John Eider - Late of the Payroll

It was these necessarily serious headlines, negotiated with stern faces before the hosts could get on with telling the more inspiring tales of children overcoming illnesses and locals running their own Post Offices, that led Grey to not watch the show as often as he ought — it was after all vital for the regional knowledge that formed the backdrop of so much of their work. And this Grey pondered, as the producer’s assistant ushered him out to the green square of parkland at the centre of what you might call the town’s civic hub. The green was flanked on one side by a Sixties brutalist (though none the less loved for that) library building, and on its adjacent side by the rather more respectably Victorian Council House/Chamber of Commerce. The police station — polite, conservative, post-War — was on the third side, the fourth occupied with offices.

His interview was primed to make the morning news and be repeated on each subsequent bulletin throughout the day, and was rolling before he knew it,

‘Thank you, Carol,’ began the brightly-toothed and bushy-haired man Grey was being moved off-camera toward. ‘I’m here at Southney Police Station; and yes, as you say police here are becoming increasingly worried about the disappearance of local man Thomas Long. Here to talk with us about this very worrying case in some more detail is Inspector Rase. Inspector, hello, thank you for joining us…’

The camera, live and broadcasting and ready to gobble him up, swung smoothly in Grey’s direction. He had been here before of course, and always thought the same panicked thought at this point: Is this it, so suddenly, just like that? No intermediate state between life and live? But of course this was a one-shot deal, the camera either rolling or not rolling — what preparation could there be? And that he could not adjust to this as readily as the toothsome man only served to confirm that, however his police career panned out, there was no move into true crime broadcasting to follow it.

Grey mumbled some greeting as the interviewed confidently continued, ‘Now, Inspector, what can you tell us, about the missing man?’

‘Well,’ Grey launched into his short speech, a brief description of Thomas Long, edited down to only the essential details, all the better for those few details to lodge in the minds of viewers. His own mind was racing, as he told himself: this will all be over in twenty seconds, just keep thinking straight, talk slower than you think you need to, form sentences.

‘I think we have a picture of him appearing on the screen now,’ the reporter interjected, as viewers across several counties saw Mrs Long’s digitally cropped family portrait, ‘So what can you tell us about the circumstances of the disappearance?’

‘Well, Thomas Long left work around five pm as usual on Tuesday of this week.’

‘His place of work being Aubrey Electricals?’

‘Yes. An unconfirmed sighting places him at the bus stops on the High Street a short while after this. Now this is a busy street, especially at that time of day, so we are hoping there might be a number of people who recall seeing him then, or indeed at any time since.’

‘And this was on Tuesday?’

‘Yes, and as of yet we have no trace of him movements since then, hence our appeal to the public for their assistance.’

‘And you can see the number to call appearing on screen now, and also the email address for local police enquiries; and you can also email us at the program’s usual address and we will forward on your information to the police. Now Inspector, speaking to your team, I believe it is the nature of the disappearance that is causing you most concern?’

‘Yes. From talking with his family and those that work with him, we know that Thomas Long is a man of habit and familiar routine. He is thoughtful and hard working, but not at all impulsive, and someone whom just upping and leaving would seem completely out of character. He is also I believe a conscientious man, and so to stay away for two days without informing his family of his whereabouts leaves us very concerned for his wellbeing.’

‘Indeed. So Inspector, in conclusion is their anything you would like say to our viewers out there watching right now?’

‘Just to reiterate: that Thomas hasn’t been home for two nights now, and his family and friends are very worried for him. So if you think you have seen Thomas recently, or have any other information you could give us, even if it seems hardly relevant, please do so. We are just really keen for anyone who has seen Thomas to contact us.’

‘Thank you, Inspector.’

‘Thank you.’

‘ We’re off to the plant now as it happens.’ The reporter didn’t miss a beat, speaking the second the red light had gone out, and as another man unplugged various cables from a box attached to his belt. ‘Aubrey’s are issuing a press statement today. Word is, it’s to announce job cuts. Your lads’ll be out in force no doubt, once the workers get restless. I don’t suppose there’s anything there you could help us out with?’

‘Once you get their statement you’ll know much more than me.’

Grey left the temporary encampment on the town green as soon as cleared by the production crew to do so, his involvement with the world of broadcasting over for he hoped as long as he could swing it until he had to place himself in such a situation again.

Grey found an office already abuzz with activity: Superintendent Rose was meeting the Assistant District Commissioner to discuss emergency measures, he relaying his concerns of industrial unrest; while the Sergeants and Constables were relieving themselves of what duties they could, in preparation for both the potentially exhaustive enquiries (door-to-door questioning, the distributing of fliers and posters) involved in a missing persons case — they had handled these cases before, they knew what was expected — and too whatever crowd control they might be asked to perform at Aubrey’s.

The Inspector himself intended heading straight to his office to write something legible by means of a record of yesterday’s events, but first he had to speak to Sarah Cobb, she herself, along with the rest of Administrative Support, standing readied for the hoped-for deluge of leads, false or otherwise, they hoped the residents of such a relatively small and close knit community as Southney’s would provide in response to the televised appeal. The calls had already begun to come through, he discovered; and he considered it a credit to their readiness that the swiftness of developments hadn’t left them out on something of a limb.

She had however already been over to speak with the bank this morning, his mother having given them permission to look at Thomas Long’s bank account.

‘Did they give you any trouble?’ asked Grey as he came over.

‘No, the cashier spoke to the manager right away. He didn’t sound very happy, but they went along with it when I mentioned your name.’

‘I never knew I held such influence. He doesn’t like me very much, you know.’

‘Well you must hold some sway there.’

‘Evidently, so…’

‘His pay goes in monthly,’ she advised. His housekeeping he takes out at the cashpoint. There are a few Internet purchases, books mostly, never very large amounts.’

‘Did his pay look reasonable to you?’

‘The amount? Yeah, about right, a bit more than you might think actually.’

‘Well, he did… does a lot for them.’

Sarah caught his slip, a risk in any missing persons case, ‘You’re asking,’ she continued unfazed, ‘because he would be paying himself in effect?’

‘Yes, there’s always the possibility of fraud. Although it doesn’t seem very likely, does it?’

‘He doesn’t sound the type, sir.’