A sob escaped her. “She isn’t there.”
“Lisa, what do you mean she isn’t there?” But Lisa couldn’t speak. Great gasps wracked her body as she tried not to panic. It didn’t work.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Please, let her be okay.
“Lisa, what’s going on!” he demanded, his voice rising.
“She’s gone missing,” Lisa croaked out. “She left here but didn’t arrive at school. They’ve just rung me.”
“What?” He was shouting now. It was too much. Lisa burst into tears and slid down the wall, all the energy draining out of her.
“Where is she, Brian? If she’s not at school and she’s not with you… Where is she?”
“I’m coming over.”
The line went dead.
2
When DCI Rob Miller arrived at the house in Barnes, west London, he was confronted by a scene of utter chaos. Lisa Wells, the child’s mother, was inconsolable. Her cheeks were bright red, she was panting like she’d run a marathon, while simultaneously screaming at a man he assumed was her husband.
He grimaced. Only a husband and wife could fight like that.
“It’s not my fault,” she cried. “She always walks to school with Candy.”
“You should have checked.” He had his hands on his hips, his shoulders forwards in a classic intimidation stance. “You let her leave the house alone. She’s eleven, for Christ’s sake. What were you thinking?”
Lisa shook her head. “You’re not listening to me. She was meeting Candy.”
“Up late with the construction worker, were you? Is that why you couldn’t be bothered to take your own daughter to school.”
“Fuck you, Brian. I didn’t see Sergio last night.”
“Liar.” His face twisted with rage. “I know he was here. I saw his car.”
“Oh, so you’re spying on me now. Is that it?”
“Someone’s got to make sure Katie is safe, because it isn’t going to be you, clearly.”
Lisa’s hands balled into fists.
Rob glanced at Mallory, who gave a brief nod. They had to find out who Candy and Sergio were, and dissolve this situation before these two went for each other.
“Good morning. I’m DCI Miller and this is DI Mallory. You reported your daughter missing?”
His presence acted like a bucket of cold water and the feuding parents recoiled from each other and turned to face him. Lisa’s eyes were glazed and zombie-like, while her husband’s were hot and accusatory. It was clear he blamed his wife for their daughter’s disappearance.
The two coppers who’d arrived earlier had walked the route Katie would have taken to school, just to check she hadn’t got lost or distracted – there was a small park on the way – but there was no sign of her. He’d heard their report on the radio on the way here. It was starting to look like an abduction.
Mallory took the father aside, while Rob led the distraught mother into the house. “Let’s sit down and you can tell me what happened.”
She sniffed and rubbed her hands on her skirt. Dirt smudged across the material, and he noticed several rips where it had been tugged at by twigs and branches. Her blouse was damp under the armpits and she smelled of sweat and fear. She’d obviously gone looking for her daughter too.
“Right, let’s start at the beginning.” He moved a pile of charcoal sketches aside and took out his phone, placing it on the table. Unlike Mallory, he couldn't remember every little detail. “Do you mind if I record this conversation? I don’t want to miss anything.”
She nodded, her hands clenched together. Her whole body was taut with strain and she kept gnawing on her lower lip. This woman was barely holding it together.
“Okay, what time did Katie leave for school?”
“Eight forty,” she replied immediately. “I remember because we were running late.”
“Does she have a mobile phone?”
“Y–Yes, but it’s switched off. I’ve tried ringing her several times.”
Rob took the number down and immediately texted it to DS Will Freemont, a member of his team. He’d triangulate it and see if he could pick up her signal.
He said as much to Lisa, who nodded but kept biting her lip.
“You said you were running late,” Rob continued. “Was there any particular reason?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor. “I overslept – I haven’t been sleeping well lately – and had to rush her. I sent her off without a proper goodbye.” Tears filled her eyes.
That was tough. Rob felt her guilt from across the table. She blamed herself for her daughter going missing.
“Why aren’t you sleeping well?” he enquired.
“What?” She seemed confused. “Why is that important?”
“Please, if you could just answer the question.”
Her shoulders sank in a defeated sigh. “My husband, Brian, and I are having problems. We–we’re getting divorced. He wants custody of Katie.”
Rob studied her for a long moment. She wasn’t an unattractive woman, although right now she looked awful. Eyes puffy and glazed, face pasty-white, with the make-up she’d applied this morning smeared all over it.
Under normal circumstances, he imagined she’d be rather striking. Her hair was rich and glossy, despite its current wild state, her eyes a soft, cornflower blue and it was obvious she took care of herself. He glanced at her expertly manicured fingernails with their little white tips, showing up against her dirty hands.
Barnes was a small village situated in the borough of Richmond Upon Thames and positioned snuggly in a bend of the river. The ‘Barnes Trail’, a circular walk that takes in the riverside and local woodland, was popular with locals and visitors alike, and Rob remembered jogging along it when he’d first arrived in the area. That was back in the days when he still had the time and inclination to exercise. Now, most of his free time was spent pouring over case notes in his armchair at home, his Labrador, Trigger, at his feet, or with Jo.
“And you want Katie to live with you?”
Her gaze rose to meet him. “Of course. She’s my baby girl. I’d be lost without her.”
They could delve into the court proceedings at a later stage. Right now, time was of the essence, so
