Into the Fog

by Sandi Wallace

  Kat shimmied over on the couch and picked up the phone, her fingernail underlining a number on her list.

  Georgie watched Josh’s jaw grind, empathising with his anger but wondering if it cut deeper than the immediate situation.

  Chapter 18

  ‘Wish I could say, “Pleased to meet you,” Mrs Savage. I’m sorry we’re meeting under these circumstances. Detective Sergeant Julianne Manthorp from the Crime Investigation Unit based out in Lilydale. Call me Jules.’

  The detective offered her hand to the mother, who promptly asked to be called Ness and introduced her fiancé.

  After they shook hands and the rest of the group had been introduced, Jules gave the couple a direct look. ‘I’m going to do everything possible to find your kids.’

  Ness tried to say something, gesturing with clawed fingers at her throat when her words strangled. Sam thought it could’ve been as simple as Thanks or God willing, but perhaps the anguished mother also noted the detective hadn’t promised to find her kids, unlike the sarge.

  ‘I want you to know that a team of uniformed officers have been conducting a preliminary search since mid-afternoon. So we’re already taking action. But right now, I need to meet with Tim,’ Jules pointed to Lunny, ‘to bring my team up to speed. Then I’ll chat with you, okay?’

  Not waiting for an answer, the detective addressed the unofficial family liaison, Bernie’s wife. ‘Vikki, can you help Ness and Duane finalise a draft of their flyer and see the housekeeper about printing a copy for me?’

  Sam saw through the ploy: AKA, can you keep the parents busy?

  The stocky female detective called a meeting in the formal living room. Franklin was one of the last to arrive and stood adjacent to double doors coming off the foyer, facing the Yarra Ranges crew who gathered in front of the white couch.

  ‘Tim, fill me in.’ Jules Manthorp smiled and waved a hand. ‘Start with all of you and what your roles were to be on the camp.’

  Lunny gave a terse nod. He ran through each of the supervisor’s credentials and functions, before outlining events since the camp kicked off. It was concise and chronological – and Franklin was relieved to see him holding it together.

  ‘Right.’ Manthorp wagged her head as she paced. ‘So, let me get this straight.’ She skimmed over faces around the room, except for her two offsiders, and met Franklin’s gaze. ‘Everyone was here, bar you. Is that right, John?’

  He nodded.

  ‘Yet, you were one of the camp organisers?’

  He repeated the action. She stared without speaking for long enough to make him uncomfortable, expecting an explanation, so he told her about his part-time secondment with Ballarat CIU.

  She hiked her eyebrows. ‘So you fancy joining us suits.’

  It was hard to tell if she was mocking him. He thought not. Then the detective came close and asked quietly, ‘Where are you supposed to be now?’

  Franklin shifted his weight but gave nothing away. He didn’t like where this seemed headed.

  ‘Ballarat.’

  ‘Your other boss know you’re here?’

  He shrugged.

  Manthorp smacked his shoulder. ‘Don’t blame you, mate. I’d pull a sickie too.’ She smiled conspiratorially, then resumed pacing.

  Nobody spoke. Lunny cleared his throat. Franklin wondered if Manthorp was done. He cocked his head when Georgie dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out her phone.

  Georgie checked her mobile and nearly dropped it. She’d added the number to her contact list last night, while in two minds whether she’d speak to AJ if he tried again. Now certainly wasn’t the time to find out what he wanted.

  Not in the middle of a meeting and definitely not with Franklin less than a metre away…but why’s he back in touch after all this time?

  She rejected the call and ducked Franklin’s curious gaze, wondering if AJ would try again and what she’d do if he did. She pictured the face she’d woken up next to on-and-off for over six years, then blocked it from her mind.

  Sam tracked Jules Manthorp’s movement as she marched up and down the room. She seemed to be in deep concentration. Maybe she’d forgotten that anyone else was there. She certainly looked surprised when the ferrety detective, Dean Pickett, spoke.

  ‘People go missing daily.’ Pickett put his hands on his hips. ‘And around ninety-five per cent are found a short time afterwards.’

  ‘We might be uniforms, but we know the stats.’ Lunny folded his lips before adding mildly, ‘It’s still tragic that five per cent of the 35,000 MISPERs in Australia every year remain missing – and that a disturbing fraction are kids. And how many disappearances are never reported to authorities?’

  Pickett ignored the question. ‘Kids go missing all the time. Usually they’re attention-seeking or sooking over something or other.’

  ‘Kids do go missing all the time, mate. You’re right there.’ Lunny still spoke in a low voice, but Sam could tell he worked hard to moderate his tone. ‘But while these kids might well have nicked off of their own accord, they wouldn’t have intended to stay away or cause their mother grief. They would’ve been in touch by now if they could.’ The sarge straightened. ‘So, that means they’re in strife. And we don’t need your bullshit attitude. We’ve got to work as a united team, with all due respect.’ He threw the last bit in the direction of Jules.

  She gave a tight nod. ‘Well said, Tim. We need to bring our best game today. Our best team game.’ She glared at her colleague. ‘You’re the best person on my team that’s available, sans the attitude, Pickett. See that it doesn’t happen again.’

  She sighed. ‘Right. We’d better address the elephant in the room.’

  Jules eyed each person, except the two from Lilydale. ‘You do realise that none of you can be part of this investigation?’

  Everyone snapped erect. Franklin objected, ‘No way.’ Sam reeled.

  ‘The very people responsible for Hannah, Riley and Cooper when they disappeared cannot be allowed near this case.’ Jules cringed and held up her hands, quietening the uproar. ‘You all seem like good people and you’re probably good at your jobs too. But I can’t jeopardise the integrity of the inquiry.’

  Lunny said something but Sam zoomed in on Jules, watching her mouth move, hearing the words in a time lag.

  ‘We’ll need to do a thorough debrief.’ Jules pointed at Lunny, Sam and Franklin. ‘You can help us smooth over the handover and sit in on initial interviews with the family, the owner and his staff.’ Then she motioned to Georgie, Kat, Josh and Seb. ‘Sorry. No badge, no official role.’

  At this, Seb swayed and Jules said, ‘You don’t look too good there, matey.’

  ‘Can I go outside for some air? This is all a bit…’ He didn’t finish.

  Jules excused him asking, ‘Anyone else?’ and murmurs of no filled the room.

  Kat stepped forward, her face pinched. ‘What about the Facebook page and ringing the rest of the kids’ friends and classmates?’

  The detective considered it. ‘Okay, keep at it until we get more bodies on the case. But run anything and everything past me or Dean. Got it?’ She flicked her gaze back to Sam and her two Daylesford colleagues. ‘We’ll undertake a full-scale search in the morning if we don’t find the children first and you can participate. But that’s it. You’ll go back home and leave it to us from there.’

  ‘I’ve brought my aerial and topographic maps. My team’s ready and the firies are too.’

  Franklin craned his neck towards this new speaker.

  My maps. My team.

  The proprietorial phrases pegged her as a local. Her position mirrored his on the other side of the large doorway. With Georgie standing between them, he only caught glimpses of orange coveralls—the uniform of the State Emergency Services—and grey hair, as the woman waved rolled-up maps and placed them on the floor.

  Franklin hadn’t noticed her arrival. Maybe she’d timed it with Manthorp’s announcement that she was shutting them out.

 
‘Good to see you, Ando.’

  So, Manthorp and this Ando woman are acquainted.

  Georgie shifted and Franklin saw Ando shrug. He checked her out. Single stripes on the navy epaulettes on her shoulders verified she held rank with the SES.

  ‘Got two whiteboards in the ute. I’ll tape the maps up for you after this.’

  Franklin assessed Ando’s economy of words and her carriage. Both marked authority and efficiency that came with years of dealing with other people’s worst days.

  ‘Cheers, Ando.’ Manthorp pointed at her. ‘For those who don’t know, this is Ando, Rescue Officer, Lilydale SES.’ She followed up with quick introductions, finishing with, ‘And you know Shorty and Dean.’

  Ando bobbed her chin at each person. Franklin wouldn’t have been surprised if she had perfect recall.

  Manthorp took control of the debrief again, while her offsider wrote copious notes, and despite a deficit of rest and a surplus of stress, Franklin’s brain ticked over.

  This case was already well beyond tricky.

  The local CIU team, his crew from Daylesford, the staff and owner of Upalong, Ness and Duane, and the bunch of remaining kids on camp all represented a messy bag of egos, politics, witnesses and suspects, and tough climatic and geographical conditions, plus the distance between Mount Dandenong and Daylesford further impeded the search and investigation.

  An investigation in which his crew was considered suspects.

  Detective Jules checked her watch. ‘After five and we’ve virtually lost daylight with the storm. We’ll wrap this up here – but each of you will need to chat with Dean or me individually. So make yourselves available.’

  Sam tugged on her earring until her lobe burned.

  We’ll be lucky to keep our badges after this. And if we do, I’ll probably end up in Traffic.

  Jules allocated tasks. ‘Dean, talk to the camp instructor first – if you’re happy with what he says, send him home…he looks done in. Then you and Tim interview the caretaker fellow. Whatshisname?’

  ‘Willem Agterop,’ Lunny supplied.

  Jules clicked her fingers in a that’s right gesture, although Sam didn’t buy her forgetful act. It reminded her of Columbo, which she used to watch on DVD with her grandmother. Just as she reckoned Nonna knew before anyone that she’d grow up to be a cop, she would happily bet that Jules didn’t miss or forget much.

  ‘Pressure him,’ the detective said. ‘He hasn’t exactly been cooperative. We’re all experienced enough to know that doesn’t mean he’s involved—there are endless reasons why people act strangely—but we still need a blow-by-blow of where he was when the kids disappeared and afterwards. We need access to his property and don’t have time to waste.’

  ‘Consider it done,’ the sarge said and Dean Pickett quickly agreed.

  Is he completely on board now?

  Sam’s fingers flew, along with her mind.

  ‘Sam, if you can drag yourself away from your mobile –?’

  Her face burned. ‘Sorry, ma’am. Just checking the weather for tomorrow. For the search…’ She faltered.

  ‘Never call me ma’am. Jules when it’s our crew, Sarge or Detective Sarge when we need to be more formal. Got it?’

  When she nodded, the detective asked, ‘And the weather?’

  Ando answered instead of Sam. ‘Extreme weather warning for tonight. Improving around sunrise.’

  ‘Right. Ando, you and the other team leaders will continue with prep for tomorrow’s intensive search of the National Park?’ At the rescue officer’s nod, Jules addressed Ty Long. ‘Shorty, you sit in with Bernie while he interviews the owner,’ she checked her notebook, ‘Patrick Belfrage. I want to know what he was doing last night and until an hour ago that was more important than an emergency here.’

  She turned to Franklin. ‘We’re a body short on my team, and you weren’t here when this all went down, so you’ll do.’

  Sam couldn’t read his poker face. She wished she knew what he was thinking. She was struggling here and needed his guidance.

  ‘Talk with the housekeeper. Cover off her movements. Even if Elke can account for the entire time, dig for flags and anything iffy. And that goes for her husband and employer too.’

  Jules stared at Sam. ‘That leaves you and me, with Ness and Duane.’

  Sam’s stomach pitted when Jules growled, ‘If mum or stepdad’s behind this or knows something…’

  Chapter 19

  Sam could hear Josh, Georgie and Kat murmuring above in the mezzanine. She half-wished she was with them, not taking notes for Jules.

  ‘Have the kids done something like this before?’

  Ness answered, ‘Never.’

  Duane touched her arm. ‘What about just after Rick left?’

  She swatted away his hand. ‘That was before Cooper came and nothing like this…’

  Jules edged forward on her chair. ‘Let me work out what’s relevant. Any little thing could help us.’ She emphasised, ‘Or hinder us, if you omit it.’

  Ness’s hands shook as she spoke. ‘Before Coops was born, Rick—their biological father—cleared out. Hanny was heartbroken. She cried for days. Yelled at me, blamed me. Then one afternoon, she packed a little suitcase and ran away.’ The mother’s face softened. ‘She didn’t get far. Down the yard, in Buddy’s house.’

  ‘Buddy?’

  ‘Buddy was our staffordshire terrier. Hanny loved him to pieces. When Rick left, he took the dog. Can you believe it?’

  Jules tutted, while Duane’s eyes darkened and shrunk deeper into their sockets.

  ‘So she didn’t get far that time,’ Jules said. ‘Other occasions?’

  Ness glanced at Duane, saying firmly, ‘There’ve been no other times. Not Hanny or the boys.’

  ‘Duane? Have you anything to add there?’

  He shook his head and Jules went on. ‘How have things been at home lately?’

  ‘Good. No problems.’ Ness glanced at her watch. ‘We’ve told all this to Tim. Shouldn’t we be out looking? It’ll be pitch dark soon.’

  Jules drew her gaze. ‘We’ve got a team on it, although they’re obviously hampered by the conditions out there.’

  She pointed to the French doors. Rain slashed almost horizontally at the glass.

  As the housekeeper chopped and stirred, Franklin started with neutral questions, happy to be doing what he was good at but mindful that he had to concentrate his scope and block the broad picture. At least for now.

  He discovered that this was Elke’s first pregnancy and that she and Willem had been married for seven years. He noticed she kept one ear on him and the other on the kids. She occasionally rubbed her back and frequently broke off mid-sentence to mediate friction between the littlies and top-up drinks or snacks. While no one could deny that she often came across as strange, Franklin was impressed and wondered at the woman’s history, which segued nicely into his next level of questioning.

  ‘You’re good with kids and multitasking. What’s your background?’

  She didn’t have time to answer before the intercom beeped.

  Kat sat in the middle, with Josh’s knee against hers, Georgie on the other side. Silent observers of the interrogation in the room below.

  Georgie tilted closer to the balustrade, riveted by the local detective’s empathetic authority. A computer beep distracted her – another Facebook notification. They’d have to check it soon, delete more inappropriate posts and possibly block serial spammers who’d hijacked the page. The risk was wrongly assuming they were dealing with a crank.

  She tuned back into Manthorp’s voice, while thinking that they needed to resume calls to the kids’ friends too – the next one could hit pay dirt.

  Her thoughts tacked again, timed with a grumble of thunder.

  Can’t we do more?

  Glass rattled, then lightning flashed through the loft window.

  Another night in these conditions will kill the kids.

  Franklin peered over the housekeeper’s sho
ulder at the CCTV monitor. Fog obscured the camera, so he couldn’t make out the features of the man talking to Elke via the intercom. But he recognised the voice. And his head thumped. Sara and Anna’s dad was at the gate, heading a convoy of cars with the other parents from Daylesford. It added another level of complicated to the case.

  Franklin exhaled and rolled his shoulders.

  Sara and Anna screeched, nearly perforating his eardrums, over the top of an exclamation from the housekeeper. She spoke in Dutch, coarse, definitely irritated. He couldn’t blame her. Until the last-minute venue change to Upalong, the heavily pregnant woman only had to worry about the needs of her temporarily single boss and her husband. She’d suddenly become cook, cleaner and babysitter to a houseful of unwanted guests. Then her domain had turned into headquarters for a police investigation, while more and more people kept arriving.

  Franklin checked the kids huddled behind the sisters. Nicole and Noah looked half-excited, half-scared, but poor little Tom took on the appearance of a wizened old man. He’d gotten to know the kid over the past two years, knew he always worried about his fragile mum. He’d never stop trying to help the two of them, but there was no quick fix for what they’d been through.

  He didn’t have time to scratch his head over Tom right now though. He had a band of anxious parents to deal with. And an interview with the housekeeper to wrap up.

  Sam heard a commotion from the kitchen. She strained and dissected kids’ shrieks from an upset-sounding Elke and Franklin’s deep voice. Had Franklin struck a raw point with the housekeeper?

  She focused again as Jules promised, ‘We’ll launch a full-scale search first light if we don’t find the children in the meantime.’ The detective angled back to face Ness and Duane. ‘But right now, I need you to help me understand the family situation and fill in background information.’