by Joy Kluver
Paul kept his voice low. ‘Not at the moment. She went a bit hysterical when I first arrived. She thought I was bringing bad news but we managed to calm her down. It doesn’t help that John has to stay with Craig at the hospital in Salisbury. He was about to leave when Craig was sick again. They haven’t told him – they don’t want to make him worse.’
Bernie thought for a moment. ‘I understand that but I’m wondering if Craig knows anything that might help. Her password, for one. Kerry was able to see Laura’s Instagram account but we really need to get into her DMs. We’ve heard she was supposed to be meeting someone she connected with online. That news hasn’t been put out to the press yet. It will be in the morning though.’
Bernie wasn’t looking forward to her chat with Jane Clackett. She looked again at Caroline. Her eyes were starting to droop.
‘Will you and Anna stay until Mr Moffatt gets back?’
Paul nodded. ‘Yes, our diaries are fairly clear for the next few days. We’re at your disposal.’
Bernie placed her hand on Paul’s arm. ‘Thank you. We ought to make you honorary police officers.’
‘Funny you should say that. I was thinking about setting up a Street Pastors team for Devizes for Friday and Saturday nights. Thought it might benefit the local police if there were a few extra people out on the streets willing to help those in trouble.’
‘Well, thankfully, it’s not too hairy in Devizes, although it’s a good idea. There’s more need for it in the larger towns, like Swindon, Trowbridge and Salisbury.’
‘I know some of the people involved in Salisbury. That’s where I got the idea from.’
A thought triggered in Bernie’s mind. ‘Do you have a contact number for them?’
‘Well, yes, I do. Why?’
Bernie looked across at Kerry and then back at Paul. ‘I’m really trusting you with this information, Paul.’
The vicar nodded. ‘You know you can trust me, Bernie.’
‘One of Laura’s friends said she was going to meet this man in Salisbury. Maybe, just maybe, one of those street pastors saw Laura.’
And maybe Rosa too.
By the time Bernie had dropped Kerry home, it was after eight p.m. MCIT had been deserted when they’d logged in the evidence Kerry had found. Both Matt and Tom had sent emails detailing what they had done so far. The social media alerts had received little attention due to it being a Sunday, and the phone companies would be in touch on Monday. Bernie updated the alerts to mention possible location and Kerry emailed Laura’s photo to the CCTV team in Salisbury and let them know they’d be there in the morning. Bernie had also emailed Phyl Bridger to let her know about the badger they’d found. She hadn’t been sure if it was relevant or not but better to let Phyl be the judge of that.
They had both wanted to stay longer but there was little more that could be done.
‘We might as well go home and get some sleep. Come back to this fresh in the morning,’ said Bernie.
She opened her front door and immediately smelled her clean washing. Had she hung it up before she left? She didn’t think she had. Which could only mean one thing – Anderson had done it. She wasn’t too sure how she felt about that.
He’d left her a note on the kitchen table.
Saw your suit in the machine and thought you might need it for the morning.
It was sweet of him to think of her. Also hanging up were Alex’s football kit and the clothes he’d claimed he got covered in beer. Far more likely he was washing off Ali’s perfume. Same with the shower.
She sat at the little kitchen table and remembered the day she moved into the cottage back in August. Alex had turned up with a bottle of champagne that they had downed far too quickly and, in a drunken haze, had ended up in bed. It should have stopped there. They got on OK but had little in common. Maybe that’s why Alex had looked elsewhere.
And then there was Anderson. Kerry was right. Alex’s infidelity shouldn’t have sent her into someone else’s arms. But it had and she needed to make a decision. Now wasn’t the time though. She focused on Rosa and Laura. They needed her more, which meant getting some sleep. Bernie made a cup of tea. Grabbing some biscuits, she headed up to bed.
30
Monday
‘Right. Let’s get cracking on this and bring Laura Moffatt home,’ Bernie said to Kerry.
‘You’re chipper this morning. Did you get some good sleep?’
‘Surprisingly, yes.’
Bernie looked round the office. DCs Matt Taylor and Mick Parris were working at their computers. Despite only being in MCIT for a few days, Mick’s desk was already cluttered and Bernie wondered if his house was the same. Alice Hart hadn’t yet turned up and Worth was in his own office. Anderson was downstairs with Tom.
‘Right,’ Bernie said, ‘first priority is to check out CCTV in Salisbury, especially near the bus stops in the town centre. That’s the only way she could have got there.’
‘Unless he picked her up along the way.’
‘There is that. But in the meantime, if you can get in touch with the guys over at the CCTV centre and let them know we’ll be there soon and then contact this street pastor Paul Bentley told me about.’ Bernie pulled out her phone and jotted down the contact details Paul had sent. ‘I’ll go and deal with Ms Clackett in regards to media coverage. Laura’s been missing two nights now. We have to escalate this. I don’t care what old Worthless says.’
‘I thought you were getting on better these days with Jane?’
Bernie screwed up her face. ‘Yeah, but you never know when she’s going to turn back into a vampire.’
Bernie knocked on Jane’s office door and waited. She knew to her cost that Jane hated people barging in on her.
‘Come in… Oh, Bernie. Sit down. What can I do for you?’
Bernie resisted the urge to pinch herself. It was only recently that Jane had started being nice to her. She still wasn’t quite used to it.
‘I’ve come because of the missing girl, Laura Moffatt. It was her brother who found the body in the woods.’
‘Oh God, yes. I thought the surname was familiar.’ Jane shook her head. Her sleek black bob swished with it. ‘Such a nasty business. And how awful for this family. Right, so what do you want me to do?’
‘Well,’ said Bernie, ‘not much has been done so far. Alerts have gone out on social media and some news websites have picked it up. I think we need to expand this now. She did take clothes and toiletries with her so we know she meant to go, rather than it initially being an abduction. However, it’s always possible that it’s an abduction now. She may want to leave and isn’t able to do so or…’
‘Or she’s dead.’ Jane’s lips were a tight, red line. ‘We have to consider that, Bernie.’
Bernie closed her eyes and sighed. ‘I know. But I can’t think of her in that way yet. Kerry and I are going to head over to Salisbury and see if we can find any CCTV footage.’
‘Let me know if you do and I’ll add them to the press release. I’ll get on to Clive Bishop at the Salisbury Journal as well and ask for a big splash.’
‘So you’re getting on better with Clive now?’ Bernie had once heard the journalist call Jane the Wicked Witch of the West – but not to her face.
‘Needs must. I’ll get on to it now. There’s nothing I can do about Rosa Conti until she’s formally identified.’
‘Think we’re due to hear from Forensics today.’
‘That’ll be good. Maybe DCI Worth will get his butt into gear then.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well,’ Jane leaned forward, ‘in my experience of dealing with murder cases, he isn’t doing nearly enough in terms of getting the press involved. Which is unusual for him. He’s normally such a stickler for these things. I told him so as well.’
‘I bet that went down well.’
‘Oh yes. Told me to get out. The sooner he retires the better.’
‘When’s that?’
‘Next year. He’s alread
y got himself a lovely new house in Pewsey to retire to. In the meantime, we still have to put up with him. Anyway, I’d better let you get on.’
Bernie smiled. It was Jane’s subtle way of telling her to go. As she left she thought about what Jane had said. It was interesting to note she wasn’t the only one thinking Worth wasn’t doing a very good job.
31
Bernie drove over to the church where one of the leaders of the Street Pastors was based, having dropped Kerry off to view the CCTV. There was no point them both watching it and they had to make up for lost time. Laura had now been missing for thirty-six hours.
Bernie knew a bit about how the teams operated but had never spoken to any of them, it was generally Community Policing that worked with them. When she found herself on an industrial estate she thought the satnav had made a mistake. But then she saw the sign for the church and managed to park out front. From the outside, the building looked similar to the other commercial units – boxy and grey – but the inside was quite unexpected. There was a main hall where comfortable chairs were laid out facing a stage with musical instruments set up, including a drum kit. Very different to the church in Marchant with its aging organist banging out hymns each week. To the side was a coffee shop. She wasn’t quite sure where to go when she saw a smiling woman wave to her from behind the counter.
‘Hi,’ said the woman, ‘would you like some coffee? Maybe something to eat?’
Bernie looked at the cakes and thought again about her waistline. ‘A latte would be nice but I’ve actually come to meet David Nicholson. He’s expecting me.’ She pulled out her warrant card. ‘I’m Detective Inspector Bernie Noel.’
Bernie expected the smile to diminish but instead it got bigger.
‘Oh yes, he did say an officer would be coming. I’m Gillian. Please take a seat and I’ll get him for you. I’ll bring your coffee over as well.’
Bernie looked around the shop. There were a couple of older women sitting together, otherwise it was empty. She chose the table furthest away from them and Gillian at the counter. If she was going to have to talk in the coffee shop, then she didn’t want to be overheard.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Kerry.
Found Laura on CCTV. Definitely came in by bus.
Bernie texted back as she listened to the whirrs and whooshes of the coffee machine. The women murmured quietly, their heads down. She wondered if they were praying rather than chatting. A couple of minutes later, her latte appeared, along with a hot sausage roll and a large chocolate brownie.
‘Oh, I hadn’t asked…’
‘I know. But I know what you officers are like. You never get to eat properly. They’re always ordering pizza on those real-life cop programmes. You’re OK with sausage? I can get you something else instead.’
‘No, this is fine. Thank you.’ Bernie reached for her purse.
‘Oh, no charge. On the house. David will be with you in a couple of minutes.’
Bernie’s stomach juices gurgled appreciatively. With no Alex at the house to make sure she ate, she had run out of the door without eating breakfast. She tucked into the sausage roll, pastry flakes falling onto her plate. She had almost finished it when she saw a tall, slim man striding towards her.
‘Detective Inspector Noel? I’m David Nicholson, leader of this church.’ He held out his hand.
Bernie was conscious of her greasy hands. She wiped them with a napkin before shaking his.
‘Sorry, I’ve just had one of your lovely sausage rolls. Thank you for meeting with me.’
‘Not at all. And I’m glad you enjoyed your food. I asked Gillian to make sure you had something.’
‘Well, thank you. It’s a lovely little café.’
David Nicholson smiled. ‘Yes. It’s quiet now but in an hour it will be bustling with lunchtime trade from the estate. But you’re not here to talk about that. Paul Bentley has told me a few things. We take it in turns to run the Street Pastors teams but my wife and I were on over the weekend. I did Friday and she did Saturday.’
‘Oh, I see. Is your wife here?’
‘No, she’s at work but I have rung her. She doesn’t remember anyone reporting seeing a young girl hanging around. It’s normally the young adults coming out of the clubs who are too drunk to find their way home who need our help. And the homeless. If we had spotted a twelve-year-old girl out at that time, we would have called it in.’
Bernie pulled her phone out and showed Nicholson a picture of Laura. ‘This is her. With make-up on and the right clothes, she might have looked older. And we know now that she definitely came to Salisbury on Saturday afternoon. We’ve found her on CCTV. I’ve left my sergeant back at the CCTV centre to track her movements.’
Nicholson stroked his chin before looking over to the woman behind the counter. ‘Gillian, can you come over, please?’ He turned back to Bernie. ‘Gillian was out on the streets on Saturday night. It’s a long old shift, you know – ten p.m. to four a.m.’
Gillian appeared. ‘Everything all right? Do you want another coffee? Anything for you, David?’
‘No, we’re all right for the moment. Pull up a chair, Gillian. The inspector would like to ask you some questions.’
The smile was still fixed on Gillian’s face but there was a nervous twitch with one of her eyes.
‘It’s OK. You’re not in any trouble.’
‘Phew. Someone once made a complaint about me when I tried to help them.’
‘Don’t worry, it’s nothing like that.’ Bernie pushed her phone across the table towards Gillian. ‘Have a look at this photo. Did you see this girl at all on Saturday night?’
Gillian picked up the phone and studied the picture. She slowly shook her head. ‘No, I don’t remember seeing her. And I’m sure one of the others would have said something if they had. We’re all pretty experienced at spotting the underage ones who are trying to get into clubs. Sorry. But we’ll definitely keep an eye out for her.’
‘Yes,’ said Nicholson. ‘If we can have a copy of the photo then we can make sure that’s distributed through the local churches and the Street Pastors.’
Bernie’s chest tightened. ‘I hope to God we’ll find her before next weekend.’
‘Yes, of course. But we can ask our congregations to look out for her in the meantime. I’m sorry we couldn’t help more. We’d better let you get back to your sergeant.’
Bernie drained her coffee, looking again at Laura’s photo. She didn’t want to think of all the possibilities, including the one Jane Clackett had mentioned. She didn’t want to see another dead girl.
Gillian appeared from behind the counter with two paper bags and a takeaway coffee. ‘I thought your sergeant might be in need of refreshments too. So there’s another sausage roll and an extra brownie.’
‘Thank you.’ Bernie didn’t have the heart to tell Gillian that Kerry was vegetarian. She picked up her phone as there was another photo she wanted Gillian to look at, even though Worth had kicked her off the case.
‘I know you didn’t see Laura on Saturday but have you ever seen this girl?’
Gillian put the bags and the coffee down on the table. She took the phone. ‘Hmm. I don’t think so but she does look familiar. Oh wait, no, I thought it was Rosa but it’s not.’
‘Rosa?’
‘Yes, won’t forget her in a hurry. She wore the most amazing red shoes but she was so drunk she couldn’t walk in them. I gave her a pair of flip-flops.’
Bernie swiped to the photo of the shoes. ‘These ones?’
‘Yes, that’s them. I saw her another time when she wasn’t drunk and we chatted about her family and a friend called Ria. She asked me to pray for them. But I definitely don’t recognise this girl.’
32
Bernie hurried into the CCTV centre as fast as she could without spilling the coffee. Kerry was sitting next to a man with a scruffy beard, watching a screen for any sightings of Laura. She put the bags and coffee down and paused to take breath.
‘You a
ll right?’ asked Kerry.
‘Yes… I legged it up the stairs, the lift had just left.’
‘You could’ve waited.’
Bernie shook her head. ‘No, I couldn’t. I have news.’
‘The street pastors saw Laura?’
‘No. Rosa. Well, maybe. She didn’t recognise the photo of her but she knew the shoes. Said the woman who wore them looked a bit like Rosa. In the photo the Contis sent, Rosa doesn’t have any make-up on and she’s dressed very casually so I imagine she might look different all done up. The woman I spoke to, Gillian, saw her a couple of times. She had a chat with her and Rosa asked Gillian to pray for her family and a friend called Ria. I’ve passed it on to Matt.’
‘That’s good news.’ Kerry pointed to the coffee. ‘For me? I’m gagging for a drink.’
‘Yes. Gillian also gave me a sausage roll for you and a brownie.’
‘Oh, that’s very kind but…’
‘I know,’ said Bernie. ‘But I didn’t feel like I could ask for something else after she’d already been so generous. How are you doing here?’
Bernie could see Laura on the screen, walking past shops.
‘Bernie, this is Gerald, and he is a marvel. He found Laura very quickly and it’s like he can anticipate where she’ll go next. She keeps looking around her, as though she’s searching for someone. She came in by bus. I’ve contacted Salisbury police and they’re going to send uniform out to find the bus driver and look at their CCTV.’
‘Good. Thanks, Kerry. That’ll allow us to concentrate on Laura here. And well done Gerald for finding her so quickly.’
Despite the beard, Bernie noticed Gerald’s face redden.
‘Thanks. When you’ve been doing this job as long as I have you notice all sorts. I spot fights before they start. And lost kids are pretty easy. As Kerry said, she kept looking around.’ He clicked on a clip. ‘She took a phone call just after five p.m. and then went into this clothes shop here. Um, I don’t mean to be cheeky but if there’s a sausage roll going free…’