Jack Slater - Nowhere to Run

He closed the file as Pete shut the door and stood opposite him.

‘A thirteen-year-old girl, the mother a junior school teacher, father a corporate lawyer, disappeared from outside her school. Bearing in mind their address in St Leonard’s and the school she goes to, which is Risingbrook, we have to at least consider the possibility of a kidnap, although there’s been no contact as yet, according to the parents.’

‘And you believe them?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘So we need to get a team in there for the night and perhaps tomorrow. Phone taps on landline and mobiles so that we can trace any callers.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘I take it you’ve got their permission for all that?’

‘Sir.’ Pete nodded.

‘I’ll get on to HQ and set it up then. Perhaps Jane can go with the team, to introduce them. I’ll also get on to the press office, get them to hold off until we’ve established a few of the facts. And you’re following up other leads, I take it?’

‘Friends and family. Local paedophiles. Possible contacts on her mobile and computer. Considering the time of day, there’s only so much we can do immediately, of course. But, come morning, we can look for possible witnesses and so on. Go down to the school and interview parents, teachers and pupils.’

‘Quite. Carry on, then, Peter. And let me know if you need more manpower. As I said, we have to give this top priority.’

‘Sir.’

Silverstone was lifting his phone as Pete turned to leave.

Back at his desk, he saw that Dave was working on Rosie’s laptop. ‘Any joy yet, Dave?’

‘Not yet. I got on to her mobile phone provider, though, got her call log. Nothing out of the ordinary on it. No calls from unusual numbers. And I had it pinged to get its location, but it’s not just off, it’s completely dead.’

So, the battery and/or SIM card had been removed. Someone wasn’t stupid, Pete thought. If this was an abduction, that was not a good sign. And how many thirteen-year-olds knew that you had to take the battery out of a phone to prevent it giving away its location, even if it was turned off? ‘I don’t like that. Not at all. I’ll get onto the PND and see what I can find out about the people on Alistair’s list.’ He fired up his computer and logged into the Police National Database. With Alistair Whitlock’s list at his elbow, he began to search.

First Jason Whitlock then Michael Gibbons came up clean. No criminal record or known associations on either. He looked up. ‘Jane, have you got the names of Becky Sanderson’s parents there?’

She put a hand over her phone. ‘Neil and Geraldine.’ She returned her attention to the person on the other end of the line. ‘Sorry about that. You were saying . . . ?’

Pete typed Neil Sanderson into the computer. The screen flashed up.

‘Hello.’

‘Thank you,’ Jane said into the phone and hung up. ‘What you got, boss?’

‘Neil Sanderson. No criminal record. Regular CRB checks. Looks like he’s into judo. And, it says here, he’s a known associate of one of Jim’s customers, downstairs in the holding cells. One Stephen Lockwood. Priors for drug possession and distribution and living off immoral earnings.’

‘Ooh. A pimp and a pusher. Maybe we’d best go and have a word?’

‘I’ll call down first, see who actually brought him in. Don’t want to go stepping on toes as soon as I get my foot back in the door, do I?’

Jane laughed.

‘What, you going soft in your old age, boss?’ Dave asked, looking up from Rosie’s laptop.

‘I suppose you’ve never heard of old age and treachery, Dave.’

‘What?’

‘It always beats youth and skill.’ Jane grinned. ‘Not that you’ve got that much youth on your side.’

‘Oi!’ He hit a key on the laptop and sat back abruptly in his chair. ‘Gotcha. I’ve got into this thing though.’

‘Well, she didn’t keep a paper diary,’ Pete said. ‘So if there’s going to be anything to indicate she was unhappy at home or at school, it should be on there. What did Becky Sanderson have to say?’

‘She’s not aware of anything wrong in Rosie’s life, boss. No bullying, cyber or otherwise. Apparently, she’s quite the girl to be seen with. A leader, not a follower. Not a bad girl though. Good grades, into sports, friendly. An all-round nice kid. She just didn’t turn up at school today. No phone call, no text, no nothing. And it’s not something she’s done before. Not her style at all. She’s too conscientious.’

‘Boyfriends?’

‘Not that Becky’s aware of. And you saw her parents’ reaction to the idea.’

The phone on Pete’s desk rang and he picked it up. ‘DS Gayle.’

‘This is DS Parker from Middlemoor. Communications. I gather you need a phone tap set up?’

‘Ah. Yes. Possible kidnap. Seems unlikely, but we’ve got to cover all bases. The address is in St Leonard’s. My DC’s been there. She can go with you and give you the intro, if you pick her up from here.’

‘Right. We’ll be there in twenty.’

He put the phone down and Jane was looking at him, eyebrows raised. ‘Nice of you to volunteer me, boss.’

‘I didn’t. Fast-track did. I just forgot to tell you. It shouldn’t take long if you go in your car. Just lead them round there, introduce them, then you can scoot off.’

‘What about all this?’ She indicated the paperwork on her desk, her notebook, computer and phone.

‘There’s only so much we can do tonight,’ he said. ‘I’ll stay and carry on. What about you, Dave?’

‘I’m all right. I can stop as long as it needs.’

‘Right. Between the two of us, what we can do at this time of day won’t take too long.’

‘OK. Thanks, then, boss.’ She got up, picked up her coat and bag and headed for the door. ‘Goodnight.’

‘’Night, Red,’ Dave called, closing Rosie’s computer down and setting it aside. ‘So, what else do we need to do, boss?’

‘Well, when you’ve done with that thing, there’s the parents’ alibis to check, you could carry on down this list of contacts or see who we’ve got in the area in the way of known paedophiles and check on them.’

‘Right. Lovely.’

‘Meantime, I’ll see about Stephen Lockwood.’ He slid the list across to Dave, picked up the phone and dialled an internal number.

‘Custody desk. Sergeant James.’

‘Bob. Pete Gayle. You’ve got a guest down there, Stephen Lockwood. Who was his AO?’

‘Hello, Pete. How you doing? Hold on, I’ll find out for you.’

Pete waited, hearing the tapping of a keyboard behind James’ heavy breathing. ‘Here we are. The man himself. Jim Hancock. Why? What’s up?’

‘Oh, I might have a connection with another case. I’ll talk to you later.’

‘Cheers, Pete.’

He ended the call and dialled again.

‘DS Hancock.’

‘Jim, it’s Pete.’

‘Hello. You still in the office?’

‘Yeah. Looking into this missing girl. Thing is, I’ve got a crossover between that case and one of your arrestees from this morning. A Stephen Lockwood. He’s a known associate of the father of my victim’s best friend. Do you mind if I have a word with him? Not as a suspect or anything, just a possible witness.’

‘He’ll want something in return, mate. I’d bet on it.’

‘If so, what can I offer him?’

Jim sucked in air. ‘He’s a prime player, Pete. He’s going down this time, so the cupboard’s bare unless he can give us his international connections as well as what you want.’

‘Oh, well. I’ll have a go anyway, if that’s all right.’

‘Sure. Go for it. Just don’t hold out too much hope, eh?’

‘Fair enough. See you tomorrow.’

He put the phone down again and got up from his desk. ‘Right, I’m off to the dungeons.’