The Missing Children

by M A Comley

  Kayli tapped her on the shoulder and ordered her to follow her to the ladies’. Once inside, the floodgates opened. Kayli tried to comfort her colleague, but Donna pulled away from her.

  “All right, what am I missing here? This isn’t like you, Donna. What’s going on?”

  Donna walked into a cubicle, tore off some toilet paper, and returned to blow her nose. “Sorry, boss. It’s just me being silly, that’s all.”

  “That’s all? Donna, none of us are going to find this easy. Even I’m already feeling wrung out emotionally about this case. You need to get past this, love.”

  “I’m trying. It’s just...”

  “Just what? You can tell me.”

  “It’s just that it’s brought back some memories I thought I had successfully suppressed.”

  Kayli leaned against the sink and folded her arms. “What memories?” She tried to recall everything she’d read in Donna’s file, but she drew a blank for anything similar to the case.

  “When I was at primary school, my best friend went missing.”

  “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

  “I never saw her again. Her body was discovered in an old well almost four months later.”

  “Damn, did they find the person responsible for her murder? Was it even murder, or was it just an accident?”

  “It was definitely murder, and yes they found him. It turned out to be Maggie’s stepfather. Her mother felt guilty as hell once the news broke. She committed suicide the very next day. Couldn’t forgive herself for inviting that man to share her home.”

  “That’s dreadful. Had they been together long?”

  “If I remember rightly, they had started dating, and he moved into the house less than six months later.”

  “How old were you and Maggie?”

  “Seven. The thing is, I noticed a month or so before her death that Maggie had become a little distant. You know the type of thing—the smile had gone from her face, and her eyes were dead. Being only seven, I had no idea what was wrong and really didn’t know how to talk to her back then. Her mother wasn’t the only one who felt guilty about letting her down. I went into my shell for years. Until one day, a policeman came to our school to give us a talk on personal safety and what to do if anyone approached us in the street. My whole world changed that day. From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to join the police force. To fight the evil people walking our streets, especially those who choose children as their victims. I thought about joining Social Services but wanted to be at the sharp end, to see the bastards banged up for their crimes.”

  “And now? With this case? Do you think you’re going to be able to handle it? There are bound to be some similarities to your friend’s case, during the investigation.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll try and put it aside. I just needed to get it out of my system, boss. I’ll be even more determined to get this perp, knowing what he’s done to that little girl.”

  Kayli launched herself off the sink and gripped Donna’s arms, rubbing them. “Let me know the minute things get on top of you. Got that?”

  “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  “Right, get rid of the snot and dry your eyes. Umm... you might need to top up your makeup before you rejoin the rest of the team.” Kayli dropped her arms and stepped aside.

  Donna walked up to the mirror and groaned. “Panda eyes, the bane of every woman’s life. Thanks, boss. For the chat and the kick up the arse.”

  “Hey, no kick up the arse from me, hon. My door is always open, okay?”

  “I appreciate that.”

  Kayli left her colleague repairing the damage to her pretty face and walked back into the incident room. The rest of the team looked her way wearing puzzled expressions. “She’s fine. Right, where do we start?”

  Graeme held up a bundle of files. “Barbara dropped these off while you were out, boss.”

  Kayli approached his desk and took the files. “Great. I asked her to gather all the information she had on children who had been reported missing in the area in the last few months. Can you handle this for me, Graeme? Note down the details and who is dealing with each individual case then give the detectives a call for me. Make them aware of the discovery of Jamillia Watson’s body.”

  Graeme looked up from the notes he’d been jotting down. “Will do, boss.”

  “Perhaps you can fill us all in on what you find first thing in the morning.”

  He nodded his agreement, and Kayli stepped into her office to ring the pathology lab. “Naomi? It’s Kayli Bright.”

  “Hi, Kayli, are you psychic? I was just getting around to calling you.”

  “Not that I know of. Have you completed the PM on Jamillia Watson?”

  “I have.” She exhaled a heavy breath. “Poor mite, she really went through the mill.”

  “Oh crap, do I need to prepare myself for what’s coming next?”

  “I went over a lot of it with you at the scene. In the end I discovered she had three broken ribs, a broken arm and a fractured jaw.”

  “That poor girl.”

  “That’s not all. What I discovered on the inside would turn the strongest of stomachs.”

  “Oh, shit!”

  “Let’s just say the poor thing was sexually assaulted. I suspected as much at the scene but wanted to be sure before I broke the news to you.”

  “What? No, you’re not saying this depraved individual raped her, are you?”

  “That’s exactly what I am saying. There was also damage to her internal organs, suggesting an object was rammed into her repeatedly.”

  Kayli closed her eyes and flung herself back in her chair. “What a sick shit. Can you tell if the injuries occurred before or after she died? I’m praying it’s the latter.”

  “Sadly not. The injuries occurred whilst the little girl was alive, if anything, they probably contributed to her death.”

  “That’s disgusting. I can’t imagine what that poor child must have gone through. We visited the parents earlier. I told them that you would ring them at your earliest convenience to arrange seeing her. A word of warning, the mother is feeling terribly guilty about being late to pick her daughter up from school—caught in a traffic jam. Jamillia was missing when she finally arrived. She’s on anti-depressants.”

  “I’m not surprised. Most parents feel some form of responsibility in instances like this. She couldn’t have known what would happen to her child. I’ll make sure I’m available when they arrive. As for any DNA from the suspect, there was none.”

  “Damn. Okay, we’ve got a list of people to question, and we have a list of other children who have also gone missing in the area, so hopefully, things will start to slot into place soon. While you’re on the phone, can you tell me if you’ve dealt with any similar cases in the past few months?”

  “No. This is the first child murder that has come through here this year, thankfully.”

  “That’s a relief. Let’s hope it remains that way and that we’re not going to uncover something far more sinister.”

  “I’ll second that. Right, I better be getting on. I’ll call the Watsons now. By the way the time of death was within the last forty-eight hours.”

  “Okay and do you suspect she was taken there to be killed? I can’t see anyone keeping a child in the property, can you?”

  “I’m inclined to agree with you. I think she was probably being kept elsewhere for the past three weeks. I’ll be in touch if I discover anything else.”

  “Thanks, Naomi. I appreciate that. Good luck.” She hung up, bounced forward in her chair, and wandered over to the window to draw in some fresh air. What kind of sick, evil, twisted individual could do that to an innocent little girl?

  A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts. Dave poked his head into the room. “Everything all right?”

  “Not really. Come in, and I’ll run through a few things with you.” They both sat down and Kayli recapped what Naomi had just told her. She watched the colour drain from her
partner’s face, and when she thought he was going to be sick, passed the wastepaper bin over the desk to him. He set it on the floor beside him. Then she informed him of what Donna had revealed in the ladies’.

  His mouth gaped open for a second or two before he found his voice. “Bloody hell! Is Donna going to be all right working this case?”

  “She’s going to have to be. We don’t have anyone else who is a whiz on the computer like she is. We’ll keep an eye on her.”

  “Fancy having to deal with that when you were growing up. Not surprised she wanted to join the force. I think I would have felt the same way if I’d been in her shoes.”

  “Me too. We just never know what’s going to happen in this life and how it determines our future. Right, I think we should call it a day today. Looks like we’ll have a pretty full day to contend with tomorrow. I’ve asked Graeme to inform us about the open cases of the other missing children in the area first thing. We’ll see what comes of that before we head over to the school, okay?”

  “Sounds good to me. Want me to do anything before heading off?”

  “Nope, it’s been an emotional day. Give Suranne and Luke a hug for me when you get home. Tell her about the case, but try not to scare her too much. I wouldn’t necessarily go into detail. Your call of course, but that’s how I would deal with it. She’ll hear about it soon enough on the news anyway, so I’d get in first if I were you.”

  “I will. Might drop by the off-licence to help ease into the conversation.”

  “Good idea. I could do with a drink myself tonight. Goodnight, Dave.”

  She watched her partner walk out of the room and decided to deal with the paperwork she had pushed to one side that morning. She was still at her desk almost an hour later, long after everyone else had gone home for the evening, so she rang home. “Hi, Mark. I’m just leaving now. Want me to bring anything in with me?”

  “Nope, we’re all good at this end.”

  She noted his abrupt tone but chose to ignore it. It didn’t bode well on the job front. “Okay, I’ll be home in twenty. Love you.”

  He grunted and hung up, which was unusual for him. He never hung up without first reciprocating her endearment. She sighed, slipped on her coat, and collected her handbag before she switched off the light and left the office.

  There was a commotion going on in the reception area as she walked through it. Two uniformed officers were trying to persuade a drunk to hand over the ripped carrier bag he was holding tightly against his chest. However, the drunk was adamant he wasn’t going to let them have it.

  “Hello, George. Remember me? What have you been up to?”

  The drunk shook his head as if to clear his vision. “Ah, yes, I remember. I’d be all right if these two hoodlums would stop trying to rob me of my possessions,” he slurred.

  Kayli winked at the officers and held out her hand. “Hand it over, George. You’ll get them back once you’ve slept it off in a cell.”

  George’s mouth turned down at the sides, and he handed her the tatty carrier bag. “Only because it’s you, beautiful lady.”

  Kayli placed the bag on the counter in front of the desk sergeant. “You need a woman’s touch with these things now and again, Sergeant Donaldson.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll bear that in mind in the future, boss. Might even give you a call to help us out on the odd occasion, if that’s all right with you?”

  “Sure, why not? It’s not as if I have anything else to do with my time. Good evening, all.”

  “Hey, if you’ve got nothing better to do, Inspector, fancy spending the night in the cell with me?” George called out after her.

  “Oh, I’ll be there, George. In your dreams, love.” She sniggered as she stepped out of the station into the fresh air.

  Thirty minutes later, armed with a bottle of wine and four cans of beer, Kayli walked up the path to the modest terraced home she and Mark had bought two years before. She found him sitting in the lounge, watching the news. Kayli bent down to kiss him. He was glued to the screen and hadn’t even noticed her arrival.

  “Mark, is something wrong?” She placed the alcohol on the floor beside her and sat next to him on the couch.

  “Nothing. Ssshhh... I’m watching the news. They found a child’s body today in a cellar.”

  Kayli kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs underneath her on the chair. “I know. I’m dealing with the case. It was pretty gruesome.”

  “God, I’d hate to be involved in something like that. I hope you find the bastard and make him suffer. He wouldn’t make it into court if I had ten minutes in a cell with him,” he said, his anger evident in his words.

  She reached for his hand. “Mark? What’s wrong? Tell me. I know when something is up?”

  “I’m sick of everything.”

  “Everything? Are you including me in that sweeping statement?”

  He turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing as he shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know I don’t mean you. Why do you have to make out everything is always about you?”

  Kayli let go of his hand, picked up the alcohol, and left the room. She didn’t do arguments and would rather walk away than have a heated discussion with Mark—or anyone else for that matter. She opened the bottle of wine, poured herself a large glass then took it upstairs to run a bath. She had been soaking in the tub for a good ten minutes before a sorrowful-looking Mark eased open the door and popped his head into the bathroom.

  Kayli smiled tentatively at him. “Do you want to join me?”

  “Nah, I had a shower earlier. I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

  “I can’t help if you won’t tell me what’s wrong.” The job hunting had obviously been a failure, but she needed him to tell her that.

  He sat down on the toilet next to her and pulled the tab on the can of beer he was holding. “They didn’t want me. I’m not sure where I go from here.”

  “Damn, I’m really sorry about that, love. Something is sure to turn up soon.”

  “Well, money is getting very tight now. If it comes down to cleaning cars or emptying the bins, then I suppose I’ll have to bite the bullet and do it, but I’d rather not. I’m not sure what employers are afraid of.”

  “I’m at a loss to know their reasoning for rejecting you too. You’d think they would see ex-army guys as an asset. You’re disciplined, hard-working, smart, not only in your choice of clothes but up here, as well.” She tapped her temple.

  “Maybe they class me as an unknown quantity, a killing machine, unable to function in society.”

  “Really? Well, they’re damn stupid if they think that. It’s their loss in that case, love.”

  “Except it’s not, is it? It’s my loss if no one is willing to employ me.”

  “We’ll get through this sticky time. Dip into our savings if we have to.”

  “No!” he snapped.

  “Whoa, okay, it was just a suggestion. I don’t care about the wedding, Mark. I’d rather have you not walking around here with a long face.”

  He stared at her for a while. “I’m sorry if I’m such a grouch. Maybe I’ll take my beer and leave you alone if that’s how you feel.” He left the room and slammed the door behind him, making her flinch.

  Crap! Well done for making things a thousand times worse.

  Not long after, she heard the front door slam also. “Award yourself a gold star for ballsing that up, girlie.” She continued to soak in the bath for a few minutes then got out, towelled herself dry, and pulled on her dressing gown. She debated whether to get dressed again, to go out and search for Mark, but whenever he’d stormed off in a huff before, she had been unable to find him. None of this would be happening if only someone would show faith in him and give him a job.

  Then, as if a lightbulb switched on in her head, an idea struck her. He could apply to the force for a job. They had recruited several ex-servicemen and women in the past. She intended to run it past him when he returned... if he returned.


  Kayli knocked up a cheese omelette for herself and switched on Sky News, the only programme she knew would repeat their news bulletins constantly, hoping to catch what they had divulged to the public regarding Jamillia’s case. The little girl’s wide smile filled the screen. Sudden tears moistened Kayli’s eyes, and she brushed them away with the back of her hand. “Such a sweet, innocent-looking little girl. How could anyone even contemplate raising their hand to her, let alone...?”

  Kayli must have fallen asleep on the sofa because the next thing she knew, she felt Mark’s arms around her, and he was carrying her upstairs to bed.

  “You came back,” she said breathlessly.

  He smiled. The creases of anger around his eyes had been replaced by loving crinkles. “Of course, I did. It would take a lot to get rid of me, you know that. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

  They reached the bedroom, where he placed her gently on the bed. She pulled him down on top of her and kissed him. Everything would be all right between them—she was positive about that.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Kayli and Mark were still cuddling each other when the alarm went off the next morning at seven o’clock. “Argh... I need to get a move on. We have a lot to do and lots of people to interview.” She kissed his neck and flung back the quilt.

  Fifteen minutes later, she was in the spare room, drying her hair with one hand and trying to fasten her blouse with the other. Mark had gone back to sleep and was snoring quietly.

  Eager to begin her day, she left the house without eating breakfast and drove into work. Aware that the rush-hour traffic would be thickening within the next few minutes, she put her foot down, in hopes of avoiding it. Kayli smiled when she saw Donna parking her vehicle in the car park when she pulled in. “Hi, Donna. How are you feeling about things today?”

  “I’m good. I gave myself a stern talking-to last night—crikey, that sounds bad. I don’t often talk to myself, I promise.”

  Kayli chuckled. “I believe you. Glad you’re okay today and ready to jump in. I have a feeling we’re going to need your expertise on the computer for this case.”