Gone Too Far : DCI Miller 4: Britain's Most Hated Celebrity Has Disappeared

by Steven Suttie

  “Do you reckon? I’m thinking she’s set it all up herself to see what reaction she’d get. I wouldn’t put it past her!”

  “Seriously?” Saunders looked shocked by Miller’s apparent lack of interest in the disappearance.

  “Yeah, listen, if anything dodgy would have happened, we’d have heard summat by now, wouldn’t we? I mean, somebody would have phoned in and reported seeing Kathy in a compromising position, something they’d seen but hadn’t thought of as odd at the time…”

  “How do you know they haven’t?”

  “Well, ha, good point. I don’t…”

  “Sir, I want to bagsy this one. Please?”

  Miller lifted his cup and took a sip, burning his lip. He looked across the desk at his colleague and held his gaze a moment. Eventually, the DCI spoke. “Okay, fair enough Keith. If the Manchester aspect gets handed to us, I’ll let you have it.”

  “What do you mean if?” asked Saunders, looking unsure of whether that was good, or bad news.

  “Well, if it does get handed to Manchester, there’s a good chance city centre CID will be given it. It might not even reach CID. It’s a missing person, at the end of the day. It’s not that big a deal. I doubt we’ll be involved at all to be honest.”

  “Gutted! I really wanted to get going on this.” The frustration was undeniable on Saunders’ face, and in his voice.

  “Tell you what Keith, why don’t you go and crack on with what you’re already juggling, and I’ll see if I can find out what the Met’s plans are. Okay?”

  “Sir.” Saunders walked out of the office, tapping his pen against his palm as he went. Miller exhaled loudly, as he watched his second-in-command skulking across the office floor towards his desk.

  “For God’s sake Kathy, now you’ve got DI Saunders worrying about you.”

  * * *

  In London, DCI Martin Paxman was having an end-of-shift debrief with the two detectives he’d asked to check over the Kathy Hopkirk mis-per file.

  DS Lynne Robinson and DC Faryad Hussain looked pleased with their work. Or were they pleased that they were about to go home? DCI Paxman couldn’t be sure. He invited DS Robinson to talk through the file.

  “We are one hundred-per-cent confident that there isn’t a full stop missing in this Sir. It’s totally complete with all of the details, but it also has interview outlines with Kathy’s husband, Jack Greenwood – who last saw her on Thursday morning before he left the house for work. He last spoke to her roughly an hour before she left The Midland in Manchester, and his phone records confirm that this is an accurate account. He had a colleague round from work on Thursday, they were working until around one am, when she went home. We’ve had this confirmed by the colleague, and there is also CCTV footage at the entrance to the house that confirms this. The only question mark surrounds the colleague. She was a very pretty, very flirty young friend from what the CCTV shows. Both Faryad and I agree that if Kathy was home, this ‘working late’ in inverted commas probably wouldn’t have happened.”

  “Hmmm. That’s interesting.” DCI Paxman was reading the file. He didn’t look remotely interested.

  “To a certain extent, it is. But it’s quite a well known thing that Kathy has a lover of her own, they’ve been photographed, on one occasion getting the car windows rather steamed up down some country lane. The pictures went in the Sunday papers. So perhaps as a couple, Kathy and Jack are quite relaxed about this kind of thing. Anyway, one thing is clear – the husband isn’t responsible for the disappearance in a physical sense.”

  “What about the lover she had then?”

  “Apparently, it’s all over, and Kathy is dead-set on rebuilding her marriage. But we’ve tried to contact the ex-lover. The call hasn’t been returned just yet, Sir. We’re still waiting to talk to him.” Said DC Hussain.

  “Has anything come to light that might suggest a reason for Kathy to want to disappear?”

  “No Sir, nothing obvious,” said DC Faryad Hussain. “We also have an interview with Kathy’s manager Sally King, who can confirm that Kathy’s professional life is at an all time high. She earned fifty grand in the last month alone, so things are definitely going well for her.”

  “So on the surface, everything looks okay?” DCI Paxman really couldn’t care less, that much was abundantly clear. He was just going through this case-file like he would any other.

  “Absolutely Sir. Kathy Hopkirk is doing very well for herself. Her work schedule is none-stop busy for the upcoming three weeks, almost every day has a television or radio appearance scheduled. If it’s not a media date, she has several book signing dates diaried in, all over the UK.”

  “Right, okay, very interesting. So you’re happy for me to send this lot up to Manchester?”

  “Sir.” DS Robinson looked extremely confident.

  “You guys can guarantee it’s water-tight?”

  “Absolutely one-hundred-per-cent, Sir.”

  “Yes, Sir,” agreed DC Hussain. “The I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed.”

  “Right then, that’s a great big tick on my to-do list. If she went missing in Manchester, then they can sort it.”

  Chapter 8

  “Good morning, it’s Monday, the start of a fresh new week, and we do hope you’ve had a pleasant weekend,” said the stunningly attractive TV host Heather Scott to the camera, and to BBC One’s 1.5 million viewers at home.

  “Yes, welcome to BBC Breakfast,” added her colleague Giles Montgomery, another dashingly attractive broadcaster. “And our main topic this morning is all about that shocking news we heard yesterday, regarding the disappearance of TV’s Kathy Hopkirk.” Giles looked very sincere as he spoke.

  Heather nodded. “It really was shocking, wasn’t it? I was trying to think of another time that something like this happened Giles. I can’t think of anything else like it.”

  “No, neither can I. But if any of our viewers can recall a celebrity going missing, please get in touch in the usual ways, the text and e-mail and Twitter details are on the screen.” Giles pointed towards his knees, where the information was being displayed.

  “This morning, we’re hearing lots of people suggesting that the police should be doing more to find Kathy. Now, what’s important to point out at this stage, is that we don’t actually know anything about the police operation. The only news that has come from the police, was the brief press statement that was released yesterday. So, we decided to look a little more closely at this.”

  “Yes, we’re joined this morning by Peter Evans from the National Missing Persons Bureau, who has come along to demystify the procedure that the police will have to follow in the search for Kathy. Good morning Peter.”

  “Good morning Giles, and good morning Heather.”

  “Good morning Peter, and thank you for joining

  us. This is an extraordinary situation, isn’t it?” Heather

  looked really excited by the story, as were a great many viewers at home.

  “Yes, yes it is an extremely unusual situation, but it’s not completely unheard of,” said Peter, a middle-aged, silver haired man in a freshly pressed suit. He looked very nervous and shaky in front of the cameras. “People disappear all the time. Admittedly, it’s not usually celebrities, but we have had many cases of people going missing who you wouldn’t expect.”

  “What kind of people?” asked Heather, desperate for the gossip.

  “You name it, we have encountered every kind of person from bankers, school teachers, politicians, even police officers. A lot of people feel the need to get away from whatever difficulties they may be experiencing in their personal lives. It makes things very tricky for the police, who really need to make a decision about the level of risk to the missing person.”

  “What does that mean?” asked Giles.

  “Let’s just say that if a three-year old child went missing, the level of risk would automatically be assessed as high, and as a result, the area would
be flooded with police officers, the police helicopter would be out, the local media would be asked to assist, all of the local community would get involved, and thankfully, these situations usually always end positively.”

  “Absolutely, but how do you assess the risk factor for a very rich, hugely successful, fifty-five year-old A-list celebrity?” asked Heather.

  “With great difficulty I’m afraid. You see, the most important detail that the police have to consider is that it is within everybody’s legal right to disappear. It is not an offence to just walk out of the house and not come back. The other vital detail that also needs to be considered, is that yesterday, along with Kathy Hopkirk, another seven hundred and fifty people will have been reported missing. The police spend almost fifteen per cent of their time on missing person’s cases.”

  “Goodness me!” said Heather, visibly surprised by the numbers.

  “That’s how many people are reported missing on average, every single day in Britain. So when you put everything into consideration, the police know exactly what they are doing, and just because they haven’t updated the press, it certainly doesn’t mean that they are not doing anything. In fact, you can bet your life savings that the police will be all over this, and will know a heck of a lot more about Kathy Hopkirk’s disappearance than we’ll ever know.”

  “That’s really interesting. So, tell us if you can Peter, what do you think the police will be working on at this moment?” Giles looked just as interested in this interview as Heather.

  “I would imagine that the police will have spoken to the people who have the closest links to Kathy, and they will have worked out what potential reasons there may have been for her disappearance. From that intelligence, the police officers will have painted a picture, and will act upon the findings of that. Now, we are not even twenty-four hours into this missing persons report, and the good news is that more than eighty per cent of these cases are concluded inside the first seventy-two hours.”

  “This is really fascinating Peter, I’m sure your expert analysis is answering many of our viewers questions. Now, we wouldn’t be very realistic if we didn’t mention something that really has to be said. The thing is, Kathy does have her enemies out there. The things that she’s said about gay people, about bin-men, about religion, about abortion, about terrorists, and ugly babies, she has built up a huge army of haters.”

  “Yes, and to add to that, Kathy is officially recognised as Britain’s most hated living public figure by Twitter, who analyse the data of all of the hateful tweets that are sent. Now if we consider that for a moment, that’s a pretty scary thought.”

  “It has to be said, and as far as we’re aware it hasn’t been said publicly yet, but isn’t it extremely possible that Kathy has been abducted, or worse, harmed by somebody who has taken offence at something that she may have said, or written?”

  “Well, I have no idea about that, I’m here to comment regarding the missing persons aspect. I have no knowledge about any other lines of enquiry that the police may, or may not be pursuing.” Peter was still shaking nervously, and his face was showing signs of unhealthily high blood-pressure.

  “But, I mean come on Peter, you must have some idea of what the police will be doing to find out if her disappearance is linked to the fact that she is the most hated person in the country. I mean, this is something that Kathy has actually boasted about!”

  “Yes, well, I’m sure that this, along with many other factors will be part of the investigation. But as I said earlier, in most cases, the missing person is usually home and all is well within seventy-two hours.” Despite his nerves and his stress, Peter was doing his best, but he was really hoping that this would be over soon, the whole experience was terrifying and the lights were so hot in that studio, he felt as though he was going to pass-out.

  “That’s not very good news when we consider that Kathy went missing on Thursday evening. I’m afraid that seventy-two hour window is now closed. This is actually the start of day four.”

  “That is also a factor that the police will be looking into.” Peter was now on the verge of a panic attack. Heather knew the signs, and dealt with it extremely professionally.

  “Thank you Peter, that was really interesting. Now, let’s see if we’ll be needing to get that umbrella out today. Here’s Jane Risdon with the weather.”

  Chapter 9

  Detective Chief Superintendent David Dixon looked uncharacteristically cheerful as he entered the SCIU department, just after ten. He looked like he’d just been having a right good laugh with somebody on the stairs. It took everybody on the SCIU floor by surprise.

  “Are you okay, Sir?” asked DC Jo Rudovsky with a mischievous glint in her eye.

  “Of course I am, whatever do you mean Jo?”

  “Nowt, er, nothing.” Rudovsky coughed and tried to stifle a laugh. She couldn’t exactly suggest that Dixon’s happy face was a cause for concern.

  “I am a little concerned this morning though, I have just heard that a nine year old girl has vanished in Middleton.”

  “Oh no, what…?”

  “Yes, she was last seen applying some anti-wrinkle cream that makes you ten years younger!” Dixon pointed at her and grinned. Rudovsky laughed out loud. Not only was that an awful joke, but the pointed finger prompt to laugh was just as bizarre as Dixon’s good mood. Rudovsky stood there, still grinning, unsure of how to move things along.

  “Okay, well, crack on then, as you were,” Dixon said and clap-clapped his hands together. That unsettling, disconcerting happiness was still plastered right across his face.

  Dixon turned away from Rudovsky and caught the new DC’s eye. “How are you Helen, are you finding your feet alright?” Dixon was talking to the SCIU’s newest and best looking member, DC Helen Grant, who was just starting her second week on the team, after a probationary trial transfer from Trafford CID.

  “Yes, very good, thanks Sir.” She was in her late twenties, slightly built and smartly dressed. Her stylish, well fitted clothes, along with her long, flowing auburn hair made her appear very elegant and confident. But right now, in front of the top brass, DCS Dixon, DC Grant seemed quite shy and embarrassed. It was amazing how senior staff could make the most confident of people lose all self-assurance. It was this aspect of his rank that Dixon enjoyed the most.

  “Good, good. They are a good team here. They can be silly buggers, but you’ll get used to them. Thank you, and have a good week.” Dixon turned and headed into Miller’s office, his weird smile was unmistakeable.

  “What the fuck’s he so happy about?” asked Rudovsky under her breath.

  “He’s won the raffle, a new bottle of Mandate!” suggested DC Peter Kenyon, Jo’s work-partner, taking the piss out of Dixon’s famously cheap cologne that has caused more asthma attacks than the Manchester police issue pepper-spray.

  “No he’s won an eye-brow grooming kit!” suggested DC Mike Worthington, to a chorus of laughs.

  “God, I wish he’d won a nostril fuzz remover! It’s like Gandalf is trying to climb out of his nose.” The new team member, DC Helen Grant had won the loudest laugh with her cutting remark. “I never know where to look!”

  Inside Miller’s office, Dixon’s good cheer was still clear to see.

  “Ah, good morning Andy, good morning Keith, how are you both today?” Dixon was absolutely glowing this morning, and both Saunders and Miller looked just as perturbed by it as Rudovsky had done. Dixon was usually very neutral looking, to put it politely.

  “Morning…” said Miller.

  “Sir,” said Saunders, slightly annoyed that the discussion that he and his boss were having was being interrupted so unexpectedly.

  “Now, don’t take it out on me, but I’m afraid there’s been a bit of a cock-up. Central Manchester CID have had an extremely eventful weekend with a gang fight that’s ended in a murder, a shooting which resulted in a critical condition, and there was a double-stabbing last night on Deansgate. So
CID are maxed-out.”

  “Sir, forgive me… but when do you ever come down here and update us on what Manchester CID are doing?” Miller was waiting for the punch-line to this. Saunders looked like he was ahead of the game.

  “Well, I’m just trying to explain the circumstances of this job…”

  “Is it the Kathy Hopkirk mis-per?” Saunders was trying to speed things up, and had already guessed that this was what Dixon was leading up to. The DCS raised his bushy white eye-brows half-way up his forehead.

  “How on earth did you guess that?” asked Dixon, looking amazed.

  “Well, I… I’m assuming that Manchester CID would have ordinarily been allocated the job, investigating the disappearance from up here… but they’re too busy so you’ve come to give it to us?”

  “You are absolutely right!” Dixon looked like he’d just played the think-of-a-number game for the very first time. Miller and Saunders glanced at each other and fought the urge to laugh at Dixon’s bizarre demeanour this morning. “Is that okay then?” asked Dixon.

  “Well Sir, to tell you the truth Keith was working all day yesterday on it, just in case.”

  “My! Really Keith? That’s quite something. Well, good stuff. Here’s the file, I’ve had a look through, everything appears to be in order and up-to-date. The big questions are highlighted here.” Dixon pulled a piece of paper from the section of the file that needed to be completed up here in the north. “The investigation has not yet managed to find any obvious reason for Kathy to leave the hotel. Her mobile phone use ceased fifty-five minutes prior to her walking out of the Midland Hotel on Thursday night. She left there alone at precisely eight-forty pm. The phone numbers that she rang throughout the day are regular numbers that are all accounted for, her manager, her husband, her newspaper editor. The part of the puzzle that we’ve got to figure out consists of four key questions. Where did she go? Who did she see? When was it arranged? And why hasn’t she been seen since? If you can get those questions answered, you’ll have solved the mystery.”

  “Sir, I was going to request the opportunity to lead this case… if CID were doing it. That’s why I did some background work yesterday. I really think I can do a good job on this.”