CHILDHUNT: A Mystery & Suspense Thriller in the Bestselling Diana Rivers Series (The Diana Rivers Mysteries Book 5)

by Faith Mortimer

  Adam immediately stepped forward, and his commanding presence seemed to take charge of the situation. He thrust a hand towards William, simultaneously smiling at Debbie. “Mr Frost? Superintendent Adam Lovell, sir. I’m not here to judge, I’m here to help if I may. If I can please explain?”

  Debbie seemed to crumple before their eyes, and she slumped forward. As she did so, Diana chose that moment to enter the room.

  “Adam! At last you’ve arrived,” she exclaimed. Before she could go over to greet him properly, her attention suddenly switched to Debbie. Realising what was happening, she rushed forward and caught her before she collapsed onto the floor. Clare wasn’t far behind, and together, the two friends helped her into an armchair. When Clare caught hold of her hands and looked into her eyes, Debbie faltered and caught her breath as she stared back. Nobody could fail to notice Debbie’s symptoms of shock. Her body was as taut as a ramrod, her pupils were enlarged, and her voice low and emotionless.

  Clare glanced over to William. “We’re both here to help,” she said and looked back at Debbie with a reassuring smile.

  William’s eyes flickered from Clare to Adam. He studied them both intently and instinctively liked what he saw. “Then, as a senior police officer, please try to persuade the inspector here that if he takes Debbie down to Limassol police station, he’ll have a disaster on his hands.”

  For the first time, Adam noticed the Cypriot policeman standing in the doorway. He took in the scrutiny and the open hostile look the inspector threw at the newcomers. Adam crossed the room and offered his hand. “I’m pleased to meet you. I’m Superintendent Adam Lovell from the UK police. May we have a word in private?”

  *****

  Diana and Clare sat next to Debbie, while Steve drew William aside and quietly asked him how he was doing and whether there was anything new to report. William looked tense and morose as he explained how the police were cancelling the search. The only consolation was the weather forecast for the next day. It was due to stop snowing around noon, and the inspector had managed to get a helicopter booked to recommence their hunt.

  “That’s good news,” said Steve, recalling Adam’s earlier words that it might be too late by then. William’s thoughts might have mirrored his own as he looked depressed and on edge.

  “Diana and I have set the ball rolling to rope in some of the Teapot regulars and our hash members. Most of them know the area pretty well, and we’re sure they’ll do a good job. It’s unfortunate about the snow, and it’s too dangerous to look in the dark. With all the ravines and gullies in the area, God knows how many accidents we’d have if we searched at night.”

  “I know, and Debbie and I are very grateful for all your help and support.”

  Steve moved closer and dropped his voice further. “At the moment, apart from some of the residents in Agios Mamas village, who have agreed to check around the houses and the empty ones especially, most volunteers are starting just before first light. We plan to move before the police get going and try to interfere. They were pretty noisy during their search and not very methodical according to Roger, who knows more about it than I do. They’re useless, if the truth be known. Adam’s a very senior policeman back home, and although he has no jurisdiction out here, he can always call on the High Commission for some back-up and support if needed. He seems to have a lot of clout one way or another.”

  William looked embarrassed. “What about Debbie’s past? All your friends.”

  Steve waved a hand. “Don’t worry about that. Nobody’s judging her, and although there is undoubtedly going to be some idle chatter, remember she was acquitted. She was declared not guilty.”

  William let out a notable sigh of relief. “Thanks. What’s your policeman friend doing now?”

  Steve allowed a smile to reach his eyes. “If I know Adam, he’s already got the go-ahead for Debbie to stay here for tonight at least. Adam can be very persuasive.”

  William closed his eyes and then nodded towards the direction of Diana and Clare. “My first impression of him is that he seems tough. And his girlfriend? What’s her role?”

  “Clare? I’m not sure. From what she told Adam and me earlier, I don’t know who was more surprised. Apparently, she has some experience of clairvoyance and is quite an expert at hypnosis,” Steve replied in a soft voice.

  “I see. Well, I don’t normally believe in any such hogwash, but if either helps bring my children back, we’ll try anything.”

  *****

  Debbie stared hard at Clare. Diana got the feeling she sensed rather than saw Diana sitting just to her side; all Debbie’s focus was on the red-headed voluptuous woman in front of her. Debbie seemed so disengaged. It was as if everything was getting more and more frayed around the edges, and she was slipping further and further away.

  “Clare. You said your name was Clare,” Debbie said eventually, in a subdued voice. “You also said you were here to help me.”

  Clare nodded. She took Debbie’s hands in hers. Diana noticed how Clare flinched when she touched them. She herself had wondered about how cold they were. “I’ll try,” Clare said. “I can’t promise anything. You see, I’m not really trained. My…my power or gift or whatever you like to call it only works with certain people. But with you, I do have a calling. I had a feeling—a premonition—before Adam and I knew anything had happened.”

  Debbie smiled faintly as she felt subtle warmth enfold her while she struggled to keep herself together. She knew that there was a woman, just like Diana, whom she could trust. Unconsciously, she recognised neither would harm her nor let her down. She pointed wordlessly to a picture on a side table, and Diana reached over and handed it to her. As soon as Debbie held the picture frame in her hands, she closed her eyes, and a shiver made her body tremble.

  “These are my two babies, Charlie and Hannah,” she whispered, tears trickling from under her eyelids and down her face.

  Clare took the photograph from Debbie and lightly touched the faces of each child. She sat very still as she concentrated on their likenesses, and her fingers tingled.

  “I can’t remember anything else about this morning,” Debbie said in a soft voice. “The police inspector keeps asking me, insisting I must know more than I’m saying, but I don’t. You must believe me. How…how can you help me? What sort of power do you have?”

  Clare stirred and laid the photograph down on a small table next to where Debbie was sitting. When she addressed Debbie, Diana noticed a new firmness in her eyes and about her face. Intrigued, she leaned forward. She didn’t want to miss anything. Thinking back to when she and Clare had worked together in the theatre all those years ago, she couldn’t recall anything about her being a clairvoyant.

  “I come from a long line of gypsies. Proper Romanies, not didicois. Although neither I nor my mother lived in a caravan, my great-grandmother, Rosetta, did. It was she who had the real gift of sight. Apparently, I take after her in looks, and some of her gift has been passed to me. Great Granny was originally a Lee on her father’s side, a Petulengro on her mother’s. Anyway, Great Granny met and married a soldier and left the Romany way of life. They lived together very happily until one day, Great Grandfather was thrown from his horse and died. Granny knew it was going to happen.”

  “Why didn’t she tell him to not ride his horse?” asked Diana.

  “Because if you know it, then essentially it’s already happened so you can’t prevent it.” Clare looked up at her, and Diana thought it sounded like she was talking sense.

  “And you? You have this gift too?” Diana asked.

  Clare shook her head. “Nowhere near as strong as Great Granny did. She had the real gift. It’s believed she was some kind of gypsy witch, a chovihani. I’m not a true psychic because I can only make brief contact and only sometimes. Like I already have with your two children. Debbie.” She turned her eyes to the stricken woman. “Your children are still alive. I’m positive they are.”

  Debbie’s eyes widened, and she sucked in her
breath while Clare continued.

  “I can try and put you in a trance, hypnotise you, to help you remember. It might trigger something that seems small, but it could give us a vital clue. Look, I don’t want to raise your hopes too much, but something is better than nothing. By my understanding, you might be suffering from a form of amnesia. It’s not uncommon after a devastating experience. In medical terms, it’s known as a form of hysterical amnesia.”

  “At least it won’t be under sedation,” Diana interjected. “That is, if you do remember anything under hypnosis.”

  “I used to have a good memory, when I was younger,” Debbie muttered as she lay back in her chair. She rubbed her eyes with her hands, and the act showed everyone how weary she was.

  At that moment, a telephone rang in the kitchen, and Debbie jumped as if she had been shot. Diana grabbed one of Debbie’s hands, and William left Steve alone in the corner to hurry over to his wife.

  “I’ll go and see who’s calling, darling,” William said after giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “I won’t be a minute.”

  Debbie’s face had paled. She had lost her earlier look of excitement while talking with Clare and Diana. “God, every time it rings, I think somebody has found them and they’re safe,” she murmured. “But then I think that it’s just like last time. I can’t bear it…last time when that dreadful call came.”

  Diana turned from following William with her eyes to look back at Debbie. “Debbie, when did you start having trouble remembering things? Was it years ago or more recently?”

  Debbie turned her unfocused eyes to Diana. “When Sally and Stuart died. But maybe it was before then. I can’t remember.” Her eyes held a panicked look. “I…I can’t remember, it’s so hard remembering the years I was with Claude. It’s like looking into a void.”

  “Maybe it’s because you relate those years with pain. You had the children then, and it’s too agonising to remember anything about them,” Diana suggested.

  Debbie nodded as fresh tears slid down her cheeks. “Maybe you’re right. When Sally and Stuart were murdered, I was so shocked. Claude did everything for me, just like when my parents were killed in that awful car crash.”

  “Your mum and dad were killed in an accident? That’s awful, poor you.”

  “It was dreadful. The other car just drove off and left them. They never found out who was responsible. The police believed it was teenagers high on booze and drugs. But Claude was so good. Poor Claude. He was the most patient husband a woman could ever want. He did everything necessary. He organised my parents’ funeral and insisted we get married earlier than originally planned. He wanted to take care of me and couldn’t bear the thought of me being miserable on my own. He was so kind. Once we were married and Sally and Stuart came along, he was so supportive. He even got up in the middle of the night and helped. Although I wanted children and adored them, I’m not sure I had much idea at that age, and I missed my mother terribly. It was all such an effort to ensure everything was just right…I always felt so exhausted. After Sally and Stuart disappeared, I couldn’t remember…my God, just like now! What’s happening to me?” Her voice began to rise in panic, and she sat up looking very agitated.

  William re-entered the room and hearing his wife’s distress hurried over. “Hey, steady on, darling.” William gathered her up in his arms and held her tight against him. “Hush now. It’s going to be all right. The police have left us alone for the time being, you can relax.”

  Clare sat back in her chair. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to relax after questioning Debbie. Opening her eyes, she glanced round the room and for the first time really noticed Roger when he got up and threw more wood on the fire. Up until then, after their brief introduction, he had sat quietly in one corner.

  Roger stood up, stretched and turned in her direction. Clare met his stare and felt a tremor go through her. This man was in some way connected to the children, and it was more than just him suggesting Adam visit Cyprus.

  Chapter 19

  When Adam came back into the room, Diana made a bee-line for the handsome detective before anyone else got to him. She knew Adam recognised the steely glint in her eye by the way his gaze flicked round the room looking for an escape.

  “There’s no way out. You bugger…why didn’t you tell us the real reason for your visit here,” she hissed. “You know we wouldn’t have minded.”

  Adam had the grace to look contrite. “Di, I’m sorry. I know I should have explained. But, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Roger was convinced, but I had to see for myself. I thought if I could have one last word with Yvonne—or Debbie as you know her—in private, no one would ever know,” he sighed. “The whole thing is irregular, but Roger knew how I felt. I planned to have a quiet chat and lay a few ghosts. Then this happened.”

  “You’re certainly right there. Anyway, now’s not the time for us to quarrel. Since you’re here, I hope you can help things along. There’s something I’d like to run past you.”

  Adam grinned and laughed softly. “I wondered if you’d discovered anything. You never let me down.”

  Diana shrugged. “It’s nothing concrete, just a feeling I have. You need to look at the email Debbie and William received this morning. Of course, it can’t be easily traced, since the police say it was sent from an internet cafe. Have a look and see what you think. I’m sure William will be only too happy for you to assist in any way.”

  She led him over to the table where Debbie’s laptop was lying and moved the mouse. Adam leant down, quickly read the short message and took in the content of the photographs. When he finished, he straightened up, lifted his eyebrows, and directed his gaze at Diana. “Not a lot to go on, is there? The sender obviously knew Yvonne six years ago and knows about her two new children.”

  “I have a theory. Please tell me if I’m wrong, but when children go missing and foul play is expected, don’t the police deliberately withhold at least one piece of information? Am I right in thinking they do this so that they have some help in sifting through the rubbish that comes in from the usual cranks of this world? Look at that sentence the mailer has left…‘Will your present two children end the same way, strangled with their scarves and lying in a grave?’ What do you think?”

  Adam looked back at the screen and slowly nodded his head. “Yes, you’re right. I should have noticed it sooner. Sorry, but I had little sleep last night, finishing off a week’s backlog of paperwork before we left to come here. If I remember—and Roger will no doubt back me up in this—all newspaper and television accounts six years ago mentioned the two children being discovered and lying strangled in a grave in the woods. But I’m one-hundred-per-cent certain that at no time was there any mention about being strangled with their own scarves. Well, well. So if we assume Yvonne’s—sorry, Debbie’s—innocence, then that person who sent the emails must be one of a very small circle of people who knew about the scarves.”

  Diana felt her face flame in excitement. “The person who kidnapped and probably murdered Sally and Stuart is the same person who sent the emails and has abducted Hannah and Charlie. My God! He or she must have found out Debbie was living here, maybe followed her every move.”

  “We need to question her and see whether she can remember anything else. She’s not going to confess to anything, but we can accept her innocence as a fact in both cases. We have to convince the Cypriot police too.” Adam spoke quietly while casting a quick look round the room. “What is it with that inspector? He certainly has a rod up his backside and dislikes you, darling girl.”

  Diana stiffened and flashed him a dark look. “Don’t you dare start calling me that again. I thought we’d got over all that. And yes, the inspector and I don’t exactly hit it off.”

  He smiled. “Have you meddled in one of his earlier investigations?”

  She pursed her lips. “Maybe. Oh, all right. I solved a crime in the village before Poppy was born, and he’s never forgiven me. He blames
me for his lack of promotion. He’s a real pain sometimes.”

  “Even so, he is an inspector, so he must have half a brain at least. He’ll cotton on as soon as I explain more of the original case to him. I’ll spell out the lead concerning the children’s scarves.”

  Diana eyed Adam doubtfully. “Perhaps you can. There’s one other supposition to all this, I’m thinking.”

  “What’s that?” Adam asked.

  “If the killer is one and the same, then he or she has been living here for a while. They must have been watching Debbie and the children for some time. There’s the photo of them all on the beach during the summer for instance. A chilling thought, don’t you think?”

  Adam looked worried on hearing her words, and Diana knew what he was thinking. Without waiting, she hurriedly whispered, “If he abducted the children this morning, then the killer may have already killed them. Please don’t let that be true.” Diana went hot and cold all over as she thought of that possibility. “I need some air,” she gasped and fled outside with Adam following on her heels.

  “Okay. Take it easy,” he said as she stood leaning against the outside wall with her eyes tightly closed. “Take slower breaths, otherwise you’ll over-inhale and faint. Jesus, it’s cold. I thought Cyprus was a land of permanent sunshine?”

  Diana calmed down, her breath under control and blew out sharply. “It is normally. Believe me this is unusual.” They both stood watching the snow which was still steadily falling. The footprints made by the search teams were already obliterated.

  “There is one other thing, Adam,” she said after a moment’s silence. “Looking at it from a slightly different angle. If we’ve removed Debbie as a suspect, it is equally possible that someone else...someone who never came forward during the original case, but who knew something about the murders, wrote that email and abducted Charlie and Hannah. Or even both kidnappings are unrelated. It could be a coincidence, I suppose. You know, a frustrated woman who’s lost her baby.”