‘My office, now.’
The email arrived on Ed’s work mobile. She was on her way to the Police Station but had stopped to buy a coffee from Deakin’s. Even by the Super’s standards, the message was terse in the extreme. The Chief Constable must have bent Addler’s ear. Lucy had been missing for twenty days and they still had no idea where to start searching. Ed assumed she was in for a bollocking.
A few minutes later, she received a smile from Sergeant Williams on the front desk and then a barked ‘Come!’ from behind the Super’s door. Without asking her to sit, Addler exploded, waving a national redtop as she did so.
‘How did this get out?’
‘Perhaps if I could see the article, Ma’am, I might be able to help.’
Addler threw the national tabloid across her desk. The front-page banner headline read:
VIRGIN BIRTHS
Multiple Kidnap Horror Hits Market Town
‘Why wasn’t I told about the third abduction?’
‘There’s a good reason for that, Ma’am,’ said Ed, relieved that Addler hadn’t seen the short piece in last week’s Chronicle.
‘There’d better be. I’ve had the Chief Constable on the phone already this morning. He wants it sorted, I want it sorted, but first—’ the Super fixed Ed with a cold stare and her voice became quiet but chilling ‘—I want an explanation.’
‘Of course, Ma’am, I’d be happy—’
‘Let me finish. To describe my present impression of you as one of disappointment would be an understatement. You had an unfortunate start here at Canterbury, but I thought things were picking up, and now this happens.’ Addler reached for her fat fountain pen and pulled a document toward her, preparing to terminate the discussion. ‘Get on top of it, Ogborne. Report back within the hour.’
‘I can report to you now, Ma’am.’ Ed felt herself bridling but she managed to keep her voice calm. ‘The third victim, actually the first because she was taken in 2002, is Teresa Mulholland and there is no record of that case in police files.’
The Super opened her mouth but before she could speak, Ed pressed on.
‘There’s been a little delay, Ma’am, because I wanted to be absolutely sure of the facts before coming to you. I know it’s extraordinary but I’ve had DS Potts recheck the files and there’s nothing there. Potts didn’t work on the case and neither did Saunders.’
Trying to control a look of concern, Addler returned the fountain pen to its tray.
‘Just run that past me again.’
‘We weren’t aware of the 2002 abduction because there is no record of it in police files.’
Addler was regaining her composure but she remained silent.
‘I should add, Ma’am, that there is also no record of an incident involving two of Lucy’s teachers, which I believe may have a bearing on the abductions.’
‘When was this incident?’
‘May 1999, Ma’am. It involved the recruitment of schoolgirls to model for a somewhat secretive local art group, The Old Boys.’
Addler visibly relaxed. ‘Both well before my time, Ogborne.’
‘I’m afraid that’s true for the CID team also. Perhaps you—’
‘Leave it with me. I’ll look into it.’
‘Thank you, Ma’am.’ Ed picked up the offending tabloid. ‘May I take this with me?’
‘Keep the newspaper but send me a copy of the article.’
Ed left the Super’s office with a mental shrug. At least Addler would be off their backs for a while. It was time to confront the journalist credited with writing the two articles.
‘Mike, ring The Chronicle and say we want to speak to the reporter working on the Naylor abduction.’
At that moment, in the offices of The Chronicle, an incandescent Verity Shaw was berating her young reporter, Rebecca Hawthorne.
‘What the fuck do you think you’re playing at? Last week you gave me a short pot boiler on the abduction cases. The feature article I asked for hasn’t appeared and today I find your by-line on this Virgin Births spread in a national redtop.’
Somewhat to the editor’s surprise, Becky remained infuriatingly unconcerned.
‘It’s called a career move. I’ll collect my things.’
Before Verity could reply, the telephone on her desk began ringing and Becky walked from the office, leaving the door to swing shut behind her.