‘Lucy’s been missing for 11 days. In most cases of abduction we’d be looking for a body but, finally, we’ve got a lead.’
DI Saunders had been called to Maidstone and, without putting it to DS Potts, Ed had taken charge of the team meeting.
‘Yesterday, Nat and I spoke to Kimberley Hibben about her abduction and she made a real effort to answer our questions.’
Mike interrupted. ‘Erm … you said abduction but we concluded Callum had found a place for her to hide so he could bring her home in triumph.’
Ed trod carefully. ‘With Kimberley’s reticence during the initial investigation that was a valid conclusion, but yesterday she mentioned details that convinced us she really was abducted.’
‘So, what’s new?’ Mike was leaning forward in his chair, fists on the table, his question tinged with antagonism.
Ed knew it wouldn’t feel good having a junior colleague and a newcomer challenge your conclusions, but the Hibben case hadn’t been Mike’s finest hour.
‘Nat, you took notes. Give us the highlights.’
‘Kimberley left work, still with a hangover from New Year’s Eve, and he grabbed her from behind. Claimed she saw nothing. Ed got her to reflect. She said there might have been a vehicle parked by the side of the road. Pressed, she said it was more likely a van than a car.’
‘If she saw nothing why did she say “he”?’ asked Jenny. ‘How did she know it was a man?’
‘Exactly what we thought,’ said Ed, cutting in, ‘but Kimberley said she saw him while he held her captive.’
‘Description?’ asked Mike abruptly.
‘He wore a hood and was not as tall or as slim as Nat.’
‘Not much to go on then.’ Mike sounded pleased.
‘But we got something else,’ said Nat with the smile of a novice revealing a winning hand. ‘Kimberley said he sounded like Punch.’
‘Punch …? You mean the seaside puppet, Mr Punch?’
‘Yes, Jenny.’ Ed smiled at her enthusiasm. ‘We think he realized his victim could recognize his voice, which implies the abductor was somebody Kimberley knew.’
‘So we’ve narrowed the field,’ Nat added quickly.
‘Did you get anything else?’ asked Mike.
Ed decided to take over. ‘We questioned her about where she was held but her description was vague. However, she said it was lit by lamps and the only warmth was from paraffin heaters. So no electricity, it was in the countryside, off the grid.’
‘Maybe,’ said Mike, now more engaged. ‘It could’ve been in town with the supply cut off.’
‘She heard foxes,’ said Ed. ‘Doesn’t that suggest countryside woods?’
‘Could be, but bloody foxes get everywhere. There are easy pickings from rubbish in town these days.’
‘Did you ask why she refused a medical examination?’ Once again, Jenny had remembered a critical point.
‘She reiterated that he didn’t hurt her,’ said Ed. ‘In fact, she said he was good to her. From what we saw, he probably cared for her better than she cares for herself.’
‘Let’s hope it’s the same man who’s taken Lucy,’ said Jenny.
‘Even if it is the same man, he may behave differently this time,’ said Nat.
‘Nat’s right,’ said Ed, ‘all the time Lucy is missing she’s in danger.’ She looked round the table and, thinking it was time to bringing the point-scoring to an end, she started to sum up.
‘With the detail Kimberley gave us, we must assume she was abducted. She’s also given us our first real lead. Her abductor disguised his voice by speaking like Mr Punch. Apart from friends and family, who else might want to mask his voice?’
‘They were both 17, so one of the staff at their school?’ suggested Jenny.
‘Kimberley had already left school,’ said Nat.
‘She’d left the year before. The school staff would be fresh in her mind.’
‘Jenny’s right,’ said Ed, ‘the girls went to the same school. That’s a real link. Tomorrow Mike and I will speak to potential suspects among the teachers and ancillary staff. Anything else?’
No one spoke.
‘What about the Mr Punch voice?’
‘How do they do it?’ asked Jenny.
‘With a reed or some such in their mouths,’ said Mike.
‘Exactly,’ said Ed. ‘If we can trace where he got the device, the purchase records could lead us straight to him. Nat, get online and find out who sells them. Okay …’
Ed was about to terminate the meeting when the door opened and Desk Sergeant Williams burst into the room holding a newspaper. He started towards Mike Potts then veered to Ed’s side of the table.
‘It’s this week’s Chronicle. I thought you’d want to see it asap.’ He pointed to a short piece at the bottom of the front page, headlined Did Mr Punch claim a third victim?
As Williams left the room, Ed started to read the article aloud. ‘“Following the recent disappearance of Lucy Naylor and a possible link with the Kimberley Hibben case in 2008, The Chronicle asks, was there a third victim? Ten years ago in 2002, 17-year-old Teresa Mulholland disappeared in similar circumstances. Our archives show …” blah, blah, blah. “Here at The Chronicle we pray Lucy has been taken by the same Mr Punch because Teresa and Kimberley were returned unharmed.”’
Ed began to lower the newspaper but failed to control her anger and slammed it onto the table.
‘Why the hell wasn’t I told about this? How can a local rag be more on top of the case than you are?’ After a long moment of uneasy silence, she added, ‘Mike?’
Potts looked uncomfortable, probably wondering if he’d forgotten the Mulholland case. Nat and Jenny were new to the Force. Neither had been around in 2002. However, Ed wasn’t surprised that Nat was quick to make the point.
‘This third abduction was in 2002, way before our time. Jenny and I were still at school.’
‘I realize that, but have you really heard nothing? With all that’s going on, nobody thought to mention the Mulholland case?’
‘Nobody’s said a word,’ said Jenny.
‘Not even DI Saunders?’
Ed waited, expecting Mike to speak. His continued silence caused her anger to return and it tinged her voice as she turned to him.
‘Mike, what about you? You were on the Force in 2002. What have you got to say?’
‘Sorry, Ed, but I’m as surprised as you.’ Mike’s face had reddened but he pressed on. ‘I know nothing about a Teresa Mulholland. I’m sure there’s nothing in the files.’
‘A girl goes missing for five weeks and you know nothing about it. Worse still, there’s no record in the files?’
‘It was ten years ago. Neither I nor Brian worked on the case. If charges had been brought we’d have heard. I guess the case was dropped for lack of evidence.’
‘There should still be a record,’ said Ed. ‘If we’ve got nothing, where did this journalist, Rebecca Hawthorne, get her story?’
‘There must be a record in the newspaper files,’ said Jenny.
Ed guessed there would soon be pressure from above. With this story in the press the Super was sure to be onto it. Tipped off by his staff, the Chief Constable was probably already on the phone.
‘Nat and Jenny, what would you do next?’
‘Interview the reporter,’ said Jenny.
‘Demand to search The Chronicle’s files,’ said Nat.
‘Right targets but I don’t want anything said to the press. There must be no indication we were ignorant of the Mulholland story.’
‘I agree,’ said Mike, ‘this mustn’t get out.’
‘Keeping a lid on it is one thing, but we need a breakthrough,’ said Ed. ‘Nat, get onto the Mr Punch devices and remember the trail now goes back to 2002. Jenny, I want all you can find on Teresa Mulholland’s abduction. Start with back copies of The Chronicle.’
‘I’ll go through police files,’ said Mike.
‘Do that. How can the abduction of a local girl not be recorded?’