Кара Хантер - Close to Home

***

‘I think we’ve found who it was, sir.’

It’s 3.00 p.m., and I’m in my office, on the point of leaving for the estate, and fresh – if that’s the word – from a royal bollocking from the Superintendent about what happened at the press conference. The person at the door is Anna Phillips, on secondment from the software start-up on the business park, who are ticking the box on local community involvement by helping to pitchfork us flat-footed plods into the twenty-first century. She, by contrast, wears very high heels. And a very short skirt. She’s a great hit in the station, which will come as no surprise at all. Alex had her hair cropped like hers when we first met – it made her look mischievous. Playful. All the things she’s lost, these last few months. I’ve done a double-take a couple of times since Anna arrived, but then I see her smile and know I’m mistaken. I can’t remember the last time I saw my wife smile.

‘Sorry – I’m not with you. Who what was?’

If I’m a bit sharp it’s because I still have words like ‘incompetence’ and ‘consequences’ reddening my ears. And because I can’t find my car keys. But she seems unfazed.

‘The leak. Gareth – DS Quinn – asked me to see if I could find out where it came from.’

I look up. So it’s ‘Gareth’, is it? She’s gone slightly red, and I wonder if he’s told her he’s got a girlfriend. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d developed convenient amnesia on that one.

‘And?’

She comes round to my side of the desk and logs on to the web. Then she types in an address and steps back, allowing me to see. It’s a Facebook page. The most recent post is the still from the video of Daisy we released to the press. That doesn’t bother me – the more people who share that the better. But what does bother me is everything else. Shots of uniforms on doorsteps. Several of Challow’s team going into the Mason house. One of me, snatching a fag, which isn’t going to go down that well with the Super either. Judging by the angles, the pictures have all been taken from inside one of the houses on the close. And when Anna scrolls down there’s a post logged seven hours ago saying that the police have found a pair of bloodstained green tights, which they think are the ones Daisy was wearing when she disappeared.

‘The page belongs to Toby Webster,’ she says, answering before I ask.

‘Who?’

‘Fiona Webster’s son. The neighbour DC Everett interviewed this morning. I think she asked her about the tights. That must be where he got it from. He’s fifteen.’

As if that explains it. Which I suppose, at one level, it does.

‘It wouldn’t have taken much for that reporter to find this,’ she continues. ‘In fact, I’m surprised more of them didn’t.’

Which is code for ‘I think you owe your team an apology’. Which I clearly do.

‘And there’s something else – ’

The phone rings again and I pick it up. It’s Challow.

‘You wanted a rush done on those tights?’

‘And?’

‘It’s not hers. The blood. No match to the DNA on the toothbrush.’

‘You’re sure – it can’t possibly be Daisy Mason’s?’

‘DNA doesn’t lie. But you know that.’

‘Fuck.’

But he’s already put the phone down. Anna is staring at me, an odd look on her face. If she’s that exercised by swearing she’s not going to last long here.

‘I’ve been looking at the photos again,’ she begins. ‘The ones at the party.’

‘Sorry, I have to go. I’m already late.’

‘No, wait – it’ll only take a minute.’

She bends again to the PC and opens up the file of images from the shared server. She selects three of the pictures, then opens a still of Daisy from the video and lines it up carefully next to the others.

‘It took me a while to spot it, but once you do, it’s really obvious.’

Obvious to her, perhaps, but not to me. She’s looking at me expectantly but I just shrug.

She picks up a pen and points. ‘These three on the right are the only ones of the party that have Daisy in them. At least all we have so far. But none of them are very clear – she’s either got her back to us or she’s partially hidden behind someone else. But there’s one thing we definitely can see.’

‘Which is?’

She points at the video still from three days before. ‘Look at how long the dress is here – definitely well above her knee. And then look at the other three pictures.’

And now I see. I see very clearly. The girl wearing the dress at the party must be at least two or three inches shorter than Daisy Mason. It’s not Daisy at all.

It’s another child.

***

15.18

Oxford’s News@OxfordNewsOnline

Canal Manor #abduction update – sources say police have found bloodstained garments. Anyone with info shd contact @ThamesValleyPolice #FindDaisy

15.22

Elspeth Morgan@ElspethMorgan959

That poor family. I can’t imagine what they’re going through #FindDaisy

15.45

BBC Midlands@BBCMidlandsBreaking

#MidlandsToday at six will have the latest on the disappearance of #DaisyMason. @ThamesValleyPolice earlier released a photo of her

15.46

William Kidd@ThatBillytheKidd

If you know where Daisy Mason is pls call the police #FindDaisy #DaisyMason

15.56

Anne Merrivale@Annie_Merrivale_

Am I the only one who thinks there’s something odd about this #DaisyMason thing? How can a child disappear from her own garden + nobody see?

15.05

Caroline Tollis@ForWhomtheTollis

@Annie_Merrivale_ I agree – I said to my OH the moment we heard – there’s more to that than meets the eye #DaisyMason

15.07

Danny Chadwick@ChadwickDanielPJ

What parents let their kid stay up 2 gone midnight? They obvs weren’t keeping proper tabs on her – only got themselves to blame #DaisyMason

16.09

Angus Cordery@AngusNCorderyEsq

@Annie_Merrivale_ @ForWhomtheTollis @ChadwickDanielPJ You mark my words – it’ll be one of the parents. Always is #DaisyMason

16.10

Anne Merrivale@Annie_Merrivale_

@AngusNCorderyEsq It is odd that neither of them have appeared in public yet @ForWhomtheTollis @ChadwickDanielPJ #DaisyMason

16.13

Elsie Barton@ElsieBarton_1933

@AngusNCorderyEsq @Annie_Merrivale_ @ForWhomtheTollis @ChadwickDanielPJ God I’d hate to have your suspicious minds #FindDaisy

16.26

Anne Merrivale@Annie_Merrivale_

@ElsieBarton_1933 You have to admit the whole thing sounds very odd #DaisyMason

16.29

Elsie Barton@ElsieBarton_1933

@Annie_Merrivale_ All I know is a little girl’s missing and we should focus on finding her not making accusations about her parents #FindDaisy

16.31

Angela Betterton@AngelaGBetterton

@AngusNCorderyEsq @ChadwickDanielPJ @Annie_ Merrivale_ @ForWhomtheTollis You don’t know what you’re talking about – you don’t even know the family #FindDaisy

16.33

Danny Chadwick@ChadwickDanielPJ

@AngelaGBetterton I know I’d keep a bloody sight better watch on my own kid. And what makes you such an expert anyway? #DaisyMason

16.35

Angela Betterton@AngelaGBetterton

@AngusNCorderyEsq I was at the party – both parents were there all night – there’s no way either of them was involved #FindDaisy

16.36

Caroline Tollis@ForWhomtheTollis

@AngelaGBetterton Is there any news on the bloodstained tights – have the police confirmed that? #DaisyMason