“That was one of the first things I did. She merely vanished.” Mrs. Falk clicked her fingers to emphasise her point.
“Do you think her boyfriend, Richard, would talk to me?”
“I don’t see why not. He’s still extremely upset, like us all. All we want is some form of contact. For her to pick up the phone to tell us she’s alive and well. It’s the not knowing that hurts the most. I walk up the street and see people pointing at me. Either that, or they cross the road to avoid talking to me. That can’t be right, can it?”
“People sometimes find it hard to believe that people just disappear.”
“You mean they think that we had something to do with her going missing? I hadn’t thought of that before.” She placed the picture back in the centre of the table and ran her shaking hand over her face. “My God. How could people think such a thing? What do you think happened, Ms. Brazil?”
“It’s really too early to say. I’ve only had the girls’ files since this morning.”
“Girls? As in more than one?”
“Yes, it’s just something me and my partner are looking into. A possible connection, if you like.”
“How many girls? And what connection?” The woman’s eyes widened, and she sat up straighter on the bench.
“I really don’t want to raise your hopes, but there are five girls in total. They all bear a resemblance to Abbie.”
“And what does that actually tell you?”
“That…” Ellen struggled to find the appropriate words that wouldn’t freak the girl’s mother out. “That your daughter might have been abducted and is being held by someone.” She really didn’t want to add that there was every possibility that they might be looking at a serial killer angle to the case, too.
Mrs. Falk gasped and placed a hand over her open mouth. Ellen reached across the table and covered the woman’s other hand with her own. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you.”
The woman dropped her hand from her mouth and whispered, “If that’s the case, then why aren’t the police taking these cases more seriously?”
Ellen knew that without evidence of a body of one of the five girls, they could do very little to investigate the crime, if indeed there was one.
“I intend asking the same question, Mrs. Falk, once I’ve gathered all the evidence together. If you can’t think of anything else to add, I’ll go now.”
“Nothing I can think of that would be of use. I appreciate you taking the time to drop by. Please keep me informed.”
Ellen finished her drink and left, feeling as if she’d made a difference to Mrs. Falk’s life. At least the woman was more in the picture and understood why the police had left them all high and dry. When she got home, she asked Jim if they could have another chat about the case after the boys were tucked into bed.
After the kitchen had been cleared up following their meal of spaghetti bolognaise, she placed the files on the table and went through her suspicions with her brother.
“Wow! If you’re right about this, Sis, it looks like we should be dealing with these cases, not you.”
“That was my first thought also, but as far as we’re concerned right now, these girls are just on the missing list. Your guys won’t touch this until a body turns up.”
“That’s true enough. I could still let my DI know what you’ve discovered. You never know, it might spark his interest a little, enough for him to want to get involved.”
Ellen wrinkled her nose. “Can’t see that happening, Jim. Actually, now that I’ve uncovered the other cases, I’d like to see the case through to its conclusion, without outside influences. I think Brian would prefer it that way, too.”
“I can understand that. It goes without saying that you have my full support, out of hours, so to speak.”
Ellen pecked her brother on the cheek. “You’re a star. It’ll be great running ideas past you, to get your take on things.”
“So where do you go with the investigation next?”
“We’ve highlighted what could be three main connections, apart from the girls all being beautiful and blonde, that is. I left Brian chasing up the manager of the nightclub. I intend on looking into the gym angle myself. Some of the girls frequented the same gym. Then there’s the fact that all the girls went missing in the town centre. I’d like to go down there at night, just to see if I can pick up on anything.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Not sure exactly. Maybe a taxi driver, a takeaway-food van driver? Who knows? It’s all too early to say. I’m going to look at all this over the weekend, to see if any of it makes any sense at all.”
“Don’t forget, we’re taking the kids on a picnic up on the Malverns tomorrow.”
“Well, I’ll just have to put this lot to one side until Sunday then. I’m not going to pass up a walk and grub on the Hills for anyone.”
She loved to visit the Malvern Hills when she wanted to reflect on life. The place held a strange fascination for her. There was something magical about standing atop the highest peak and surveying the surrounding Worcestershire and Herefordshire countryside. When her father was alive, Ellen used to take him out for a ride every Sunday, while her mother ran the pub. They invariably ended up walking along the Hills. Time passed by so quickly up there. Ellen closed her eyes, fondly remembering the time she had spent with her father, their special time together. Jim must have known what was going on in her head, because he gathered her in his arms and ran a caring hand over the back of her head. “I know. I miss the old guy, too.”
She heard Suzie come into the kitchen. Then Ellen felt her sister-in-law’s arms wrap around her. Ellen laughed. “What’s this, a group hug?”
“Yep, we all need one of those now and again,” Suzie said before she let go and moved over to the fridge. “Anyone fancy a sly bowl of ice cream?”
Ellen pushed away from her brother’s chest and winked at him. “Thanks.” She tidied away the files and stuffed them back into her bag. “Sounds lovely. Got any chocolate?”
“Chocolate, mint, strawberry, vanilla. With my lot, you have to stock a varied choice.”
“Maybe you should open an ice cream parlour.”
They all laughed as they tucked into their ice cream and wafers and discussed what food to take on their picnic.
CHAPTER NINE
Intently watching the group of girls, he shivered slightly as the sweet anticipation of longing clawed its way through his veins. One of them was wearing a bridal veil, meaning the hen party was obviously hers. The six girls were too busy throwing cocktails down their throats to notice him observing them. She would be a perfect addition! he thought. He shifted his erection in his trousers so that it wasn’t straining against the zip as he stood in the shadows of the nightclub. This part excited him the most—the observation test before he pounced on his victims.
The girls pulled the bride onto the dance floor and formed a ring around her. As they danced, they pointed to her and shouted, but he was too far away to hear what they were saying. He shuffled to the edge of the dance floor, cautiously remaining in the shadows.
Straining an ear above the beat of the music, he heard one girl say: “Diane’s getting married in the morning.” He was right; she was the bride. She was very loud and appeared to be outspoken, not rough like a chav, just outspoken. He loved the wild ones and enjoyed the challenge of taming them. Lively girls turned him on more than the quieter girls. Feisty behaviour led to him dishing out more discipline.
When will the girls learn to behave like ladies? His mother was the same. Despite being a respected member of her community, once she had drink in her, before long, she had men crawling all over her, ready for a shag. She could pick and choose whom to take home every night. He had grown up with so many “uncles” that he’d thought he came from the largest family on their estate.
The bride headed to the side of the nightclub, alone, on her way to the toilet. He could pounce, or at least talk to her. Easing out of the shadow,
he nonchalantly walked in the same direction as her. He would be ready when she came out. He leaned against the wall and tucked his foot up behind him, then waited until she reappeared. His patience wore thin after a couple of minutes, and his jaw clenched and unclenched a few times, until, finally, she staggered out of the toilet and came his way.
“Evening. Looks like you’re having fun.” He smiled, showing off his perfect white teeth.
“I’m making the most of my last night of freedom.” She continued walking back to her friends.
He didn’t reply. Her answer had been conversational, not in the least bit snarky, despite her drunken state, which had surprised him a little. His pulse quickened as his excitement about abducting her in a few hours grew. Then he wandered back and immersed himself in the shadows again, to watch and wait.
Over the course of the evening, which lasted long past the witching hour, the girls became drunker and drunker. Their rowdiness had started to annoy the other people trying to dance nearby. The bouncers were stationed around the dance floor, as if sensing trouble, which perturbed him. He decided to leave and wait for his opportunity to arise outside.
He located a good viewing point where he could watch the nightclub goers leave the building. Still in the shadows, he pressed the knob on his watch, and the face lit up to show it had reached 1:30 a.m. The nightclub would be closing and throwing the punters out in half an hour. He left for his vehicle, then spent the next thirty minutes driving around the block.
At five minutes to two, he saw her at the top of the steps. She was alone. Looking up and down the street, she staggered down the steps. Sensing she was on the lookout for a cab, he put the car into gear and approached the nightclub. She held up her hand when she spotted his little For Hire sign on the dashboard, and he pulled up alongside her. When the back door opened, he watched in his mirror as she tumbled into the backseat, yanking the door shut behind her.
Disguising his voice, making it low and indiscernible, he asked, “Where to, love?”
She mumbled an address that he didn’t quite catch, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. His destination was set in stone. He pulled away from the nightclub and followed the road out of town. She snored softly and stretched out on the backseat. He couldn’t help but smirk.
She stirred briefly as the road became a bumpy track, and he pressed his foot on the brake to slow the car down a little. He looked in the rearview mirror as she settled back to sleep. When he reached the barn, he checked to see that she was still asleep before he got out of the vehicle. He eased open the large barn door, just wide enough for him to carry the girl inside. Quietly, he moved around the barn, and he heard the other girl moaning in her sleep. He opened the door to the adjacent stable and checked that everything was ready for the new arrival, then he walked back out to the car to collect her.
Carefully, he slid her across the seat and hoisted her into his strong arms, she stirred enough to snuggle her head into his shoulder. She even put her arms around his neck, which amused him.
The crunch of the hay beneath his feet woke the other girl.
“Who’s there?” she murmured.
He said nothing in response. He would deal with her later. Luckily, the new arrival had fallen into a deep sleep and hadn’t heard the girl call out. This gave him time to carry out the necessary preparations to make her stay with him more comfortable. After removing her clothes, he ran an admiring eye over her body, which was well-toned and slim, with nice rounded breasts. He resisted the temptation to touch her until she was safely secured. He lowered the hook, tied her hands, and then fastened them to the hook.
Just a little prick! He stifled a laugh as he inserted the needle in her left arm. Still, she slept. After raising the pulley on the hook, he stood back to fully admire the girl. She’s the best yet. With breasts the weight and firmness of small galia melons. His tongue eased between his dry lips and ran the length of them. A groan vibrated in his throat, and his erection felt fit to burst. Saliva started to build in his mouth. He was desperate to have her, but he’d never taken an unconscious girl before.
He tapped her foot with his own. She stirred a little but then fell asleep again. Anxious to have her, he knelt down and ran his hand up the length of her leg. Forgetting she was due to marry the next day, he noted how smooth her skin was, as though she had waxed her legs for the occasion, for him. Her leg twitched beneath his touch, and he had to stifle another snigger. His hand reached the top of her inner thigh before she opened her eyes. She blinked rapidly when she saw his face a few inches from hers. She let out a fierce scream, which he’d been expecting. They all did that to begin with, until the sedative kicked in to keep them compliant.
“You! Get away from me. What am I doing here?”
He was amazed how quickly she appeared to have sobered up. I suppose fear has that effect on people.
He fiddled with the drip feed to increase the dosage. As quick as a flash, the girl’s feistiness was subdued. He waited another couple of minutes before he went further, just to make sure she wouldn’t kick him.
Her eyelids started to droop, and she fought hard to keep them open. He slowed the drip of the drugs in the IV line. The last thing he wanted to do was knock her out completely. He undid his trousers and took what he thought was rightfully his before he moved into the stable next door to check on the other girl.
He saw her tilt her head, straining to hear as he entered the stall. “Please, don’t hurt me again.”
He knelt beside her, placed his lips close to hers, and gently blew out a breath. She turned away and began to sob. His hand tickled across her thigh. The girl froze and held her breath. He felt powerful; he loved the feeling of control he had over these girls. Not for the first time, he mentally kicked himself for killing the others when it would have been much more fun to add them to his growing harem. No one will ever find the girls here. His erection grew once more, and he took her as he had every night around that time. Sex on tap. Who could ask for anything more? He let out a demented laugh as he climaxed for the second time that evening.
CHAPTER TEN
Ellen drove to work on Monday morning with a smile the width of the Grand Canyon on her face. Even the December weather was reflecting her bright mood. It was good to see the sun out for a change after all the rain they had been subjected to lately. On Sunday, the weather had also been really good to them. Who would’ve thought they would get away with having a picnic in December. The boys, James and Paul, had loved it. Playing football up on the top of the hills had been a challenge, but they managed to overcome it in the interest of keeping the boys happy.
The minute she stepped through the front door of her office, her mood dwindled fast.
“What’s wrong?” she asked Brian, who was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. Lost in thought.”
“Has something happened at home?”
“No, it’s nothing like that.”
“Then what?” She removed her coat and hung it up on the coatrack by the door.
“I set up an alert on the system. Don’t ask me how. I’ll only confuse you with my brilliance.”
Ellen frowned as she sat behind her desk. “What kind of alert?”
“An alert to tell me if any more girls went missing. If the news hit any forms of media, then I’d get an e-mail straight away. The infuriating thing is that I didn’t bother checking my e-mails over the weekend, what with my parents visiting.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself, Brian. We’re entitled to a life. What are we dealing with?”
“It looks like two girls have disappeared in the last few days. One on Thursday evening—Tina who we already knew about. And the other on Friday—a Diane Ely. The thing is, Diane was due to get married on Saturday.”
“That’s terrible. Do we know where they went missing and at what times?” Ellen instinctively knew her partner’s answer before he said it.
With a shrug, he rep
lied, “Worcester City Centre, and between one and two in the morning.”
“Okay, my first logical question is why the heck the bride—Diane, is it?”
Brian nodded.
“Why was Diane out at that time of the morning the night before her wedding day? Does that make sense to you?”
Brian shook his head. “Beats me. A good question to ask her relatives when you question them. Are you going to get on to that today?”
“Do you think I should? It’s not exactly public knowledge yet, is it?”
“How about getting in touch with Jenny at the hotline? See if she’s been notified of the missing girls, and then go from there.”
“Good idea. I’ll do that while you drum up some coffee.”
“How come I always get to be the one who makes the coffee around here?”
“Because yours tastes so much nicer than mine.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him and smiled.
He pushed back his chair and mumbled incoherently on his way to the break room. Ellen chuckled and then picked up the phone. “Hi, Jenny. It’s Ellen.”
“Morning, Ellen. What can I do for you?”
“I’m ringing to give an update, really,” she said, hoping to ease into asking her question about the missing girls.
“Let me get a pen and paper. Go on.”
Ellen went through each of the five cases, then hesitated before she asked, “Any news at your end?”
Jenny was quiet for a moment or two and then lowered her voice to a whisper. “Between you and me, we might be dealing with another two cases. I came in this morning, and two new files had appeared on my desk. Just a minute.”
Ellen heard the rustling of paper and a gasp. “Jenny? Jenny, are you all right?”
“My God.”
“What? Come on. The suspense is killing me.”
“I have two girls’ files in front of me, and you’re never going to believe what I’m about to tell you.”
“That the girls are similar to the other five, by any chance?”
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