GRAFFITI ON THE OLD BAKERY, Rubery:
Little Boy Blue has far to roam
Out in the woods – come home, come home!
Where’s that boy? Where can he be?
Hope and pray and wait and see.
Harry Ca Nab!
Gary Clarke – nine-years-old for just a week – was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt, blue jeans, and red and white Nike Blazer trainers. Such distinctive footwear was a clear point of recall – but nobody had seen either Gary or his shoes since he’d stepped into the woods.
Nobody had seen anything at all.
Lines was searching the drawers in Gary’s bedroom when he spotted something and beckoned Delahaye over. Delahaye peered into the open drawer. Tucked beneath an envelope labelled ‘Birthday Money’ was a big, red jelly crocodile, as grotesque as a Cartier overstatement.
‘Cal?’ said Delahaye. Callum Clarke entered the room immediately – he’d obviously been hiding just out of sight, eavesdropping. Delahaye waved him over and pointed a latex-gloved finger at the garish confectionary.
‘Ooh, a jelly croc!’ said Cal.
‘Did you know Gary had this?’ Lines asked.
Cal shrugged. ‘Nah, must’ve bought it with his pocket money.’
Bryan’s sugar mouse flashed in Delahaye’s mind. Surely it was no coincidence.
‘Cal, where can you buy jelly crocs?’ asked Delahaye.
Cal didn’t hesitate in answering. ‘Hardy’s Gifts in Rednal.’
‘That’s very specific,’ said Delahaye.
‘I don’t know of anywhere else,’ said Cal. ‘All the flashy sweets you don’t see anywhere else are sold at Hardy’s.’ He frowned. ‘But Gary never said he’d gone to Hardy’s unless he’d bought it as a present for someone. And kids aren’t allowed in the shop without a grown-up. Plus, it’s the longest walk.’
Pete Ancona had mentioned Mack Hardy as one of the people with a grudge to bear against Mickey Grant – for shoplifting. Hardy was also a regular at The Longbridge pub and he’d been drinking there the night Mickey went missing. Because the unusual sweets connected two cases and appeared to source from the same retailer, Delahaye would pay a visit to Mr Hardy’s gift shop. DC Lines would look in on Mr Ancona as he had been the last adult to speak to Gary and his friends on the afternoon the boy had vanished. ‘But you’ve been to Hardy’s Gifts, Cal?’ Delahaye asked.
Cal nodded. ‘I went with Dad to buy a present for mom’s birthday last year.’
Lines took a picture of the drawer’s contents, then picked the crocodile up and turned it over carefully. Fingerprints scored its white marshmallow underbelly. Delahaye took it gently and placed it in a clear evidence bag.
Cal was all eyes. ‘Is jelly croc being arrested?’ he said. He sat on his brother’s bed and watched the detectives move around him, quiet as burglars. ‘It’s my fault Gaz’s missing,’ he murmured.
Lines and Delahaye exchanged glances. Lines sat next to the boy.
‘Callum, listen to me.’ Cal looked at the detective, his eyes welling up. ‘This is not your fault.’ The boy nodded unconvincingly. ‘You are not to blame. Am I clear?’
Cal wiped his cheek with the heel of his hand. ‘Do you think it’s . . . ? Could it be the . . . ?’ Delahaye could see fear in the boy’s eyes; his reluctance to say what they were all fearing.
‘Does Gary have any adult friends?’ Delahaye asked, ignoring Cal’s unfinished questions. ‘Any grown-ups he talks to who aren’t your parents, or teachers?’
Cal shook his head.
‘All he knows are kids. We talk to mom and dad’s friends sometimes, but they aren’t, you know, our mates.’
Other detectives on the team were talking to Desmond and Pat Clarke’s friends at that very moment. The Clarkes were famous and wealthy because Desmond wrote jingles for adverts and lyrics for pop songs so it was initially suggested that their son had been kidnapped for ransom. However, no ransom demands had been posted or telephoned.
Lines drew out a picture from his jacket and showed it to Callum. ‘Have you seen this bloke about recently?’ It was a photograph of Bob Aster.
Callum clearly knew who it was because everyone did. ‘No.’ He looked even more worried. A silence passed between the three of them. Then Cal sniffed, looked up at Lines and said: ‘Do you like being a copper?’
Lines paused then smiled. ‘Most of the time.’