Читать книгу The Taken Girls - G.D. Sanders - Страница 16

‘How do you want to play this, Ma’am?’

The CID cars were parked near the triangle of grass. DI Saunders had sent Potts and Borrowdale to organize the door-to-door teams while he spoke with SOCO. Left alone, Jenny was leading Ed along Hollowmede past the primary school to Lucy’s home.

‘Let’s start by dropping the Ma’am. I’m happier with Ed if that’s fine with you.’

‘Of course.’

‘You saw them last night. Introduce us and then I’ll lead the questioning.’

Jenny rang the bell and almost immediately the door was opened by a distressed man in his late thirties. He looked as if he hadn’t slept.

‘Have you found … Is there any … news?’

Jenny didn’t respond immediately so Ed stepped in. ‘Perhaps we could come inside?’

‘Sorry. Of course.’

A short woman of about the same age appeared at the man’s shoulder. Her clothes were crumpled and there were streaks of mascara beneath tired eyes, which looked questioningly at the two policewomen.

‘Mrs Naylor, Mr Naylor, I’m Detective Constable Eastham. You may remember I was here last night. This is Detective Sergeant Ogborne. Perhaps we could go somewhere to talk?’

Mr Naylor turned to his wife. ‘I’ll take the officers into the front. Perhaps you could bring the tea through.’

They had barely sat down before Mrs Naylor reappeared with a tray. The detectives both declined the proffered tea and biscuits. Lucy’s parents looked expectantly at Jenny. Ed coughed and spoke.

‘As Jenny said, I’m Detective Sergeant Ed Ogborne. I wasn’t here last night. Let me begin by offering our sympathy for what you must be feeling at this time. There’s nothing we can say to take away the pain and anxiety but we’ll be doing everything we can to find your daughter as quickly as possible and to bring her safely home.’

Mrs Naylor, who had been sitting rigidly in the corner of the sofa with her hands clenched in her lap, could contain herself no longer. Her shoulders sagged. ‘There’s no news then? You haven’t found her? You’ve no clues as to where she is? You don’t know who’s taken our Lucy?’

‘Mrs Naylor, I know it’s difficult but it is early days. We have teams of officers going house to house questioning everybody in the area in case they saw something that might help. We’re here to speak with you and then we’ll talk to the Shaxteds.’

Mr Naylor reached for his wife’s hand and turned towards Ed. ‘What more do you want? We spoke to your colleague last night. We’d rather you were out looking for Lucy.’

‘I know how you must feel but it’s vital that we get a true and accurate picture of the situation. The regular officers are on the streets with a description of Lucy and her photograph. I’d like to go over everything from the beginning. This morning you may recall something you didn’t mention last night.’

Simon Naylor pressed his lips together, almost shrugging, and settled for the easy option. ‘You’re the expert. Whatever you think will help.’

‘We just want our daughter back,’ said his wife in a voice too tired to argue.

‘Thank you.’

Ed glanced at Jenny to check she was ready with her notebook.

‘Yesterday was Friday. Could you describe a typical Friday evening for yourselves and your daughter?’

‘I get back from work about six. Rachel, my wife, has supper ready. Usually, the … the three of us eat together. Rach and me generally have a quiet night in and Lucy goes round to Debbie’s.’

At this point Mrs Naylor began to weep softly into a screwed-up handkerchief. Mr Naylor put his arm round her shoulder and continued.

‘Fridays, they usually go to see a film but they didn’t fancy what was on this week.’

‘What time did Lucy leave?’

‘Just before seven.’ He looked at his wife for confirmation and she nodded.

‘So she would have arrived at Debbie’s about seven o’clock or just after. What time did you expect her back?’

‘She’s just finished her A levels. We didn’t insist she be home early. Even so, she said she’d be back just after ten.’

‘She wanted an early night. We’d given her 50 quid. A reward for working hard on her exams. She was going to London today. Shopping with Debbie. I don’t suppose they’ll be doing that now.’

Mrs Naylor stifled her distress by pressing the handkerchief to her mouth and turning to bury her face in her husband’s shoulder.

Ed’s stomach hollowed with a flashback to the anguish of being separated from her own child. Ten years ago, with no one to support her, Ed had made a voluntary decision to give her son up for adoption. Mrs Naylor had her husband’s support but she’d had no choice in the loss of her daughter; Lucy had been forcibly taken from her. Ed felt the pain but she was a police officer, a professional, trained to keep her own emotions in check and to interview with sensitivity.

‘When did you become concerned?’

‘Quarter past ten or so we wondered where she was. Ten minutes later, Rach asked me to look outside. You can see the path from Victoria Road.’

‘It’s no distance … no distance at all,’ said Mrs Naylor, clearly shocked that her daughter could disappear so close to home. Her husband continued with his methodical account.

‘There was no sign of Lucy. I rang Ted and Joyce, the Shaxteds. Apparently Lucy’d left half an hour earlier. Ted said he’d help look. He walked here via the path and I went to their place via Elham and Cogans. That’s the other route Lucy could take. There was no sign of her. I ran back here. Called the police. That would’ve been about eleven.’

‘So Lucy’d been missing for an hour.’ Ed paused and Mr Naylor looked at her, waiting for her next question. ‘She’s 17. Did she have a boyfriend?’

Mrs Naylor raised her head from her husband’s shoulder. They both hesitated. After a moment, Lucy’s mother replied.

‘Plenty of time for that … Lucy’s still a schoolgirl.’

‘Even so, Mrs Naylor, many girls her age do have boyfriends.’

‘She’ll have time for boyfriends later.’ Mrs Naylor looked uncomfortable, her anguish forgotten for a moment as she spoke defensively. ‘Lucy’s a good girl. She concentrates on her schoolwork … her exams.

Mr Naylor supported his wife. ‘Lucy’s going to university. She wants to be a teacher.’

‘What does Lucy do in her spare time?’

‘As Rach said, her A levels, studying in her room.’

‘And when she wasn’t studying?’

‘She and Debbie are good friends. They’re always together.’

Ed altered her position in the chair and leant slightly towards the couple.

‘Mrs Naylor, Mr Naylor, I’d like you to take a moment to think carefully before you answer my next question.’ She looked from wife to husband. They both nodded. ‘How has Lucy been over the last few days? Has she seemed her usual self or have you noticed a change in her behaviour?’

After a few seconds Mr Naylor said, ‘A bit tired with all that revising but—’ he looked at his wife ‘—otherwise, much the same as usual. Wouldn’t you say, love?’

‘Being tired with the exams, you’d expect that. Once they were over, she perked up. She was excited about going to London.’ At the mention of the London trip, tears started again in Lucy’s mother’s eyes.

Ed swallowed, aware of the fine line between allowing a child freedom and losing them for ever.

‘So, Lucy was her usual self then?’

The Naylors nodded. Ed looked at Jenny, whose pencil was poised over her notebook. Jenny gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Ed turned back to Lucy’s parents.

‘Thank you, that’s been very helpful.’ Ed got to her feet. ‘Before we go, may DC Eastham and I take a look at Lucy’s room?’

‘You’ve already taken her computer! Why on earth do you want to go up there again?’ Mrs Naylor’s initial astonishment turned to anger as she continued. ‘Our daughter went missing between here and the Shaxteds’ house. You should be on the streets looking for her, not poking around in her bedroom.’

‘I understand what you’re saying, Mrs Naylor,’ Ed said calmly, ‘but a careful look at her room will help us form a picture of Lucy and that could aid our inquiries.’

Before his wife had a chance to respond Mr Naylor said, ‘Her bedroom’s at the back. Turn left at the top of the stairs. We haven’t touched it.’

Ed and Jenny were moving towards the stairs when he added, ‘Her room is just as Lucy left it.’

At his words, Mrs Naylor’s face crumpled and she burst into tears.

Ed was surprised when Jenny opened the door to Lucy’s room. She’d expected they’d have to pick their way around a typical teenager’s bedroom. Instead, everything appeared to be in its appointed place. There were no pop posters. Delicate floral wallpaper covered the walls and the same pattern was continued on the duvet cover and pillowcase. A well-worn teddy bear was propped against the bed head. Other fluffy toys formed an orderly line under the window.

‘Check the wardrobe and bookshelf, Jenny. I’ll take the desk.’

Lucy’s laptop had been taken for forensic examination the previous evening. Now there was nothing on her desk except a blank pad of lined A4 paper and a pot with assorted pens and pencils. Ed turned her attention to the drawers, which contained other stationery items and a journal or diary with a small brass-coloured lock. She searched the drawers but failed to locate a key.

‘Anything interesting, Jenny?’

‘Not in the wardrobe. You?’

‘Nothing promising except for this.’ Ed waved the journal. ‘It’s locked but a bent paperclip should crack it. What’s on the shelves?’

‘Her very neatly filed A-level notes, study guides, a complete set of the Harry Potter novels and a couple of box files.’

At that moment the simple lock clicked open. Ed riffled through the pages and sighed.

‘I thought it looked suspiciously new. The pages are completely blank. It’s not been used.’

‘Just like this box file, brand new and empty, but the other’s crammed.’

Ed reached for a suitcase on top of the wardrobe. It felt heavier than she expected but inside there was nothing except a wash bag and an empty backpack. She turned back to Jenny, who was going through the papers from the box file.

‘What have you got there?’

‘It’s all printouts and hand-written notes about different religions. At the bottom there’s a Bible and a translation of the Quran.’

‘Probably for a school project. That’ll do for here. We’ll take that box file for a careful search.’

Mr and Mrs Naylor were waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Did you find anything that might help—’

Mrs Naylor cut across her husband. ‘That’s Lucy’s stuff. What are you doing taking her private things? You’ve already got her computer.’

‘We need forensics to take a look. There could be something relevant among these notes, just like there could be a lead in social media on her laptop.’

‘We didn’t encourage her to use social media.’ Mr Naylor spoke quietly.

‘Nonetheless, forensics will need to check it.’

‘But that box is Lucy’s. Her things are private. We don’t even go in her room.’ Mrs Naylor took a step forward, as if to retrieve the box file.

‘Rach …’ Mr Naylor put a hand on his wife’s shoulder and she turned to face him. ‘The most important thing is to get Lucy back. The police know what they’re doing.’ He dropped his hand to her waist and pulled her close. ‘Do what you think best, Officer. Just find Lucy, we want her home.’

‘Thank you,’ said Ed. ‘Is there anything else you can tell us?’

‘We just want our daughter back …’

Mr Naylor moved his arm to his wife’s shoulders and hugged her to him.

‘We hope to God you find Lucy quickly.’

‘We’re already doing everything we can. If you think of anything else, here’s my card.’ Ed stopped abruptly, realizing that she hadn’t yet been given cards for Canterbury. Smoothly, without betraying her moment of embarrassment, she turned to her colleague. ‘Jenny?’

Jenny handed across two cards.

‘We’ll see ourselves out.’

Mrs Naylor’s softly spoken words followed the two detectives down the hall.

‘Just find my daughter.’

Debbie and her parents sat together on the family sofa facing the two detectives. Ed took them through routine questions about what happened the previous evening. They confirmed what the Naylors had said and added nothing new.

‘I have one final question. It’s for all of you.’

Ed leant forward in her chair, reducing the distance between herself and the family on the sofa.

‘I need you to answer this question truthfully. If you think you’re betraying your friends, remember, we are doing this for Lucy’s sake.’ Ed paused and then asked, ‘How does Lucy get on with her parents? Has there been a recent falling-out between them?’

The family responded without hesitation, speaking over each other.

‘No,’ said Mr Shaxted.

‘Lucy gets on well with her parents,’ said Debbie.

‘They’re a loving family,’ said Mrs Shaxted.

‘Thank you, that’s very helpful.’ Ed held out her hand to Jenny, who quickly gave her two cards. ‘Should you think of anything you haven’t mentioned, please call us on this number.’

As the two detectives were about to leave, Ed appeared to have another thought.

‘Debbie, you stood at the door and watched Lucy walk down the road. Perhaps you could show us the point she’d reached when you last saw her?’

In the front garden, Debbie pointed down Victoria Road. ‘I watched her until she reached the corner of Cogans Terrace. I’m sure she continued down Victoria towards the path.’

‘Thanks, Debbie, that’s a great help. Oh, by the way, are you sure she might not have dropped in to see somebody else on her way home?’

‘We’re not friends with anybody around here.’

‘And boyfriends? Are you sure Lucy wasn’t seeing someone?’

‘No … I mean yes, I’m sure she wasn’t. She’d have told me. We’re best friends.’

‘I forgot to ask when we were inside. Did Lucy have a holdall or backpack with her?’

‘No, nothing like that. Just her purse and mobile.’

‘Okay, thanks. If you think of anything else call the number on this card.’

On cue, Jenny handed Debbie one of her cards.

At that moment Ed noticed Mr and Mrs Shaxted appear at the door of the house. She stopped Jenny with a hand on her arm and spoke to Debbie.

‘One last thing, Debbie. DC Eastham is going to walk down the road. She’ll turn and wave when she gets to Cogans Terrace. Watch Jenny as if she were Lucy. Then, go back to your front door just as you did last night.’

Ed stood where she could see both Jenny and Debbie. Jenny reached the road junction, paused to wave, and then continued walking. She was across Cogans Terrace and stepping onto the pavement to continue down Victoria Road as Debbie turned back to the house.

‘Thanks, Debbie.’ Ed shifted her gaze to the parents. ‘We’ll be on our way. Time is of the essence in a case like this.’

Ed hurried to join Jenny. Time was of the essence if you had a clue. So far they had nothing. Well, they didn’t have much, but at least Ed was now sure which way Lucy had started to walk home.

‘Jenny, I’m sure Lucy continued down here, she didn’t go via Cogans Terrace. We’ll look for a spot where an abductor might have struck.’

By the time they’d reached the primary school they were sure there was only one spot: at the end of the path where it joined Hollowmede by the triangle of grass.

‘I think he waited here, hidden by the hedge,’ said Jenny.

‘And, assuming it was a he, that’s where he left his transport, where our cars are parked.’

Ed and Jenny walked over to DI Saunders who was discussing the progress of the house-to-house. He turned to face them.

‘We’ve got nothing from the door-to-door so far.’

‘We may have something,’ said Ed.

She explained the most likely spot for the abduction was where the path reached the triangle of grass.

‘We think the abductor left his transport here and waited for Lucy by the hedge.’

Saunders didn’t respond so Ed continued. ‘He must have been tracking her. He must have parked, waiting for Lucy to leave Debbie’s house. We should identify the spot.’

‘The junction of Cogans Terrace and Victoria Road would be the favourite. Mike, get the teams to ask specifically about a vehicle parked in that area last night, say between 21.30 and 22.05. Also ask if people were out last night around that time, walking the dog, coming home, going out, whatever. He must’ve had transport so anything about a vehicle could be vital. Jenny, get SOCO over here to me. Lucy Naylor was probably abducted from this very spot.’

Ed frowned. Borrowdale and Potts were still in earshot. She coughed to catch Saunders’s attention and added, ‘That’s what Jenny and I concluded.’

For a moment there was no response from the DI. When Saunders did speak, he changed the subject.

‘Ed, Jenny, you’ve finished with the parents so join the door-to-door. I’d like to wrap up here by early afternoon. Liaise with Mike and Nat. Tell them we’ll meet in the Incident Room at 14.00 to review what we’ve got.’

Once again, Ed thought it was going to take time to become part of the team, let alone lead it, but that would be her job. As a step towards that end, Ed resolved to make sure Mike and Nat were made aware of the contribution she and Jenny had made to the investigation when the team met back at the Station.