Further investigation established that George North had indeed booked a flight but failed to show.
***
Some days later, a car-parking attendant reported a Cadillac Deville on the third floor of a multi-storey car park, approximately fifteen minutes from Lucy Mears’ school. A team of officers sent to examine the vehicle found Lucy’s school backpack. They did not locate her cello or mobile phone. Fingerprints lifted from the car were compared to those held on record by members of the Mears household following an attempted burglary some months previous. These prints had been necessary for elimination purposes. There were no prints other than those of current members of the household. Where was George North? Priority was given to tracing him and hopefully locating the missing girl.
The distressed mother was kept informed at every stage of the investigation. She remained at home, too upset to attend to her business empire, which she said was in the capable hands of her trusted team with whom she was in regular contact. She was reluctant to leave should she miss a call on her home phone. Molly continued through tears to run the household, albeit with much less enthusiasm. Nora, distraught at the news of George’s non-existent conference, could shed no more light on his whereabouts.
“This is so unlike him, Mom. What has happened to him and Lucy? They could be lying injured somewhere.”
“Honey, the hospitals have been checked and they haven’t been taken there. It’s all so confusing!”
Chapter 3
On the shores of a lake, many miles from the scene of the mysterious disappearance of Lucy Mears, the weather had abated slightly. The campervan had come to a halt, allowing the occupants a few days’ respite from further travelling and an opportunity to assess their situation.
“Perhaps we ought to cut back on the sedation,” suggested the man, “to one drop a day. The kid has never been fully alert, she poses no problem and we do not want to overdose.”
They decided in future to administer only one evening dose. As if on cue, the girl rallied and through slurred speech struggled to implore once again, “Call Mama.”
For several more days, the trio continued to live by the lakeside, secure in the knowledge that poor weather and their secluded position would afford them total privacy. With the reduction in sedation, Lucy Mears slowly emerged from her trance-like state to the realization of her plight with two people she had never seen before.
***
Both detectives Harvey and Carr interviewed Ken Farmer. He was a refined man in his late sixties, a confirmed bachelor, he informed his enquirers, married to his music. He had been giving Lucy Mears cello lessons from an early age, having been alerted to her talent by her school music teacher, a fellow member of the local orchestra. He was upset to hear of Lucy’s disappearance and could not offer any insight as to where she might be.
“I came to the house, as usual, only to be told she wasn’t available for her lesson.”
The distraught man became silent for a moment, as if deep in thought, then continued.
“I found that strange, as I was always informed in advance of any change of plans.”
At the time Lucy vanished, he had been in his local library where he had spent a good part of the afternoon researching his passion: the history and restoration of musical instruments.
The librarian, a rather stern woman, looked aghast at the mere thought of someone questioning the sweet man. She was a tall, extremely thin person. She wore her grey hair in a middle parting, pulled back off her face and tied in a bun that was held in place with a butterfly clasp. Her half-moon glasses perched on her sharp nose gave her a look of superiority, which no one would dare question.
“He sat over there at his usual table in the corner, where he read in total privacy. I made sure no one disturbed him. He comes here regularly; you can set your watch by him.”
Detective Carr suspected that perhaps she was secretly in love!
Later, Lucy’s friend Abigail felt able to answer some questions and, in the presence of her mother, told of the last time she saw her best friend.
“It was break and we were having lunch. We talked and planned for the sleepover. Lucy was so excited to be coming to mine. She loved being with Mom and me. We were going to eat pizza, see a movie and Mom was to pick us up after that to bring us back here for a sleepover.” Abigail continued with her account. “Lucy was in music class after lunch. I was at my art class, so I didn’t see her again. I expected to see her in the locker room at the end of the school day, but when she wasn’t there I thought her class had finished early and she had gone off with her ride.”
Detective Carr paused from asking questions to allow the upset girl to compose herself.
“Take your time, Abigail, you’re doing really well. Carry on when you feel ready.”
“Lucy was to be picked up as usual by car. She was never allowed to walk home, unlike Abigail who normally walked the short distance,” volunteered Gina.
Abigail continued. “I was surprised to get Lucy’s text saying she was sick and taking a rain check. I tried to call back, but a message said the number was unobtainable. It was very strange. Her phone had been working earlier in the day.”
Detective Carr left Gina’s Floral Boutique and returned to HQ to follow up what she had learned. The appointment at the optician had been cancelled, the message purporting to come from a male member of the Mears household. This led Carr to enquire about the other supposed appointment, that of Nora’s emergency dental visit. Nora had indeed visited the dentist, the appointment having been arranged by Brenda Mears who had requested George collect Lucy from school.
“Nora had been miserable for days,” said Brenda. “I made the appointment myself.”
She assured the detective that it was not unusual for her to arrange such things.
“I look after my staff,” she retorted sharply.
***
Weather at the lakeside had eased enough for the trio to take short strolls to stretch their legs, giving Lucy her first whiff of fresh air. Too weak to walk unaided, she was escorted along on the arms of her minders, dragging her feet and stumbling as she went, mumbling incoherently. The only recognizable sound appeared to be her plaintive cry of ‘“Call Mama”. For several more days, they continued these walks, which always finished with mild sedation for Lucy on return to her warm detention. Rested and revitalized, the minders decided to set off on the next stage of their journey, crossing into yet another state.
***
Detective Harvey called the team together for a brainstorming session, which resulted in more questions than answers.
“Why has a ransom demand not been made?”
“Did the kid go off with a boyfriend?”
“Did she meet someone on the internet perhaps?”
“Where is George North?”
“What happened after that car was left in the car park?”
It was time to call in the media. They already had a whiff of a missing kid but as yet had few details.
“The kid’s mother is reluctant to go public, but we have to overrule that.”
Harvey called a press conference and related as much as he felt necessary. A quick result from the TV appeal brought a member of the public to the door of 1st District Central, where Harvey worked, to report a sighting of a Cadillac as it entered the car park.
“I thought it strange for a posh car to be in that rundown car park. I was exiting the place and had to break sharply or I’d have been in a head-on when it raced towards me. I didn’t give any more thought to it until I saw the appeal on TV for information.”
When questioned further, the witness recalled seeing a speeding green or blue car leave the place shortly afterwards. Officers were instructed to locate the car ASAP, if for nothing more than to eliminate it from enquiries.
A few crank calls from overly unhelpful members of the public delayed the important work of the team. Eventually, a woman called to say she had reported such a car to her local police. It had be
en parked in a manner making it difficult for her to manoeuvre her car from her driveway. The car appeared abandoned from about the time of Lucy Mears’ disappearance. Forensics pulled some prints from it. They belonged to Lucy Mears and an unknown person. The car was found near an alley leading to a dilapidated bus station in Halsted.
Brenda was more hopeful that her daughter would be found on hearing that some progress had been made from the media appeal. She still waited for a ransom demand to be made. Lucy’s computer showed no worrying internet activity, as she expected, stating Lucy’s passion was her cello.
“I could not imagine Lucy being interested in internet activities like social networking sites. She allowed nothing to distract from her music.”
Enquiries were made to bus companies about the evening the child vanished. Very few vehicles were at the bus depot around the time in question. One driver did not continue his journey beyond there, as his vehicle developed a serious fault requiring towing for repair. Another driver remembered the ferocious night in question, but did not recall a child among his passengers.
“Few people ventured out that night, sir,” he stated. “It was a foul night!”
One driver, however, clearly remembered a weeping girl on his coach accompanied by a middle-aged man. He presumed her misery to be associated with the coldness of the bus. They exited at Wentworth, the final destination.
“I didn’t see where they went. Everyone had heads down trying to shelter from the weather. The bus had been so cold; folk just wanted to get home.”
An appeal went out to trace passengers from that bus, not an easy task, as the depot was a hub-centre, taking people on other routes and to other states.
Some days later a call came through to Harvey. A passenger had come forward confirming the presence of a young girl travelling with a man. The witness had been sitting across from them.
“I was concerned about her. She moaned constantly. I presumed like the rest of us that she was cold. The guy with her didn’t seem to communicate or comfort the poor kid. I myself fell asleep and only woke up when we reached Wentworth. They were ahead of me for a time, walking towards the east side of town to Lox Road where I lost sight of them when I turned for home.”
“No one seemed to be out and about that evening, sir,” reported officers assigned to find the location described by the passenger.
An appeal went out; door-to-door enquiries were made around Lox Road and surrounding streets. The residents were asked to recall the night in question and report anything unusual in the area. The police had a breakthrough when a householder told of a delivery van that cruised her street. She watched as it slipped and skidded on the icy road as the driver attempted to read the house numbers.
“It came to a halt at number 28A Lox. Not that I was being nosey!” she exclaimed. “I was looking out at the weather when I spotted the truck; it was slipping all over the place. We never get our streets treated for ice, you know; something should be done about it.”
A warrant was issued to search the premises of number 28A. A team of officers entered the building in the early hours of the morning, taking the householder by surprise. The place was dusted for fingerprints and sent for checking. The occupant, a woman in her fifties, appeared bemused and agitated at the activity in her home. She claimed to have no knowledge of a truck at her door and had no idea, she said, as to why her house should be searched. Attempts to trace the truck proved futile; major companies had no record of their vehicles being in the area on the night in question and smaller companies too gave similar responses.
Chapter 4
Brenda Mears had never experienced anything other than luxurious living. Both her parents had come from wealthy families and had accumulated fortunes of their own, before meeting at a business convention.
Brenda’s mother had died giving birth to her. Her devastated father threw himself into his business ventures, rearing his infant daughter with help from his sister-in-law, Anna. As if to atone for his child’s deprivation of a mother’s love, Simon Mears spared no expense in the raising of his daughter. Her aunt privately blamed the child for the death of her only sibling and unfortunately, on occasion, was unable to refrain from being outspoken. This led to tension in the already stressed household, to the extent that Anna felt unable to continue looking after her niece. She intimated her intention to return home to her antique business when suitable help could be found for the hapless father and motherless child.
Molly Kelly, recently widowed and with a young child of her own to care for, was grateful to find such employment and entered the life of the Mears family. The sister-in-law, relieved of her task, returned to her own home to come back on only one occasion: to attend Simon’s funeral some twenty-five years later.
Brenda’s early life was predictable for an only child reared by a rich, doting father. She wanted for nothing. Simon talked to her about business matters from an early age as if she were an adult on equal footing, fostering in her an interest and knowledge of the firm that she was destined to inherit.
This would stand her in good stead later in life. After completing a post-grad degree in business management, she joined her father in the firm and progressed rapidly to a position on the board of Mears Empire where, through time, she would become its chief executive. She enjoyed life to the full, dated several students during her college days, but her first real love was for a high-flying politician. She thought her future was with him, but on hearing of her unplanned pregnancy, he swiftly abandoned her, saying marriage and children were to feature much later in his plans.
A devastated Brenda gave birth to a daughter whom she called Lucy.
Lucy Mears came into a world of opulence. The devoted love of Molly, her main minder, and that of her besotted grandfather made up in some way for any apparent lack of interest shown by her mother. Simon Mears, now terminally ill, lived long enough only to see his beautiful granddaughter take her first faltering steps. Molly’s daughter, Nora, helped her mother rear Lucy and became a close, almost elder sister to the child. Molly never forgot that Lucy belonged to someone else. It saddened her to witness the apparent absence of Brenda in the life of the child.
Brenda’s inheritance from her father and the legacy held in trust from her mother’s estate, coupled with her own prolific appetite for work, ensured she continued to live a lavish lifestyle. As her business ventures expanded over the years, she amassed not only a considerable fortune, but also a formidable trusted team of associates, devoted to their employer and her ideals.
Bob Lees, young, enthusiastic and talented, joined the team in the early years of the growing business under Brenda’s regime and soon became a valuable group member, becoming romantically involved with Justin Palmer, the other gay person in Brenda’s elite company. The two set up home together and became engrossed in each other and in their work, adding valuable input to the business.
Olivia and Ron Scott, a married couple, added energy, vision and clear-thinking to the firm. They were currently on holiday, cruising on their private yacht in the Caribbean. The holiday ended abruptly when Ron’s elderly mother suffered a stroke. Brenda granted unlimited leave to allow them to organize care for the elderly woman, whom she had met on several occasions and was particularly fond of.
The eldest associate, Myra Hill, was a formidable woman, a financial whiz who had been headhunted by Brenda. Myra kept abreast of the company’s financial status, advising, cajoling where necessary, and convincing the board of the best available investments. She was promoted to the position of chief financial officer.
During Lucy’s absence, the company continued to function normally, with Ron and Olivia offering to return home if required. Brenda insisted that they remained where they were to arrange care for the frail parent and assured them that the other team members were in agreement with this decision, adding that they were a tower of strength to her. They would be recalled if necessary and were thanked for their concern.
Armed with background infor
mation about the Mears Empire, Harvey and Carr interviewed the board members in turn. On the afternoon of Lucy’s disappearance, Bob Lees and Justin Palmer were in their respective offices, working until seven in the evening, when they left to dine at their favourite bistro. A cleaner remembered seeing them leave the building.
Myra was out of the office most of the day having meetings with the firm’s accountants, returning about five-thirty to collect some files to work on at home. She spoke briefly to Justin before heading for home. This alibi checked out.
Next day they were all in their respective offices when Brenda ran screaming from her suite, having been told by Molly of Lucy’s disappearance. They were understandably shocked and upset. Myra drove the hysterical woman home and stayed with her and the distraught Molly for some time. She arranged for Brenda’s car to be delivered to her home. Justin and Bob wept copiously for the rest of the day. Via Skype, they contacted the Scotts to give them the devastating news.
***
The travelling trio, having refuelled and stocked up with grocery provisions, had now crossed three states. The adults, concerned that Lucy was overdosed, cut back yet again on the amount of sedation. The girl while still drowsy became more aware of her surroundings. She seldom spoke except to mumble a mantra, Call Mama. The rhythm of the engine and gentle music lulled her to sleep which lessened her awareness of the tedious miles of travel that had been imposed on her.
Chapter 5
Fingerprint results from house number 28A clearly showed those of Lucy Mears, as well as the householder, Clara Blake. Officers returned to the house to take the occupant into police custody, where, under pressure and scared out of her wits, she confessed to harbouring the girl for four days. Through a deluge of tears and interspersed with sips of water, the woman constantly dabbed her eyes and confessed her part in the disappearance of Lucy Mears.
She had been in debt for several years without seeing a way out of her problems. She had taken a loan from a dubious source and got behind with instalments. She feared for her life and that of her family due to some menacing-looking people sent to demand ever-increasing payments from her. After a stressful few months she was approached with a solution: take in and look after a kid for a few days until given further instructions and the debt would be cancelled. She had no idea who delivered or collected the girl but gave a rough description of the man. She was upset at having had to administer sedative and had kept the vial, which she handed over to police. This was sent for analysis and was to prove a valuable clue. Clara Blake ignored instructions to incinerate the kid’s clothes. Never having seen such quality in clothes she had them laundered and passed to her granddaughter who was delighted to own such designer outfits.
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