing a move.
As they walked back to the car Mac asked, ‘What’s all that about Free Wizards?’
‘They’re a gaming team, one of the best. They play other teams over the web. They’re really cool.’
Mac frowned.
‘Can we get back to business please?’
Even with some traffic they made it to UCL in just over twenty minutes. They found the professor’s office on the second floor just where he said it was. A woman in her forties opened the door and it was clear from her expression that she disapproved of their very existence. She led them to the professor’s room and left them with a sour look.
The professor, however, seemed grateful for the interruption.
‘I hate these catch up Saturdays,’ he confided, ‘even though I know the work has to be done. How exactly can I help?’
Mac explained the bare bones of the case and why the hibernation drug might be crucial in solving the case.
The professor thought on that for a moment.
‘Yes, yes I remember,’ he said with a smile. ‘It was Rika who showed me the drug in action. Let me tell you the whole story. I was presenting at a seminar in Budapest and, as it was the last night, a large group of us decided to go for a drink afterwards. God they know how to drink in Hungary. Anyway we were talking about this and that, all work related of course, when someone started talking about the possibility of a hibernation drug and how useful it would be in treating major trauma victims. Rika was there, she was a graduate student at the time, and she spoke very good English. She mentioned that the lab she worked for part time had come up with something along those lines. The rest either didn’t hear or dismissed her but I was interested. So she took me to the lab and showed me the drug in action. It was amazing, the mice were more or less dead, yet they were alive.’
‘Sammy mentioned something about side effects?’ Mac asked.
The Body in the Boot: The first 'Mac' Maguire mystery Page 21