The room is silent. Marc stares out. He’s obviously media trained and knows how to present himself, hands flat on desk, chin out. But words fail him. The red light on the camera blinks and I see him fighting with his emotions. Amy turns her head slowly to look at him just as a single tear runs down his cheek. Amy looks at me and I nod. She speaks in a low, shaky voice.
‘Marc and I tried for ten years for a baby. Ten years. We’re lucky people, good jobs, a lovely home, but our lives were complete when our little girl was born. She’s the most precious thing in our lives so please, please give her back. Let us know she is OK. Anything. Please be nice to Maisie, and please give her back to us.’
The reporters have stopped scribbling and are hypnotised by Amy and her sweet natured plea. Marc still stares ahead. I see the lens of the camera nearest to me move and I know it’s my turn. I stare at it hard and hope that every emotion is evident. I know what people look for, how they are affected by other people, big eyes and a slight smile. Empathy.
‘Thank you Marc. Thank you Amy. I’d just like to appeal to the person who has Maisie. We’re here to listen to you. We have a direct contact number you can call if you want to speak to me. I will personally take your call. The number is 079255522552. I’m here to help resolve this matter as quickly as possible. If you are the person who took Maisie, please call me on that number. Again, 079265522552. Anyone with any other information, call Crime stoppers or 101. All we want is to make sure Maisie is returned to her parents.’
The lens retreats and the room erupts into noise. Amy and Marc are led out and Steve moves closer to me to answer questions. Perry Soames a local journalist gets first call.
‘Are there any suspects as yet? Have you any idea who took Maisie, Jan?’
Steve answers this one.
‘There are ongoing inquiries but I can confirm that we have a definite route of enquiry that we are following.’
Another journalist now. National this time.
‘Have you been seconded from the Met onto this case, DC Pearce, and if so is there something underlying that we aren’t being told? Something about Mr Lewis’s involvement?’
I bounce back quickly.
‘No. I’ve been working in this area for a while now on different projects. This information we have given you about Maisie being abducted is all you need to know, isn’t it? We rarely go into details about any enquiry.’
‘So there is something?’
I stare directly at him. It’s amazing that they don’t want to help us. Every answer we give is never enough.
‘No. There’s a missing child and a vehicle we’re asking for help finding.’
Steve winds it up.
‘One more question.’
A tall man in a black leather jacket stands up.
‘Jeff Lewis. Manchester Echo. Is it true that this enquiry is linked to arrests over the past twenty four hours in London?’
Steve tenses beside me. The cameras still rolling. I jump in.
‘As DCI Ralston said, we don’t go into detail about ongoing enquiries.’
Jeff looks directly at me. He doesn’t know it but the words he utters next promise to seal my fate.
‘So the London arrests, is this something to do with Lando, DC Pearce? Is it linked? Is that why you’re here?’
I can almost sense the attention of a group of London gangsters suddenly focus on this case, and consequently, me. I can almost feel their heads turn towards their TV’s and radio at the mention of the Lando case and my name and suddenly I’m completely visible. No tricking my paranoia that maybe they hadn’t seen the report or my appeal at the end. Maybe they had no interest in a missing child from Manchester, so little interest that they had zoned out and missed my involvement. But I keep my focus.
‘No. No involvement with Lando. This is a completely separate investigation. Operation Lando is closed.’
Lando. Lando. Lando. I’ve suppressed the name for so long that it feels strange saying it over and over again. Jeff Lewis sits down and seems satisfied with the answer. Steve rises and thanks them for coming. I see Keith and the director talking about the immediate release of the footage to all TV radio and internet sources.
I hurry back to the Lewis’ who are standing with Lorraine in the corner of the back room sipping tea. Marc Lewis looks wiped out. He moves forward to greet me.
‘Thanks Jan. Thanks. Hopefully we’ll get some joy with that number. Does it actually come straight through to you?’
His desperation is almost radiating from him. Amy is hanging onto his arm and looking around the room.
‘Yes. I’m going to take any calls. I’m going to manage any contact there is. But I have to warn you that it’s not a given.’
He nods his head sadly.
‘No. Of course. Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I was angry. I just wanted to do something. But I guess I can’t do anything. Not even speak up for my own daughter.’
I feel so sorry for him. A powerful man, but defeated in the light of his only child being at the mercy of an anonymous abductor. I want to hug him and tell him that it will eventually be OK but I have to hold it together.
‘It’s a common reaction, Marc. Lots of people, even me, freeze sometimes. You’re under a lot of pressure. And you gave us some very useful information yesterday. I think we’ll make some progress now.’
Marc looks away. I can see how despondent he is. And who could blame him?
‘I don’t know. I don’t feel optimistic. I just don’t understand what they want. Why they haven’t told us yet what they want. I don’t understand why they’d take her if they didn’t want money or us to do something.’
I assume that ‘they’ are Magellan. I expect Steve has kept him informed of the progress and he’s convinced that one of the Magellan gang have Maisie still. That Steve hasn’t told him about the shopping centre plan or that everyone from Magellan is currently in a cell in a variety of London police stations. Probably best for now. It’ll stop him thinking that anything worse has happened to her. Even in his fragile state he’s still scenario building. It won’t be long until he figures out that we still have no suspect.
‘Hopefully, now we’ve opened a line of communication they’ll tell us what they want. And you and Amy will be the first to know.’
Lorraine arrives to drive them back home. They nod their acknowledgement and I watch as they disappear through the exit. I walk back slowly to the SMIT suite, and grab a cup of tea on the way. I stop at one of the high windows and look out onto the world. Two years ago my world shifted on its axis and, in the last fifteen minutes, it’s shifted again. My beloved city, my safe place in the world, has now become dangerous for me again. I’m out on a limb, reminded of the days when I first left home. Scared, tired, and separated from things that I loved, except this is a million times worse.
I gulp down the tea and go and find Keith. He’s sitting at a desk in SMIT where a large screen scrolling down forum messages. He sees me and points to the screen.
‘See this, Jan. All this after just one appeal. Mainly about the vehicle. Find Maisie pages going up every forum. I’ll have to get Frank and Jamie onto this to monitor. That’s the problem, isn’t it? You’ve got the phone, Jan, but they could send it in anyway. It could come by blood carrier pigeon for all we know.’
He’s right. Computers make our lives a lot easier in many ways. Instead of having to look for criminals they’re often right there, on forums. Pictures of stolen goods for sale, posts revealing violent and abusive natures. But it can also work the other way. It’s another, fairly anonymous communication route. One which helps people to feel secure giving information, but it’s so disorganised that we could miss it if we’re not completely on the ball. And we need to be here.
‘True. Very true. But the original messages were handwritten on a piece of jotter. That doesn’t strike me as very high tech. Even so, bring in an extra four people. I want every channel watched twenty four seven, and outwards communications. I want
all of the UK looking for that car. It’s got to be somewhere.’
I go over to the secure office area and sit on my own. Somehow life feels different, as if I’ve detached from everything and I’m even more focussed than I was before. Focused on a little girl out there with strangers, and a missing car. I’m still sitting with my arms folded, staring out of a window overlooking the city when Lauren knocks on the door. She opens it a fraction.
‘Can I come in?’
I wave her in and she sits down opposite. When I don’t say anything she continues.
‘I suppose we just have to sit and wait now, don’t we?’
‘Yes. And try to work out where that car is. Whoever has her has taken her to make a point. Or why the threats, and why take the car? A big point. Either that or to actually carry out plan b.’
Lauren taps her fingers on the desk. It’s a habit she has and it irritates me. Her fingernails are always painted, thick and red.
‘They won’t get near Sellafield though. Steve’s got it locked down. And it’s only a matter of time until someone sees the car.’
‘Unless it’s somewhere out of the way. Somewhere out of the city. I still think Maisie isn’t too far from home.’
Lauren looks surprised. Probably surprised that I’ve let her in on my line of thought.
‘Even with the London link?’
‘Mmm. Yes. I think the car was driven from London to Saddleworth on Thursday, the notes distributed on Friday and Saturday and Maisie taken on Saturday night. If the car had returned to London it would have been picked up by now on the motorway registration plate recognition. Or on the congestion charge register. Or on any number of CCTV. That leaves the rest of the country, but no one’s seen it driving around. I reckon it’s still here.’
‘So you think they’re holding her nearby?’
I think she’s holding her nearby. But I don’t say this to Lauren. She’ll know by now that all the Magellan gang are in custody and that Pat has persuaded Glen Wright to spill the beans about everything. The amount of pressure Pat would have piled on him would have meant that no stone would have gone unturned. Pat would have the names of everyone that Glen thought had even the slightest association with the Magellan plan. But this has to be someone who knows about it. A woman who knows about both plan a, and plan b. I pick up the phone and call Pat Knowles. Somehow I dredge up his mobile number from the mire of my suppressed memory. He answers on one ring.
‘Jan. OK?’
‘Yep, Look Pat. Did you ask Glen everything? About everyone who knew about Magellan. Even associates?’
He pauses. I know what’s wrong. I know he wants me to chat to him, to acknowledge him. When I don’t he gets onto the business in hand.
‘I did. He gave me a list of anyone who had any knowledge of Magellan. We’ve got them all in. But I expect you know that.’
‘I do. Thanks Pat. Were there any women on the list?’
I imagine him running his nicotine stained forefinger down the line of suspects.
‘Nope. No women. No women on the intelligence photo’s either. Do you think a woman would do that? You know, the… Maisie?’
‘It’s what I was wondering. Petra thinks it’s possible, but not probable. I don’t see why not. And the dolls, I don’t know, Pat. Seems like there’s more to this.’
There’s silence for longer than there should be. I know that he’s reading the file.
‘Right. Yep. I can see where you’re coming from. I’m just over Wandsworth way on another case at the moment. I’ll have another go at him when I get back in a couple of hours. But I think he’s empty, Jan. I think he’s empty.’
I end the call and look at Lauren.
‘He’ll ask Glen again. Ask him if there’s anyone else who knew about Magellan.’
She’s still tapping her fingernails on the desk.
‘So we’ll wait.’
I was going to say that it’s a big part of the job, but the little silver comms phone, the one Keith gave me, buzzes and I grab it from under my t-shirt. I was hoping for a call but it’s a text. ‘Found you, Jan. Now we’re coming to get you x’
Chapter Fourteen
I almost expected it, but not so soon. My body launches into protection mode, but I’m an old hand at this. I’m used to counteracting the fight or flight alert that tells me to conserve my energy for the battle ahead. I know that the feeling of panic, the draining of blood and the urge to hide or run only lasts a maximum five minutes because that’s all the body can sustain. So I wait. Deep breaths. Bring back the oxygen. Summon up the blood. Summon up the blood.
Keith doesn’t look so calm. He rushes towards me.
‘Central London. Unregistered phone.’
News travels fast and Steve and Lauren appear.
‘Of course it is. It’s only what I would expect from them.’
Steve, who is usually calm and full of sighs, is red faced.
‘We’ll make sure nothing happens. You’ll be all right with us Jan.’
They’re not used to this. Although I’m sure that officers here have received threats before, the provenance of this one takes it out of their league. They look more worried than before, if that’s possible.
I feel my blood pressure return to normal and the cloudy thinking retreat. It’s so long since I’ve felt like this, and I’ve missed it. I’m shocked that, after all that’s happened, I feel this way. I’ve missed it because it means I’m back in the game. I ran, but I’m back. I’ve enjoyed my time in the back of beyond, in my cottage in the countryside, but I suddenly don’t know where home is. I can’t go back there now until this is resolved.
I think about Kirby and realise that Jean and Graham will care for her. The inside of my house will tick along as usual, gathering tiny fragment of dust in layers over all my belongings that suddenly don’t belong with me anymore. I worry about the remnants of last night’s dinner left in the freezer, which is a good sign that my fear is backing away to make room for resilience. I survived last time. I’ll survive again.
I want to tell Steve that I’ll be fine on my own. I know what to do, because I’ve done it before. There’s no need for them to watch out for me. But we’re a team and even in these circumstances we stand together.
‘Thanks. I appreciate it. Don’t worry. They’re all bark and no bite. I’m still here, aren’t I?’
Lauren goes to speak.
‘But Jan, last time…’
Steve quickly interrupts.
‘OK. But make sure you’re with one of us at all times. Keith will monitor the phone, it might be best to isolate that number now.’
That won’t help. It’s gone too far.
‘No. It’s too late for that. It’ll have been broadcast by now. I still want to go with my plan. I’m a big girl and I’ve got the whole of the Met and you lot looking out for me. Maisie comes first. We need to keep that line open for the perpetrator to call.’
They all stare at me hard. Keith speaks first.
‘Jan. You don’t have to do this, you know. You can work covertly. You know we can hide you, arrange for...’
‘Been there, done that. Like I said, my major concern is finding that car and finding Maisie. Maybe it’s time for me to stop pussy footing around and come out of my little hidey hole, where they probably think I’ll run back to. I’m never going to be able to hide away and still live a life. So this is the only way. But I don’t want to put you guys at risk so if you think I’m a risk, take me off the case.’
Lauren folds her arms and shakes her head. Steve looks shocked.
‘My God, Jan, we all want to help you. You’re a great officer and profiler, the best. We need you here. And besides, this is what we do. Protect people. If we can’t do it, who can. Right?’
He looks at Lauren and Keith. They both nod.
‘So don’t even think about it. We’re a team.’
I search their faces for any sign of doubt, any trace of them wanting out. Steve and Keith are flushed and emotion
al, but Lauren is poker faced as usual.
‘OK. But this is my battle, at the first sign of anything call for support, don’t make yourself a sitting duck. And anyway, they’ll have to find me first. So back to Maisie. The main plan now is to wait for any communication. I’ve asked Pat to interview Glen Wright again about anyone else who had knowledge of Magellan. But we can’t stop. We need to monitor every single piece of information that comes in via 999 and Crime stoppers.’
Keith gives us his input.
‘Yeah, I’ve got a comms team onto it now. All we’ve got so far is abandoned Range Rovers. Hundreds of them. All over the UK. We’ve got an all-forces alert to investigate anything that come in and check it through DVLA.’
I’m still a little shaky, but I fight through it.
‘So we’re looking for someone who has knowledge of Magellan’s plan, someone close to them. We’ve got the initial messages, the list of addresses and names, and a playlist. We’ve got the chemical trail and it all ties up with Glen Wright.’
Steve takes over.
‘That’s progress. But we need to find this vehicle quickly. I don’t need to tell you that. I’ve got the whole of Manchester locked down, and so far we’ve managed to avoid telling the public the real dangers. But the more people know about it, the more risk of it being leaked. So we need to act fast. We’re relying on the public to find that vehicle. Jan, how confident are you that Pat Knowles has got everything out of Glen Wright? What are the chances of him giving us anything else?’
What I Left Behind (The gripping prequel to the DS Jan Pearce Crime Fiction Series) Page 13
