by A L Fraine
“I know I screwed up,” Emily said. “I should have told you, but… I just… I couldn’t. I didn’t want to worry you, and I thought if I could just keep things quiet and watch Milo… I don’t know. Maybe I was being naive.”
Darryl sighed. He looked as if he wanted to say she was being naive, but he seemed to hold himself back. “It’s okay,” he said eventually.
“Emily,” Jon said, getting her attention. “Has Jake been in touch with you? Have you seen him?”
“No.” She dismissed it quickly.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Okay.”
“He did it,” Darryl said, leaning in, getting Jon’s attention. His eyes were intense, wild even as he stared at Jon. “Jake. He must be the one who took him, he must be. He’s Milo’s biological father. Maybe he wants him back.”
Jon could see the reasoning, and it made a lot of sense. If Jake believed he was Milo’s father, there was always the chance that he would try something like this.
“We will be looking into all aspects of this case, Mr Kay. Please, don’t worry.”
“But, he’s got our child.”
“You do not know that, Mr Kay. It’s imperative that you leave this to us. You must not take this into your own hands. Do you understand?”
Darryl took a long deep breath. “I do, yes.”
“Good. Now, we need to concentrate on this press conference. I feel that I must warn you that with these kinds of things where we appeal for information, we will probably be flooded with calls, and most of them will be useless. It’s our job to sift through them and find the ones that are relevant. Okay?”
“We understand,” Emily said. “I just want to get this over and done with.”
5
“How we doing?” Jon asked in hushed tones.
They were standing in the corridor behind the room where the Kays were about to make their appeal to the kidnapper of their son. Through the small windows in the door, Jon could make out the assembled press and media in the room beyond.
TV cameras from local and national news organisationswere set out around the edges, while reporters took up position on the seats in the middle of the room, checking over their notes and making sure their equipment was working as it should.
“Looks like we’re all ready,” Kate said. “Debby said we can go in whenever the Kays want.”
Jon nodded. The final choice was down to them, really. They would be the ones making the appeal after all, but they’d already been through so much today that he wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to go out there and put their grief and emotion on display for the whole world to see.
These things could blow up into huge deals with a global audience or just fizzle and die as little more than a by-line. There was no telling how any one case might go and if it would have a happy ending or not.
But, this case was unusual, which, as macabre as it sounded, he hoped would garner it some additional attention. He felt sure the press would be interested in the case of a former kidnap victim whose son had been taken and whose kidnapper was still at large.
“Okay.”
“And if they back out?” Kate asked.
“I’ll do it alone. The public need to know.”
Kate nodded.
“Well, no time like the present,” Jon said, and with a parting smile, walked back to the room where the Kays were waiting and walked in. “Are you ready?”
Jon could feel the tension and emotion in the room. Things were strained between them as they blamed one another for the loss of their son.
He understood Emily’s reasoning for keeping things quiet, but part of him didn’t quite believe her. There was something more to it than just not wanting to dredge up the past or cause her partner grief. He couldn’t say what, but there was something there.
Was it something to do with Jake? They’d need to track him down and have a word with him. Travis also. Both were potential suspects, and both of them had a record with the police. But, for now, they could wait, because getting the word out was by far the most important thing for them to do.
“It’s time,” he said, keeping his voice even as he looked back and forth between the two adults. They were sitting on separate sofas, but as Darryl got up, he looked over at Emily.
“Hey,” he began and walked over to her. “Look, I’m sorry, we all make mistakes. I understand why you did it, and I know you wouldn’t want to put Milo in harm's way.”
“No, of course not,” Emily agreed, as fresh tears fell from her eyes.
“I know. So let’s put all that behind us. It can’t be changed now anyway, so it’s pointless worrying about it. What’s done is done, right?”
“Right,” Emily agreed.
“Come here,” Darryl said and pulled her in for a hug. She hugged him back hesitantly.
“I’m sorry,” Emily said.
“That’s okay,” Darryl replied.
Jon gave them a moment and then coughed. “Shall we?”
Taking Emily’s hand, Darryl led her out of the back room and followed Jon along the corridor towards the media room. They stopped just outside while Emily dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
“You have your speech?”
Darryl checked his pocket and nodded. “Yep.”
“Excellent. Let’s do this,” he said. “Be ready. You’re about to have a lot of photos taken of you.”
“I’ve seen these things on TV before,” Darryl said, as he reached for Emily’s hand. “Let’s get it over with.”
“Alright.” Jon opened the door.
Cameras clicked, their flashes firing like crazy, strobing the room in light as the assembled reporters called out.
Jon ignored them and focused on the Kays, making sure they were seated and comfortable before he turned to the assembled media. It was a formidable sea of faces, all looking at the people behind the table expectantly, waiting for the juicy morsels that would tumble from their mouths.
In the crowd, he spotted a few faces he recognised from previous cases, such as Chester Longstaff, the Surrey reporter who’d bothered Kate a few times on previous cases.
The hubbub died away as Jon waited until silence reigned. “Thank you for coming today. My name is Detective Chief Inspector Jon Pilgrim. Earlier today, eight-year-old Milo Kay, a resident of Epsom, went missing and is presumed kidnapped.” Beside him, a TV displayed a photo of young Milo, smiling at the camera in happier times. Cameras started snapping away, capturing the boy’s innocent face, beside the haggard visages of the parents. The dichotomy made their pain all the clearer. Jon went on to describe the boy’s appearance and clothing as he pointed to the photo.
“As you know,” Jon said, “in cases like this, it’s imperative to inform the public. Our chances of finding Milo increase drastically when people know and are aware. So please, if you were in the vicinity of Northern Epsom earlier today, and you think you might have seen something, we would ask you to get in touch. Before I take any questions, Mr Kay would like to say a few words.”
Jon turned and nodded to Darryl, who took a breath and stared at the sheet of paper before him as if it were blank. For a moment, he looked lost, and Jon thought that he might need to step in.
“Milo is a kind, innocent boy who loves cycling, football, and playing with his friends. We’re desperate to get him back and give him a huge hug. So please, if you think you saw him, or you saw something suspicious, please, get in touch. We just desperately want him back. And to Milo, if you’re watching this, please, come on. You’re not in any trouble. We just want you home. Thank you,” he finished, his voice starting to crack as he reached the end of his appeal for help. Beside him, Emily comforted him with fresh tears running down her face.
The display of emotion and affection caused another round of camera flashes, making Jon squint.
“Thank you,” Jon said. “The Kays will not be taking any questions, but if you would like to raise your hand, I’ll try to answer what I
can.”
Hands shot up as the reporters called out.
Jon pointed to someone he didn’t recognise. “Yes?”
The reporter introduced himself and said which news station he was from before asking his question. “What time did Milo go missing?”
“Just after ten o’clock this morning,” Jon answered.
“Will there be a reward,” the next reporter asked.
“We’re looking into that,” Jon said.
“Do you think he’s still alive?” Jon grimaced at the insensitive question and could only imagine what the Kays would be feeling.
“Of course,” he snapped and moved on.
“Hi, Scott Wells from the Surrey Spy Blog. Do you have any suspects?”
“As you know, I cannot discuss an ongoing investigation, so please refrain from asking about it. Thank you.” Jon eyed the young man who’d asked the question, realising he’d not seen him before. Compared to the others in the room, he looks a little under prepared and blushed at the rebuke.
“Chester Longstaff, from the UK Daily. Is this kidnapping linked to Mrs Kay’s kidnapping, given that he was never caught?”
Jon chewed on his tongue as he considered his answer. “Again, I can’t comment on that,” Jon answered and went to move on to the next reporter.
“Is Nathan Halliwell back on the case after he failed to find the kidnapper last time?” Chester pressed on.
Jon could see where this was going and decided there and then that this appeal was over. The press was being far too aggressive, and he had to put the family and their needs first. He did not want to subject them to any more probing questions then he needed to.
“Thank you, that’s all for now,” he said, raising his hands.
The sea of reporters erupted with questions, shouting them out as Jon ushered the Kays out of the room and back into the corridor, closing the door behind him to shut off the calls for answers.
“Well done,” Kat said, smiling at him, before she turned to the Kays. “You did well, both of you.”
“Thanks,” Darryl replied and looked up at Jon. “Is it always like that?”
“Sometimes, they can get rowdy. But, you held it together. You did well. You should be proud of yourselves.”
“Thanks.”
“If you’d like to go with Debby here, she’ll make sure you get driven safely home, okay?” Jon said and watched them go.
“Do you think it worked?” Jon asked.
“The lines started ringing moments after you began,” Kate said. “We can only hope something turns up.”
6
“So, we don’t know where Jake is?” Jon asked as he drove them to Croydon, towards Travis’s house. “How the hell did that happen?”
“He’s not at the address he gave when he left prison,” Nathan clarified from the back seat. “But, we have a few leads that we’re following up on. We’ll find him.”
“Don’t be so sure about that. If he’s the kidnapper, I don’t think he’ll want to be found,” Jon said.
“It’s alright,” Kate said from the passenger seat. “I trust you. Millions wouldn’t, but I do.”
“Thanks so much, Irish.”
“Any time, I live to please,” she answered.
“So, will Travis recognise you?” Jon asked.
“He might,” Nathan replied. “I checked up on him a bunch after he was saved, partially just follow up on the case, and partially to make sure he was okay. The killer was still out there, and I thought he might return to finish the job. But he never did. I’ve not seen Travis much recently, though. It’s been months since I last checked up on him.”
“Did you know about his record?” Kate asked.
“Yeah, I did. His name would get flagged when he popped up in the system, and I’d often do a quick follow up call to his mother or visit their place. I just wanted to make sure he was okay.”
“I guess after an experience like that, it’s not very surprising that he’d rebel and go off the rails a little,” Jon said.
“Not really,” Nathan agreed. “Both him and Emily have struggled with their inner demons since all that happened. I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been for them.”
“Yeah,” Kate agreed. “Can you imagine, being held hostage, watching the other kids there being killed, one after the other, knowing that you were going to be next? It’s enough to drive you insane.”
“Do you think one of them could be the killer, then?” Jon asked.
“Like, a copycat?” Kate asked.
Jon nodded. “Doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.”
Kate shrugged.
“That’s a macabre thought,” Nathan said. “I hope you’re wrong about it.”
“It’s either that or this is the original kidnapper back for round two,” Jon suggested. “Either way, we need to find Milo as quickly as possible.”
“Does Travis know we’re coming?” Kate asked.
“No,” Nathan replied. “I spoke with his mother but asked her not to say anything. He’s developed a habit recently of running away if he knows the police are coming around.”
“What’s he been in trouble for?” Kate asked.
“Some minor drugs possession, and shop lifting. Nothing serious. Petty crime, basically.”
“And yet he runs away from the police?” Kate asked.
Nathan shrugged. “I know.”
Jon navigated in through the suburbs of Croydon until he pulled up outside a yellowish-grey bricked block of flats with a stretch of grass out front, dotted with trees. The impression he got was one of hopelessness. There was nothing inspiring here to make people strive for more in life. Instead, the weight of the atmosphere suggested you either lived for the weekend in a dead-end job or turned to crime.
Jon wondered about what kind of friends Travis had? Maybe he’d fallen into the wrong crowd, like people with drugs problems, dealers, and violent criminals. That would certainly explain his disdain for the police.
He could be running away to protect his friends rather than himself. It made sense, and was marginally less sinister than thinking he’d turned into a copycat killer, at least.
Stepping out of the car, Jon looked across at the looming, drab collection of homes stacked on top of each other in the five-storey high building and shuddered. He’d lived in a flat once before and hated the feeling of claustrophobia that living in a place like that gave you.
“Flat six,” Nathan said, pointing to a sign on the patchy lawn. “This way.”
Jon followed as Nathan led the way, hopping over the knee-high wall and walking through the grass towards the entrance, where a small group of teenagers were standing. They huddled together on a bench, staring at the glowing screens of their phones. A couple of them smoked. There was a mix of boys and girls, with the girls towards the middle, pressing in close as they scrolled the screen on their mobiles.
Jon eyed them as they approached. Half didn’t pay them any attention at all, and of those who did look up, most of them paid them no mind.
“What’s up, bruv?” one of the youths closest to him asked.
“Nothing. Haven’t you got homework to be getting on with?” Jon snarked back.
“Hah. Yeah, right. Who’s gonna make me? You? How about Jessica Rabbit or Mr Magoo here?”
Nathan chuckled as he walked up to the entrance and pressed the buzzer.
“Did you hear that?” Jon said, looking over at Kate. “He called you Jessica Rabbit. It’s probably the red hair.”
Kate raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I have her gravity-defying boobs, but sure, I’ll take that as a compliment. Thanks.”
“Hahaha, smooth. You’re in their Ricky,” one of the other lads cackled as Nathan spoke briefly into the intercom. He could hear a female voice talking to him, before the door buzzed, and Nathan opened it.
“Be in bed before nine,” Jon quipped before heading inside, the teenager's laughter following them inside and up the stairwell.
&
nbsp; “They’re both in,” Nathan said as they made their way upstairs. On the third floor, Nathan approached a door with the number six on it. Beside it, someone had drawn two other sixes in biro.
After a knock, the door opened, revealing a woman in her late forties wearing trousers, a dishevelled shirt, and fluffy rabbit slippers. Her lank, mousy hair hung forlornly around her head as she looked at them with tired eyes.
“Nathan,” she said and glanced at Kate and him. “Didn’t realise you were bringing friends.”
“Hello, Connie. These are my colleagues, Detectives Pilgrim and O’Connell. We’d like to speak to you and Travis, please.”
Connie’s eyes rolled briefly back as she sighed. Turning away, she left the door open and trudged through a door on her right. Following her, they walked into a small living room as Connie collapsed into an easy chair, leaving a small sofa that was barely big enough for two of them, let alone three.
Jon remained standing as the other two sat.
“What’s the little shit done now?” Connie asked with a resigned sigh.
“Hopefully, nothing,” Nathan said. Jon left him to it. He already had a relationship with the Youngs, so it made sense that he led this interview.
“And yet, here you are.”
“We’d like to know where he was today, around mid to late morning. Do you know?”
“Nope. I would guess he was in bed, though, as he rarely gets up before midday.”
“Were you not here?” Kate asked.
“Bills don’t bloody well pay themselves, do they missy,” Connie replied.
“You were at work,” Nathan said.
“Well, yeah. Where else would I be?”
“And Travis was in when you left for work?”
“I think so. I don’t know. He’s a grown lad, so I don’t just wander into his room unannounced, you know? I don’t want to catch him doing something I don’t want to see.”
Kate’s face was a picture, and Jon nearly laughed.
“I see,” Nathan replied.
“Why, what’s he supposed to have done now?”
“We can’t go into details,” Jon said. “But we would love to rule him out of a case we’re currently looking into. Do you think we could speak to him?”
