‘Let me repeat, wait for the car to bring you to Police HQ. Do you understand, Mrs Challinor?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m going to ring your daughter now.’
‘She’s out of her mind, Ridpath, not making much sense.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. Stay where you are until the car arrives.’
He rang off. Claire Trent was staring at him.
‘Boss, we have a problem.’
Chapter 83
It had been easier than he thought.
He waited in the toilet of the cinema, pretending to wash his hands. He’d chosen that one specially. There were steps leading to an exit through a fire door. From there, it was a two-minute walk to the car.
The boy had come in on his own. His hair was freshly combed and he was wearing new clothes; a Harry Potter badge saying Gryffindor prominent against his pale t-shirt.
Perfect, he couldn’t have asked for better.
He waited for the boy to finish and come to wash his hands. He watched the door all the time hoping nobody would come in, the possibility of discovery adding a frisson of danger, a spice of excitement.
‘Why are you wearing gloves when you’re washing your hands?’ the boy asked him.
‘Be careful, the water is extremely hot.’
The boy seemed satisfied with this answer, turning on the cold water so it flowed more strongly out of the tap.
When the boy reached out to put his hands under the running water, he grabbed them both with one hand, placing the pad soaked in chloroform over his mouth.
There was a short struggle, but he held the boy tight against his body until he went limp.
He covered the boy with his coat and picked him up, resting him on his shoulder as if he were carrying a sleeping child. Carefully, he checked outside the door.
The way was clear.
He rushed down the stairs, out through the emergency exit and onto the street, the boy’s head still resting on his shoulder.
Hurrying past the empty digger that had been repairing the road, he entered the car park. His Corsa was parked in the corner near the exit.
He opened the boot, checked the area one more time. A couple were leaving their car and walking to the exit but they weren’t looking at him.
Good.
Slowly and carefully, he placed the boy’s limp body in the back. Taking out the hypodermic, he found a vein in the boy’s elbow and injected his mother’s drug into the soft skin.
He didn’t want to damage the goods. Not after going to so much trouble acquiring them.
Well, not yet, anyway.
Chapter 84
Ridpath had put Sarah Challinor, the coroner’s daughter, on speakerphone so the others could hear. She had been distraught and almost incoherent, alternately talking to him and to her daughter. ‘It’s my fault, I should have never let him go on his own. Where is he? What’s happened? Keep up, Amy…’
‘Where’s Ben?’
‘Don’t ask, Amy, I’m looking for him.’
‘Why are you crying, Mummy?’
‘I’ve looked everywhere. Where has he gone? I rang Mummy because I didn’t know what to do.’
Ridpath could hear her breathing as she rushed aimlessly around the cinema. ‘Sarah, please take a moment and tell me what happened.’
She repeated the story Mrs Challinor had told. Ben had vanished after going to the toilet in the cinema. She’d checked the area, finding the Harry Potter badge she had given him that morning on the floor of the toilet.
‘He would never have dropped his badge, he loves Harry Potter. Somebody’s taken him.’
Ridpath covered the mouthpiece. ‘This could be our man, boss.’
‘Or it could be a child who’s wandered off for an ice cream and got lost,’ said Turnbull.
Claire Trent thought for a second. ‘We can’t take the risk.’ She nodded at Ridpath.
He uncovered the mouthpiece and said, ‘We’re on our way. Please stay where you are.’
The detective superintendent immediately took charge.
‘Ridpath, go to Parrs Wood with Emily and Harry Makepeace.’
‘Yes, boss.’ He handed the phone to Chrissy.
‘Hiya, love, now just take a few deep breaths, the police are on their way. Where are you? Look around and tell me what you can see?’
In the Situation Room, Claire Trent was barking out orders.
‘Alan, go to pick up the coroner.’
‘Right.’
‘Paul, you and I are organising the search from here. Get onto West Didsbury nick and get some manpower. Let Wythenshawe and Cheadle Heath know too. I want that cinema and the surrounding area locked down.’
‘I’d like to go to Parrs Wood.’
‘Not yet, we need you here.’
‘Sam, notify PTU, we might need them.’
‘Yes, boss.’
‘John, get onto the traffic police, tell them to check all their cameras. We’re looking for a white Vauxhall Corsa. Kingsway runs right past the area.’
‘On it.’
‘The rest of you get ready to move.’
She clapped her hands. ‘Come on people, time to get this bastard.’
Chapter 85
Molly Wright was with a crowd of reporters outside the Carsley house in Wythenshawe. The police had beefed up their presence since his release. There was a squad car, a sergeant and two constables in front of the red-painted door.
She’d seen nothing of Michael Carsley since he’d arrived back at home yesterday evening. The curtains were drawn and the house was quiet. She knew he was in there, though. It was only a matter of time before he came out.
Until then, she would stand here patiently chatting to the other reporters and waiting for her chance. A couple of editors had already been onto her, looking for more on the Carsley case. It had really taken off since her piece in the Mail. All she had to do was keep the pot stirring and she was good for at least another two weeks. An interview with Carsley would be a great scoop.
Was he the innocent victim or the evil mastermind? She hadn’t decided which yet but she tended towards the former. It was a much better read.
Her photographer waved a bacon-butty-stained hand from his car.
She ignored him. He probably wanted to skive off and take a shower after being there all night.
Sod him, she’d been here too and she wasn’t going anywhere.
He waved again, more urgently
