Presumed Missing

by Fiona Tarr

  ‘Yeah, yeah. I got it Detective Senior Sergeant. Why don’t you throw that title out more often by the way?’ She expertly changed the subject. ‘I know I would if I had it.’

  ‘Oh, when did you make Senior?’ Liz asked as they walked back to the car and Jack opened the door for her. Jenny gave her a look and Liz told her with her eyes not to go there.

  ‘After Becca’s case and Max leaving. I think they thought I might chuck in the towel too so they felt like they needed to give me an incentive to stay the course I guess.’

  ‘Awesome. Do you get a pay increase?’ Liz lent over the top of the bucket seat as Jack got in.

  ‘Yeah. I might even be able to upgrade this girl by the end of the year.’

  ‘She’s a classic now.’

  ‘Vintage more like it.’ Jack slammed the door and put his seatbelt on as Liz sat back to do the same. ‘Where to for you?’

  ‘I’ve got a follow up meeting with the Principal but not until four. You both still on for a drink? I’ve got a print out of all Gemma’s social media activity, plus Scott gave me some information about the messages and Max probably needs to catch up on where we are at.’

  ‘Yep, I’m good, what about you Cunningham?’ Jenny asked as Jack pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the Oaklands Road traffic.

  ‘I’m okay. Since you’ll be over this way after your meeting with the Principal,’ Jack was watching Liz in the rear-view mirror, guessing she was going to use her charm to get more information, ‘why don’t we meet at my place?’

  ‘Sounds good. I’ve got a few hours to kill. Can you drop me at Jetty Road? I was going to take Jackie on a shopping spree, but I can’t wait, I’m desperate for a wool blend suit and she probably isn’t talking to me anyway.’

  ‘You haven’t rung her?’ Jack made eye contact in the mirror.

  ‘No. I’m giving her a few days to digest the fact that her biological mother is a working girl.’ Liz used air quotes to emphasize her point. She didn’t work much these days but that didn’t take away the fact she’d been on the job for twenty plus years since she’d had Jackie.

  ‘She’ll be okay with it. It sounds like the make-or-break point is her mother,’ Jack offered as he did a U turn and headed back down Oaklands Road to Brighton.

  ‘Yeah. She’s a piece of work when you think about it. I reckon she must have nabbed her rich husband in high school and never worked a day in her life. Now why didn’t I think of that?’

  Jenny laughed. ‘Tempting isn’t it, but I can’t see either of us living the kept life Liz.’

  Liz touched her nose with her finger. ‘You are spot on there. Drop me off here Jack. I’ll walk the rest of the way. I could do with the fresh air.’

  ‘Fresh air?’

  ‘Yeah, sea air. I love the smell of it. As much as I adore my apartment in the city, your place, right on the ocean like it is,’ she kissed her fingers Italian pizza chef style, ‘Bellissimo!’

  ‘I thought your family were poms.’

  ‘They are, but I love a good Italian pizza, well I did, back when I could still eat gluten.’ Liz laughed as Jack pulled over to the curb. She undid her seatbelt and shimmied over to the passenger side. ‘See you at six.’

  The door slammed before either detective could respond.

  ‘She’s a pocket rocket that one.’ Jenny offered.

  ‘No doubt about it detective, none whatsoever.’

  14

  Liz hadn’t wandered the Jetty Road boutique stores in years. She stopped for coffee, bought two new wool blend suits that were light, warm and comfortable. One charcoal grey and the other a dark navy that almost looked black. She found a gorgeous platinum grey silk shirt that was a perfect match to both suits and even had time to pick out some lingerie for her catch up with Principal Jacobs.

  She hailed a taxi and dodged a tram as she ran across the road to hop in the driver’s side back seat.

  She gave the driver the college address and sat back to enjoy the last few sips of her latte. The school was only a few minutes away but peak hour traffic was already kicking in and the driver opted for back streets instead of the main road.

  As they took the long way around the block to avoid the traffic, Liz reminisced about the few trips she’d made to the Bay as a teen. Being a Northern suburbs girl, the Bay was a long trip on the train, then a walk to Victoria Square or a bus, then a tram to the Bay.

  The old electric tram cars used to rattle and sway even more than the old red train carriages did. Liz couldn’t believe how much public transport had changed in her lifetime, let alone the previous generation.

  They drove past Colley Reserve, but the big, man-made Magic Mountain was gone now. Back in the eighties, it had risen out of the dust with layers of metal, mesh and fibreglass to create a water park like nothing Adelaide had ever seen before.

  Thousands had flocked there and Liz had managed to sneak in a few times. With no money to take the waterslides or ride the bumper boats, she’d watched on enviously as other kids had laughed and played or smoked cigarettes behind the building.

  Now, in its place stood a modern building. The waterslides were still there, but the icon was no more.

  The drive wound its way through more back streets, past old historic homes that had undergone amazing restorations standing right alongside new and contemporary buildings with glass and rendered walls. The contrast was stark and Liz couldn’t help but wonder how many blocks of old cream brick flats had died to make way for the amazing modern architecture. Not that anyone would miss most of them, but the one Jack lived in was quaint and if they were all destroyed, who would remember the history?

  She pushed the melancholy away as the driver pulled into the side street that led to the school. Just the site of the old historical administration building perked her up.

  She handed the driver her card, still not used to keeping tax records and waited for the receipt.

  As she closed the car door, she spotted Jones and the Chaplain talking on the front lawn. She couldn’t make out any words, but Jones’s hands were flying in the air and his tone was less than pleasant. Liz couldn’t help but wonder if it was somehow a sin to yell at a chaplain but the thought disappeared as both men saw her. They broke off from each other as though they’d just discovered one of them had the plague.

  The Chaplain literally scurried away, while Jones made a beeline straight towards her. His posture grew relaxed with every foot step. His chest rose, his pelvis moved further forward if that was even possible and his smile became a smirk.

  ‘Ms Jeffreys. Can I help you?’

  ‘No thanks. I’m good. I have an appointment with the Principal.’ Liz carried on up the stairs to the front door of the admin building but then thought better of snubbing the man who could be shaping up as their major suspect. She almost giggled as she considered the professional lingo.

  ‘Maybe you can show me in Mr Jones. Have you thought of anything else that might help with our investigation? I’m sure the detectives will be calling in soon, and I know the lead detective very well. I can pass on any information if you like.’

  ‘Detectives?’ Jones stiffened. It was only slight, but Liz could read people.

  ‘Yes, I hadn’t mentioned it yet of course. There has been another girl go missing and Gemma’s case is now with the Major Crimes division.’

  ‘But I heard she’d contacted her mother. Told her she’d run away.’

  ‘Really? Well, either way, it looks like I’ll be assisting the Police now. We might be able to track Gemma down and bring her home to her mum.’

  Liz watched the music teacher. His casual charismatic manner had evaporated. ‘I’ve got a late tutoring class to get to. Have a good night Ms Jeffreys.’

  ‘Oh, I will.’ Jones frowned, but moved on quickly. Liz pondered his behaviour as she opened the reception office door. Maybe she was reading too much into it, but Jack needed to put a tail on that one. She’d tell him tonight.

  The office was quiet
, just a few lights remained on above the reception area to make it easier for security to do their rounds no doubt. She made her way down the hall to the Principal’s office and knocked on the ajar door.

  ‘Come!’ came the voice from within.

  A snappy retort was on her lips, but she decided not to be too presumptuous. Maybe the man simply wanted her intellectual company. She scoffed at the unlikely scenario and entered the room.

  It was much as she left it earlier, but instead of sitting at the sofa, the Principal was sitting behind his desk, the tall-backed leather chair swivelled as he got up to greet her.

  ‘You’ve been busy.’ He eyed her bags.

  ‘Yes. Where should I put these?’ She lifted the bags in each hand, and he nodded to the coffee table.

  ‘I was beginning to think you might have changed your mind.’ Liz gazed at her watch. It was quarter past four.

  ‘Yes, sorry about that. I’m usually very punctual, but the traffic from Jetty Road was rather congested.’ The Principal moved back to the desk and opened the bottom drawer. He pulled out a bottle of Black Label and two whisky glasses, followed by a crop, a ball gag and a collar.’

  ‘You strike me as a woman who knows how to use these.’ He waved the crop in the air.

  ‘The scotch, absolutely. But what tipped you off on the other items?’

  ‘I wasn’t born yesterday Liz, or should I call you Lillian.’ His grin was cheeky, almost adolescent and Liz decided there was obviously no fooling the man.

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘I knew I recognised you when you were here the other day, but I wasn’t sure. When you came back earlier today and then agreed to meet me here alone, I phoned a friend of mine, Chief Inspector of CIB. I think you and he are well acquainted. No?’

  ‘We are. How do you know the Chief?’

  ‘I’m on the Board of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and I believe I saw you on his arm over a decade ago.’

  ‘Oh now you’re trying to flatter me. That would have been at least two decades ago Mr Jacobs and I’m surprised you remember me from back then.’

  ‘Please, you really should call me Ned. We should at least be on a first name basis before I ask you to use this.’ He handed her a glass of scotch in one hand, the crop held aloft in the other.

  ‘Of course.’ Liz took the scotch and the crop. ‘You don’t have a lock on your door. Aren’t you worried someone might come in?’

  Ned grinned as he undid his tie and placed his jacket on the back of his chair. ‘That’s half the fun isn’t it, the fear of getting caught?’

  Liz stepped forward and slid his tie from around his neck, wrapping it around her hand ominously. ‘I’d appreciate it if you didn’t give away my identity to your staff. I’m trying to keep my investigation business and my other work separate, you understand, for professional reasons.’

  ‘I’m standing here with a gag and spikey collar in my hands, I think your secret is safe with me.’

  Liz took a sip of her scotch, placed the glass on the large timber desk and flicked the crop in the air. ‘And your safe word?’

  ****

  ‘Scott told me that Gemma’s messages were sent via a VPN. They could come from any computer, anywhere in the world and are totally untraceable.’

  ‘A VPN?’ Max was already on his second beer having cracked his carton waiting on the doorstep of Jack’s apartment. Jenny poured Liz a glass of wine while Jack opened two beers, one for him and one for Jenny.

  ‘I have no idea about the tech stuff Max. Not my department.’ Liz took a long sip of her wine and relaxed into the chair at the small round table. It was a little too cool to watch the sunset from the front balcony, but with the curtains pulled back, the sun could be seen dipping over the horizon.

  ‘Pizza?’ Jack asked as he pulled out his old flip phone.

  ‘Only if they do gluten free.’ Liz looked around her and realised how comfortable she felt with these guys. Her pristine apartment suddenly seemed too big and too empty.

  ‘They can do that, unless you’d rather have something else?’ Jack held the phone ready to dial.

  ‘Anything chicken and I’m in.’ Liz looked at Jenny. ‘Do you want to go halves?’

  ‘No way, I could eat a horse.’ Liz laughed. Jenny was tall, fit and probably chewed up carbs like a Kelpie herding cattle.

  ‘I’ll have a meat-lovers Jack.’

  ‘I’ll have one of those too,’ Max put in as Jack rolled his eyes and began to dial.

  ‘You two make a fabulous pair. Seriously. You are both going to die young of a coronary.’

  ‘I’ll die a happy man. Food, beer and a new shiny silver car. You’ve seen my car right?’

  ‘My car Max. You just get to use it.’ Liz corrected.

  ‘Don’t emasculate the man Liz.’ Jenny pointed the tip of her beer at Liz.

  ‘Sorry Max. It must be a carry-over from my last client.’ Max scoffed. Jack cleared his throat and turned a light shade of red as he moved away to place the pizza order.

  ‘Which client?’ Jenny whispered from behind her beer bottle.

  ‘I just left the Principal’s office. It seems a little discipline was in order.’

  ‘You’re kidding. No way.’ Jenny took a swig of beer. ‘You shouldn’t say stuff like that in front of him.’ She thumbed in Jack’s direction.

  ‘He’s a big boy.’

  ‘Yes, a big boy that doesn’t like the idea of you still working.’ Max agreed with Jenny.

  Liz looked from one to the other across the little round white oak table and sighed. They were right of course, but she and Jack weren’t anywhere near that when it came to dictating who could sleep with whom and she wasn’t about to give up her career anytime soon. It was a part of who she was now. Like a safety net to a trapeze artist, she would be lost without it.

  Jack popped his phone in his pocket and returned to the table. ‘Pizza will be about twenty-five minutes.’ He sat down and took a sip of beer. ‘I did see your ride Max. Very nice.’

  ‘He couldn’t exactly turn up to interview clients in that, what did you call it?’

  ‘Dorothy.’ Max and Jack said in unison.

  ‘You called your car Dorothy?’ Jenny scoffed.

  ‘After my great aunt. She was a tough old bird. Her husband lost his legs in the second world war and she soldiered on when he came home a grumpy, broken old bastard. Not that you can blame him, but she just kept a happy face, kept going, never missing a beat.’

  ‘Cheers to Dorothy then.’ Liz held her glass aloft and the former detective clinked his beer with the two detectives and Liz.

  ‘Did the uniforms find the girl’s phone?’ Max asked, suddenly changing the subject.

  ‘Gemma’s.’ Liz corrected. Max gaped at her with confusion. She explained, ‘the girl’s name is Gemma.’

  ‘I know the girl’s bloody name Liz. You know I don’t label the vics, or in this case, the possible vic.’

  ‘I’d get used to naming them Max,’ Jack offered through a knowing smile. Liz tipped her glass to him and drained it.

  ‘I’ll grab you another.’ He got up and went to the fridge. ‘No, they found nothing.’

  ‘Where did they search?’

  ‘Just about every bush between her street and the school but we’ve got video surveillance to go through from the burger bar now and we’ve redirected the search to include the route from her school and Miss Thomas’s to the fast-food places in the area.’

  ‘Jones. The school teacher who moved here this year. I saw him having a heated discussion with the Chaplain when I visited the school today. Do you have some sort of tail on him?’

  Jack stifled a laugh but Max let it loose. ‘They don’t have the man power for that Liz. This isn’t Miami Vice you know.’

  ‘Well, that’s your job for tomorrow then Max.’

  ‘On it boss.’ Max saluted and Liz shook her head.

  ‘I can do a bit more of a background check on him though. His file was
clean. No priors, good work references but there might be something we’ve missed.’ Jack checked his watch and Max’s stomach grumbled as though on cue.

  ‘The Principal said he had fraternized with a few female staff members but to his knowledge he’d never messed with any of the students. That said, he didn’t think the guy would say no if one offered.’

  ‘That would be a tough job.’ Max admitted and shrugged as if to say what when both females gave him a look. ‘Come on, even Sting wrote a song about it.’

  ‘I’ll call the Principal of his old school. Maybe he or she can enlighten us on a more personal note,’ Jenny offered.

  ‘I’m heading back tomorrow to see the Student Counsellor and the Chaplain. He’s a little weird but I’m trying not to stereotype the clergy so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. The counsellor is only in Tuesdays and Thursdays so I’m yet to meet her.’ Liz got up from the chair as the doorbell rang. ‘Where is the loo?’

  Jack went to the door, pointing down the hallway. ‘On the right.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  When Liz returned, the table was literally covered, not an inch to spare, with pizza boxes, beer bottles and her glass of wine. ‘This one is yours.’ Max offered, through a mouthful of barbecue meat lovers.

  ‘Looks like we are set to find ourselves two missing girls then.’ Liz sat down and opened her box. The smell made her stomach growl and everyone laughed.

  15

  ‘I’ll follow up on the pre-nup case and make sure the client is ready to sign off, then I’ll be back to see where Jones goes after school.’ Max drove into the visitor parking lot of Gemma’s school and pulled over to let Liz out.

  ‘Thanks for the lift. You know you don’t have to chauffeur me around. I can grab a taxi.’

  Max shrugged. ‘I might as well. You’re paying me in any case. Besides, Jack will be happy to know I’m making sure you don’t get yourself kidnapped again.’ He grinned as Liz gave him a stern look.

  She opened the door and jumped out, throwing her ever present Prada backpack over one shoulder. At least she wasn’t wearing that crappy polyester suit anymore. The soft wool felt like silk on her skin.