Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(10)
Jackman abruptly stood up and walked across the kitchen to where the coffee pot lived. He put the kettle on the stove, and spooned rich, dark Kenyan coffee into the percolator. He needed a strong caffeine hit if he were to read more of this heart-breaking stuff. Tomorrow, he would visit Grace and tell her that he was going to move heaven and earth to find out what had happened to her beautiful daughter.
Just as he had said to Liz Kelly earlier that day:
‘Liz, we’ll find out what happened to Shauna, and if someone is to blame, then we’ll bring them to justice. You have my word that we will not rest until we can give you answers.’ Liz had not replied. He had not expected her to. The poor woman was in a private hell and no words could ease the raw pain of the news that he had had to deliver.
‘What a shitty world we live in,’ he murmured to the singing kettle. Then he thought of his team, all of them dedicated, determined to help make things better.
‘No, the world’s not all shit. There are just some seriously shitty people in it,’ he said to himself.
CHAPTER FIVE
Marie rode away from her village early next morning, marvelling at the sky-scape before her. The low farmland still held on to a carpet of diaphanous mist, and the sky above it was a heavy gunmetal grey, scattered with dispersing night clouds. Above this, appeared a wide rift in the iron sky. A dazzling strip of the brightest flame orange tore the greyness apart, and the scarlet orb of the sun began to rise.
Already, her reservations about taking on the Kenya Black enquiry had melted away. Today forensics should give them more on Shauna Kelly, and then they could plan a course of action. She was actually looking forward to her visit with Mister Curb-Crawler, and she also wanted to take a look at the area where Shauna had apparently gone into the water.
She approached the road junction into the town and waited as a tractor towing a trailer full of bright green broccoli lumbered past. As she sat there, she silently prayed that Shauna’s death had been a tragic accident, and that it wasn’t the precursor of things to come.
By the time she eased the big motorbike into her parking space at the station, a hint of the tension of the night before had seeped back into her mind.
*
Jackman had barely set foot in the CID room when he heard his name called out.
The gravelly voice belonged to the superintendent’s office manager. ‘Sorry, sir, but can you go upstairs? Immediately.’
When he reached the super’s office, Ruth Crooke was waiting in the corridor.
‘Listen,’ she said urgently. ‘I know you are not going to like what my visitor has to say, but I’m asking you to run with it, okay? And just remember, your present cases involve a missing girl and a dead girl. Hold that thought.’ She then turned and without waiting for a reply, pushed her door open and marched in.
Standing by the window was a tall ramrod of a man wearing a chief superintendent’s uniform. Jackman recognised him instantly. Cade worked out of one of the neighbouring divisions, and had the reputation of being a slimy bastard that it was best not to cross if you valued your career prospects.
‘This is Detective Inspector Rowan Jackman, James.’
The super gave a tight smile.
‘Chief Superintendent Cade here has a problem over in the Harlan Marshes area. A young woman has gone missing and both of their CID teams are tied up on another serious crime. He needs our help. Well, yours to be precise.’
Jackman wasn’t too sure what he was supposed to say. Just yesterday, he had been given a high priority, get-us-out-of-the–shit-before-it-hits-the-fan job, something to work alongside the death of Shauna Kelly. Now he was being asked to forget about that and save another station’s bacon because of their workload?
Words failed him. Then he drew himself up and said, ‘Sorry, ma’am, but as you know, my caseload is not exactly light either. You will have to give it to another team. Even DI Feltham has enough staff to cope with that.’
Cade interrupted. ‘Ah, but I’d really appreciate it if you could spare me just a little of your precious time, DI Jackman?’ he said with a reptilian hiss.
Jackman looked at the super for help. ‘Ma’am? My priority case?’
‘I’m going to suggest that you get your team to put the wheels into motion on that. There’s a lot of preparation they can be getting on with.’
‘And Shauna Kelly?’
‘The same. You are still waiting for forensic confirmation as to whether it is a tragic accident or something else, aren’t you? So, let your team keep working on the basic prep. Meanwhile, you and DS Evans go over to Harlan Marsh and make some enquiries.’
‘It may be nothing, Jackman.’ Cade smiled. ‘The girl does have previous for running away, in which case you will be back before you know it. But while I am certain that is the case, she is the daughter of a local businessman, and a generous benefactor to the police charities, so I promised him that I’d send him our best officers, if you catch my drift?’
He did. Ten-to-one this “benefactor” was a golfing buddy with a funny handshake, someone who took a locked case with him when he went out for the evening.
His teeth jammed together in anger, but he bit back his reply when he saw the super’s expression. It was clear and concise.
Just you dare, Jackman!
‘Thank you, Rowan. I knew I could count on you.’ Ruth dismissed him with a flick of her head and a glance towards the door.