Unquiet Souls: a DI Gus McGuire case

by Mistry, Liz

  What an idiot she’d been to believe that horrible man was her dad. She should have believed her mum and gran. After all, why would they tell her he was dead, if he was actually alive?

  As she sat shivering and hungry an unwelcome pressure in her bladder made itself felt. She looked round the room, wondering what to do. Finally, she got to her feet and began to explore. The door was a huge metal concertina roll up one like her stepdad had on the garage at his work. She pulled it, but soon realised it was locked or padlocked on the other side. The walls were damp with liquid rust stains streaking them. In places she could see water dribbling down the concrete and puddling in the crevice between the wall and the floor. She followed the water flow backwards and realised that the pipes had sprung leaks periodically where their seals had corroded. A stream of yellowing water flowed along the pipes to the walls reminding her of her pee dilemma.

  Moving round to the huge window, she scraped her nails over the thin ice coating. When her hands got too cold, she breathed on the small area she’d cleared before finally wiping the remaining ice away with her sleeve. Peering through the hole she saw snow covered fields undulating away from her. The snowfall had resulted in an onslaught of people congregating on the fields, building snowmen and sledging down the slopes. Looming over the moving dots was a familiar viaduct. Where had she seen that before?

  Molly could see sheer icicles dangling from the window sill as she pressed her nose to the gap and strained to see if she could attract anyone’s attention. With a sinking feeling in her chest she gulped back a sob, realising she was too far from the fields for anyone to notice her. Her bladder now felt uncomfortably full as she resumed her aimless walk round the room. From nowhere a strange crackle flooded the room, followed by a voice she knew belonged to her abductor; the man she’d so foolishly believed was her father.

  ‘Morning, Molly. Did you have a good night?’

  Glancing fearfully round the dimly-lit room, she wondered where the voice had come from. Before she could identify the source he spoke again, his voice sharper and angrier.

  ‘Answer me, girl! Did you have a good night?’

  Molly’s legs seemed to liquefy as she nodded and then shakily said ‘Yyyess!’

  She spotted four small cameras, one in each corner of the room. A speaker dangled from the network of pipes.

  ‘If you need to piss use the bucket. I’ll bring some food later.’ His laugh made Molly’s heart flutter. ‘Later on you’ll find out just how bad things can get, Molly Graves.’ With a further crackle of static the room fell silent again.

  Molly stared nervously at the cameras. Her bladder was bursting but she didn’t want to go if he was watching. Suddenly all the scenarios her mother had so earnestly warned her about flew through her mind. Any one of them could be more than a possibility. All the stories of children being abducted, ripped from the safety of their families’ loving arms by bad men with evil desires buzzed in her mind. She flung herself face down on the mattress and sobbed her heart out, wishing she’d listened to her mum, wishing she’d not been jealous of her gorgeous little brother and cursing the man she’d been only too willing to believe.

  Finally she sat up, rubbed her raw face dry and began to think. Feeling slightly more empowered, she whipped the filthy sheet from the bed and wrapped it loosely round her bottom half. Then, manoeuvring her knickers and skinny jeans down to her knees before perching precariously a few inches above the bucket, she peed; satisfied that at least he couldn’t see her privates.

  Chapter 61

  Wednesday 8:30am, Bradford

  It was early and everyone had gathered for the briefing. Although Gus led it, DCI Chalmers stood, arms crossed, in the corner, a serious expression on her drawn face. Everyone knew by now about Molly Graves’ abduction and the atmosphere in the room was alert and serious. Gus cleared his throat and began. ‘We’ll do a quick update on Sharon Asif’s murder, the attack on Jamal and the abducted children and then move on to Molly Graves, ok?’

  He nodded to Alice, who stood up and moved to the front of the room. ‘The gun used in the attack on Jamal and his brother has been identified as the same one used in a fatal shooting in Poland twelve years ago.’ Alice glanced at Gus, shifting her weight in her heavy black boots. ‘This coincided with a series of child abductions. Detective Jankowksi identifies these abductions as probably being the work of a paedophile ring headed by The Matchmaker. This ring was broken up by Cambridge police in 2003 with the help of the wife of the only member of the ring to be apprehended, James Clegg. This is the first concrete lead on the abducted children in Sharon Asif’s house, but more importantly it also links into the current kidnapping of Molly Graves, which Gus will explain more fully later.’

  Gus nodded and Alice continued. ‘I also observed the first session between Sharon Asif’s two daughters and the child psychologist. From what the girls said it seems that although they were aware of the children upstairs they hadn’t seen them arrive and hadn’t actually set eyes on them. They did hear them crying and were concerned about them but when they mentioned them to their mother she hit them. The psychologist is going to continue with therapy sessions and he will report back to us. The girls are physically thriving in the care of foster parents and so is the little boy, who has been released from the hospital. Although they are traumatised, the psychologist thinks they may survive with minimal emotional damage because they’re so young.

  ‘Sessions with the abducted children are less positive. The psychologists involved in those sessions all recommend that we bring in child psychologists from the corresponding countries to work with the children. The need for translation causes additional stress and they are reluctant to continue. I’ve arranged with Detective Jankowski and the police in Latvia to send recommended experts over. Bradford’s chief child psychologist Dr Kaur, will liaise with them. None of the children are fit for travel so they will remain here for the immediate future. It’s going to be a long and slow process.’

  There was a moment’s complete silence as Alice sat down and the officers present processed the information.

  Gus stood up and waited a second or two before continuing. ‘In terms of Asif’s murder, we’re no further forward. No one, except Jamal, saw her or anyone else entering or leaving the graveyard. The weather was so bad that the odd few people who were about had their heads down and were focussing on getting home quickly. Forensics has not shown up any significant clues so we’re a bit stuck. The only information we have is what Jamal Asif volunteered. To be honest, I think we need to talk to the lad again, but that’ll have to wait for now. Alice has got some info on the photo that Jamal took of the man who threatened him and left the children in his house.’

  Alice stood up again. ‘Been to the school and the builders employed by the school. The bloke in the photo was recognised as a casual. We visited the address he gave and found the premises empty. Forensics are going over it now. However, we did have information that he caught a bus into town at around 6pm on Monday. Compo’s narrowing down CCTV footage in the hope we get a hit. Who knows, maybe we’ll be able to track him to his current location. We’ve got a team on that, but anyone with free time should help out there too. Also, got forensics going over the car they found in the Cemetery Road Asda car park. They found a couple of prints on the lever that adjusts the seat so hopefully we’ll hit a match on those, either here or through Interpol.’

  Gus nodded and moved over to the new board that had been erected at the front of the room. ‘Right, that brings us on to yesterday’s abduction.’

  He pointed to the picture of a young girl with a big smile and curly red hair. ‘This is Molly Graves. Security cameras on her home have her leaving the premises around 10:15am yesterday. She hasn’t been seen since. The reason we’ve inherited this case is that Molly Graves and her family were under witness protection and living here under assumed names.

  ‘Her mother was instrumental in breaking up the paedophile ring Alice mentioned earlier. Th
is was a particularly insidious ring that set up an extremely lucrative business enterprise selling and or renting abducted children for high-profile, rich paedophiles. Molly’s mum’s intel and bravery was key to catching nearly fifty rich and powerful paedophiles in the UK and making it impossible for the ring to continue their operations. The coincidence between the children found in Sharon Asif’s attic in Bradford, Beth Graves settling in Bradford, the gun used against Jamal being associated with the initial ring twelve years ago and the subsequent abduction of her child are too coincidental to be ignored. During the initial trial, Beth was on the receiving end of a lot of threats from an extreme group called Association of Vigilant Parents renowned for violent and intimidatory practices. Her husband begged her from the dock to disappear, saying the ring leader, known as The Matchmaker wouldn’t rest till he had revenge against both him and Cathy. Clegg believed he’d abduct their daughter in pay back. So, we’re taking this very seriously.

  ‘It seems that Molly left voluntarily, without her parent’s knowledge, but I suspect somehow their witness protection security was compromised. She hasn’t been seen since. Compo, I want you to analyse their security system and get as much access to the stepdad’s online activity. WP did all that before he and Beth were married but I want nothing left to chance. We need to rule him out. Alice, Sadia and I are going to re-interview the immediate family and Sampson, you will interview Beth Graves’s colleagues, a Mrs Wendy Horan, deputy head at Carlton Wood High school.

  ‘Shit,’ said Alice. ‘That’s Jamal’s school and the one where the builder was working before Christmas.’

  Gus nodded ‘Exactly! It’s all getting more and more linked. Witness protection was broken and we need to discover exactly how that was done. Their contact at WP insists the break wasn’t from them. I’m meeting with her tomorrow in London after I’ve interviewed James Clegg.’

  Chapter 62

  Wednesday 9:30am

  It was cold but at least he’d brought her an extra blanket which he’d bundled through the door with a Morrison’s carrier bag containing two snickers bars, two cans of coke and a tube of Pringles. Molly’s mum didn’t let her have coke, but Molly reckoned she’d be ok with it, since there was nothing else to drink. She lay listlessly on the mattress. She’d got used to its mildewed smell and now, with the blanket wrapped round her as well as the duvet, at least she was warm.

  A tear trickled down her cheek, swiftly followed by another, as she thought about her mum and her gran and even that wrinkled red baby with its screwed up face and its nice clean smell. She rubbed the tears away with the back of her hand and blew her nose on the corner of the sheet. It was fully light now and she wondered if she should go over to the window. Maybe someone was playing in the fields outside. Maybe some kids building a snowman or something. She’d just swung her legs over the side of the mattress when she heard a metallic clunk from outside her room. She held her breath and, head tilted to one side, listened intently. There it was again. A grating metal noise, then a big clunking noise followed by a bang. She heard footsteps outside the room. She tiptoed over to the door and pressed her ear to it. Was that voices she could hear?

  Another door further along opened. She heard a laugh. She frowned. Then there was the sound of shuffling followed by a high-pitched scream. For a second her heart stopped beating. That sounded like a child. She was sure of it. It was too high to be an adult. She shivered and, clutching the sheet around her, too frightened to move, stood trembling behind her door. Another yelp and then muffled crying. Definitely another child.

  A door slammed shut. Metal clanked loudly and more footsteps approached, slowing outside her room. Molly scuttled back across to the mattress and flung herself on top. Heart hammering, she pulled the duvet up to her chin and stared wide-eyed at the door. Muffled thuds came from outside followed by muted voices and a horrible scraping sound. It was the rusty old lock being opened.

  With just the tip of her nose and her eyes visible over the blanket, she held her breath, ignoring the burning sensation in her lungs. Slowly, the door swung open and she could see him standing there. Then her gaze lifted to the other man. Her eyes widened and her bladder voided.

  She screamed and screamed and screamed.

  Chapter 63

  Wednesday 9:30am, Ilkley

  Jessie Graham’s granny flat adjoined the main property and was spacious and airy. An imitation wood fire, positioned on the feature wall, threw out some welcome heat. Alice held her hands in front of it and then rubbed them together, enjoying the sensation of warmth flooding her body. The drive to Ilkley had been miserable. The pool car’s heating system had given up the ghost before they’d even set off. Despite muffling herself in scarf and gloves the chill air had insinuated its way through Alice’s layers and into her bones. When Gus had told her that she, accompanied by Sadia, was to interview Jessie whilst he and the FLO interviewed Beth and her husband, Alice’s heart had sunk. Why did she have to get paired up with Ms No-Personality 2015? Alice glanced over at Sadia who, since they’d entered the room, had stood like a sergeant major by the door looking as if someone had set about her face with a wet fish.

  Whilst Jessie made some tea, Alice took the opportunity to look around the living room. Bookshelves filled with an eclectic mix of authors including Jean Plaidy, Karen Rose and Stuart MacBride made her smile. It appeared that despite a romantic leaning Jessie wasn’t averse to a bit of blood and gore. On the large table near the kitchen, lay a couple of teen books by Sophie Mackenzie and Jane Casey, probably Molly’s. Beside them a scattering of pens with floral toppers and a froggie eraser spilled out of a cupcake-covered pencil case which sat on top of a closed jotter. Above the fire was a trio of photographs. The first was of Molly as a baby. The second featured Beth, Jessie and Molly at the seaside and the third was Beth and Alex’s wedding photo. A very low key affair thought Alice, judging by the smart but non-weddinglike outfits and the absence of flowers. Jessie had disappeared through one door into the kitchen so Alice reckoned the other doors led to the bedroom and bathroom.

  Jessie appeared carrying a tray in shaking hands and Alice rushed forwards to relieve her of the load, carrying it over to the coffee table that had two chintzy over-stuffed Laura Ashley chairs on one side and an equally floral three-seater sofa on the other.

  Chattering inconsequentially, Alice busied herself pouring teas into mugs with owls on, while Jessie, with a glance at Sadia, settled herself on the sofa. Pushing Jessie’s tea towards her, Alice lifted her own mug and perched on the edge of the chair opposite Jessie. Glancing at Sadia, she said, her tone barely hiding her annoyance with her insensitivity, ‘here’s your tea, Sadia. Come and join us. I’d like you to take notes whilst Jessie and I have a little chat.’

  Sadia opened her mouth to protest but Alice narrowed her eyes and nodded to the sofa. Sighing heavily, Sadia walked round, lifted her mug and moved over to the sofa. Rather than sitting next to Jessie as Alice had wanted, she placed her mug on a rickety table at the far end of the sofa and wedged herself into the corner as far away from Jessie as she could. ‘So much for a nice cosy chat,’ thought Alice, as Sadia ran her hands down her trousers and took out her notebook. She looked at Alice, head cocked to one side in a let’s get on with it gesture. Alice contented herself with a scowl, which, in Alice’s opinion, Sadia deliberately chose to ignore

  Turning to the older woman, Alice scrunched forward in her chair. Hands clasped loosely on her knees she smiled. ‘I know you’re upset right now, Jessie, but you really need to focus for us, so we can find Molly.’

  She stretched out her hand and gently pressed Jessie’s arm. ‘Anything, anything at all that’s stuck in your mind over the last few days? Any strange folk around or maybe something Molly said or did?’

  Jessie screwed up her face, and, shaking her head from side to side she snuffled into a tissue. ‘That’s just it, there’s nothing. Not a thing I can think of. I mean she’s been a bit jealous because of the baby, you know? But that�
�s only to be expected, isn’t it? A new baby in the house and all our attention diverted. But she’s a good girl, is Molly.’

  Sadia’s phone rang, making Jessie jump. Sadia stood up, mouthing an apology and left the room to answer it. When she returned, Alice could tell from the glint in her eyes that she had something good. Sadia raised her eyebrows to Alice, who gestured that she should continue.

  Walking round to the front of the couch, Sadia faced Jessie. ‘That was one of the PCs on the phone. He’s been chatting to one of Molly’s friends, and one of them,’ she looked at her notebook where she’d jotted down the name, ‘a Chelsea Robson, said that Molly was excited because her ‘real’ dad was taking her shopping.’

  Jessie paled and one hand feebly gripped the arm rest. ‘What? Molly doesn’t have a real dad.’ She flushed and waved her arms in agitation. ‘What I mean is, Molly doesn’t know anything about her real dad. She thinks he’s dead. That’s what we told her.’ She bit her lip, her gaze going first to Alice and then to Sadia. ‘It was for the best. She didn’t need to know what her daddy was.’

  Hesitating, Sadia flicked a glance at Alice, before continuing. ‘Well, Chelsea was adamant that Molly was going to meet her real dad. The PC thinks she’s being truthful. Yesterday, he felt that she was hiding something. That’s why he went back today.’

  Again, Jessie shook her head. ‘That’s impossible. You know he’s in prison.’ She flung herself back in the chair, looking like a bedraggled rag doll.

  Alice caught Sadia’s eye and indicated she should sit down. Taking the hint Sadia resumed her previous position on the sofa, leaving Alice to continue.

  Taking a deep breath, Alice waited for a moment before beginning. ‘Look Jessie, can you think of any reason Chelsea might have said that?’