‘WE NEED TO talk some more,’ the PC said.
‘Fine!’ Emily pointed at Jo. ‘I want her to come too.’
‘No problem.’ The PC unlocked a door to an interview room and stood back, checking Jo out as she followed Emily into the room. All three took a seat, the policeman placing a scruffy reporter’s notepad on the table between them. He cleared his throat. ‘You should listen to your friend, Mrs McCann.’
‘No, you listen to me!’ Emily said. ‘You may as well, because I’m not going to be put off. Thousands of kids go missing every year in this country. I know what I’m talking about, OK?’
‘You just said Rachel was a responsible adult.’
Jo looked at her friend. ‘He’s right, Em. You can’t have it both ways.’
Emily looked wounded.
Despite the fact that he was the only one with any authority in the room, the PC appeared intimidated by her outburst. He chose his words carefully, acknowledging that of course people of Rachel’s age went missing every day but pointing out that more often than not they returned unharmed within a few hours or days.
‘Why?’ Emily was off again. ‘Why would Rachel go missing?’
‘You tell me,’ the PC said. ‘Boyfriend you don’t approve of, perhaps?’
Emily’s cheeks flushed, her eyes darting to Jo for support.
Knowing there was some truth in that, Jo said nothing. Emily had suspected a clandestine relationship for weeks. That said, Jo understood her reluctance to rubbish her daughter to the police. Only last night, mother and daughter had apparently reached an agreement: Emily would stop treating Rachel like a kid and in return, Rachel would resume her studies and start keeping regular hours.
Would she suddenly go back on her word?
‘Why won’t you listen to me? I already told you what I think has happened.’ Emily looked at Jo, a plea for help. ‘I’ve told him about Walter Fearon, the things he said. Please make him understand or get hold of Kate. Do something.’
‘Who’s Kate?’ the PC asked.
‘She’s a DCI with a bit more oomph than you,’ Emily said.
‘Emily!’ Jo apologized to the officer then turned to her friend. ‘C’mon, Em. You’re doing yourself no favours.’
Emily combed a hand through her hair, her face pained with distress, tears welling up in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, honestly I am. It’s just . . . I want my daughter back.’
‘This young prisoner,’ the PC queried, ‘he’s someone you both work with?’
‘No.’ Emily wiped her eyes. ‘Just me.’
‘I’m aware of him,’ Jo said quietly. ‘He’s a piece of work.’
Emily confirmed that with a nod. ‘I know it sounds crazy, but he’s obsessed with me. That might appear odd to you given my age, but older women are his thing. He’s not been getting his own way lately and I think he’s done something awful to Rachel just to get back at me. I’ve been giving him a hard time over his behaviour in prison.’
The officer was looking directly at Jo. ‘Do you agree with Ms McCann?’
His question was a lowballer designed to divide and conquer. A clever tactic when he was on the back foot. He was beginning to piss Jo off.
Where the hell was Daniels when you wanted her?
‘I agree that he’s a very dangerous young man,’ Jo said.
Her failure to commit herself wasn’t lost on the other two.
‘He’s making that up though, surely,’ the policeman said. ‘I mean, he’s in prison, right? He’s not going anywhere.’
‘Yet!’ Emily said.
‘He’s due out imminently,’ Jo explained. ‘Which is why Emily is so distraught.’
‘And I have every reason to be,’ Emily said. ‘It may have passed you by, but sex offenders often work in pairs. That obviously didn’t appear in your police entrance exam!’
‘Has it occurred to you what day it is?’ the PC asked, ignoring the dig.
‘Day?’ Emily looked puzzled.
Jo knew what he was getting at. His question felt like a slap. Taking hold of Emily’s hand, she gave it a gentle squeeze. The physical contact produced a sudden flashback: Kate stroking her hand and ripping off her shirt in a candlelit room.
A lot can happen in an hour.
‘It’s Valentine’s Day,’ Jo said gently.
Emily looked away in a flood of tears.
Jo focused on the officer. ‘Emily’s husband died a few months ago. Were you aware of that?’ she asked pointedly. The PC clearly was. ‘Then perhaps you’ll understand why she can’t bear to let her daughter out of her sight. Hardly surprising she’s beside herself, is it?’
The PC blushed. ‘Rachel’s mixed up too, I gather.’
Jo resented the inference that Emily’s state of mind was not good. But the way she was acting, it was hardly surprising the policeman would take that view. She certainly sounded like she was losing it.
‘Enough to harm herself?’ the PC asked.
‘No.’ Jo shook her head. ‘Rachel would never do that.’
‘No way!’ Emily snapped. ‘I’m her mother! I should know. She hasn’t run away, or thrown herself under a bus. I told you, this offender described her to me, he described the house where we live.’
‘How come?’ the PC asked. ‘Did you talk to him about—’
‘No! Why would I? I have no idea how he knows. He just does! Please, I’m begging you. Take me seriously before it’s too late.’
Jo realized there wasn’t a lot the officer could do. It was obvious he thought that Rachel had gone off with a mate. She hadn’t been missing long and, by her own admission, Emily had already done what the police would do under the circumstances: contacted all Rachel’s friends, the college, etcetera. Although he was under pressure to offer Emily some small crumb of comfort, at least show some sympathy for the woman’s plight, behind his eyes there was a steely determination Jo had seen so often in Kate Daniels when she was about to deliver bad news. A sucker punch was on its way.