Lynda La Plante: Backlash

Mike Lewis was totally drained after looking over the files that now covered his desk for nearly three hours. Was it possible that Henry Oates was telling them the truth? Had he been involved in the murder of Rebekka Jordan, or was he making up the details in some sick game that he wanted to play with them? There was a knock at his door and Paul Barolli entered.

‘We were wondering what time you wanted to call it a day. A few of the team have evening arrangements, it being a Saturday, but I’m up for a pint if you fancy one.’

‘Everyone can knock off at five and then tomorrow I want the case file and statements for Justine Marks put together so we can concentrate on the Jordan case from Monday.’

‘You think he’s bullshitting us?’ Barolli asked, thumbing through a file of witness statements.

‘Christ knows – he clearly lied about how Justine Marks died then says he killed Rebekka Jordan and a Julia who we don’t even know exists yet. To be honest I couldn’t tell you, but I can’t just ignore his claims, lies or not.’

‘No way you can do that, especially not with the Jordan girl. It’s bloody Langton, Mike, he ran the enquiry into Rebekka Jordan’s disappearance. You’re going to have to run all this by him.’ Barolli tapped the file in front of him. ‘This must have hurt; no result after this amount of work.’

‘Yeah. I know he’s probably hurting right now, he’s just had knee surgery. I don’t even know if he’s out of hospital.’

Barolli grinned. ‘Well that should keep him out of our hair. He’ll come down on this like a ton of bricks. You know him, hates to lose and an unsolved case is always hard to stomach.’

‘I’ve got to call Hedges first and update him as he’s the boss while Langton’s off sick. To be honest I’d like some guidance from Langton and if this Julia links to a “Misper” there will be mountains of work, more staff needed and it’s all going to cost.’

‘Fancy that pint then?’

‘No thanks, I promised the wife a bottle of wine and a takeaway curry.’

Mike phoned Hedges, who seemed to be upset that his evening in front of the television was being interrupted. Mike tried to be as brief as he could, going over the salient points of the investigation so far and requesting more staff. Hedges said that more staff was not an option as Mike had no direct evidence as yet to link Oates to Rebekka Jordan’s disappearance and as far as he could see the name Julia had just been plucked out of thin air by Oates.

‘DCS Langton was in charge of the original investigation into the disappearance of Rebekka Jordan so I wondered if I should make contact with him about the latest development concerning Oates?’ Mike asked cautiously, knowing that Hedges and Langton were not the best of friends.

‘That’s entirely up to you, DCI Lewis, but while he is off sick I am in charge of the murder squads so any lines of enquiry he raises will go through me for approval,’ Hedges curtly replied.

‘Yes, sir, and I’m sorry for bothering you when you’re busy but have you considered getting Sky Plus so you can pause live TV when your viewing pleasure is interrupted?’ Mike asked tongue-in-cheek but his irony was wasted on Hedges who simply put the phone down.

Mike was just switching his office light off when he saw Barbara come through the door, clutching a folder.

‘I’m just off home – I thought you’d be long gone by now.’

‘No, sir, I’ve been at “Mispers” all day looking over files.’

‘The look on your face tells me I’m not going to like this.’

‘Well it’s only a possible, but her name’s Fidelis Julia Flynn, aged twenty-one. She’s originally from Dublin but was living in Kilburn, had ginger hair and has been missing for about eighteen months.’

‘You said her name was Fidelis.’

‘Yes but all her friends know her as Julia. Told them she preferred it to Fidelis.’ Barbara handed the file over to Mike. ‘“Mispers” made a lot of enquiries, took a shedload of statements, but nothing, just like Rebekka she disappeared without a trace.’

Mike looked at the young woman’s photograph on the front of the file. ‘In some ways I hoped that Oates was lying. Not because I don’t want another case to investigate, but it’s the thought that another young girl has probably been beaten, raped, then murdered, leaving a whole family destroyed by one man.’

‘Sorry, sir.’

‘Don’t be sorry, you’re just doing your job. I’ll look over the Flynn file at home tonight.’

Mike checked the time and decided he’d put off the call to Langton until he’d read the Flynn ‘Misper’ file. He also felt way out of his depth, but wouldn’t want anyone to know it. The Henry Oates investigation could make or break his career. He needed a good night’s sleep to determine how to approach the case because it could easily spiral out of his control. Mike knew if he was to take on the Rebekka Jordan and Fidelis Julia Flynn investigation as well as that of Justine Marks then Hedges would have to give him a very big team of officers, even more so as one of those cold cases had been headed up by DCS James Langton.

DCI Anna Travis was having an enjoyable Sunday morning at her private health club. She had recently taken up a post DCS James Langton had recommended her for, as DCI in charge of Specialist Casework Investigations running a team of experienced detectives finding new lines of enquiry in unsolved murder cases. Anna was happy in her new role, particularly appreciating that the hours were not as long as in her previous position and it was rare that she had to work weekends.

After an advanced aerobics class she relaxed in the Jacuzzi and sauna and was looking forward to a light lunch at the club bar followed by a lazy afternoon in front of the television with a glass of wine and a DVD. Having showered and dressed, Anna checked her mobile, only to discover there were three missed calls from James Langton and a curt text message saying, ‘Where are you, call me now!’ She was surprised by this and irritated by his intrusion on her day off; she knew he had lately undergone knee surgery and she had a sinking feeling that something had gone wrong, but she nevertheless pressed the call button. He picked up immediately.

‘Travis! Where the hell are you?’

‘I was trying to relax at my health club. Are you all right?’

‘I need you to come and see me a.s.a.p. I’m at home.’

‘I thought you were in hospital?’

‘No, I checked out yesterday. How long will it take you to get over to me?’

‘Well unless you’re dying I would like to have my lunch first. Is it really that important on a Sunday?’

‘Yes it is and I’ll tell you why when you get here.’

He hung up. Typically brusque without even a hint of why he suddenly needed to speak with her. Anna had not actually seen or spoken with Langton for months and although she was aware he would be on sick leave for at least eight weeks after his operation, she wondered what could be so urgent that he needed to disrupt her day off.

When Mike Lewis arrived at the station that morning he thanked the team for coming in on a Sunday and immediately put up on the incident board a picture of Fidelis Julia Flynn that had been taken when she was a bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding. Joan remarked on how much Fidelis had the Celtic look with her curly auburn hair, green eyes, freckles and soft complexion. Although her innocent beauty was evident it seemed overshadowed and saddened by the thought that Henry Oates had probably murdered her.

Mike informed the team that Fidelis liked to be known as Julia and that she had come over from Dublin, in September 2010, to study at the City University. She had spent her first term in the university’s halls of residence and over Christmas had answered an advert in Time Out to share a flat with two other female students in Kilburn. To help pay her rent she worked part-time at a nearby Texaco garage. Mike said that about eight weeks after she moved in Julia had told her parents that her flatmates were high and mighty and she had argued with them about paying equal rent as she had the smallest room. Although she seemed desperate to find another place to live her parents had encouraged her to ignore the other girls, stay put, and discuss the rent with the landlord. It was after this conversation that Julia’s parents became very concerned, as they suddenly heard no more from her, which was unusual as she called home most weekends. They had repeatedly called her mobile, leaving messages and texts, but all to no avail, so after about three weeks they contacted the Dublin Garda who then informed the Kilburn missing persons unit.