Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(34)

Jackman went into the office, picked up the tattered card that Kevin Stoner had given him and dialled the number.

Benedict Broome answered in a deep voice, the words clearly enunciated.

Jackman introduced himself, and briefly told him of the missing girl and the earlier visit to his property on Roman Creek.

‘Mr Lee did tell me,’ said Broome, with a slight hint of amusement in his voice. ‘I hope his rather overwhelming appearance didn’t upset your officers? And I hope that he was accommodating. Sometimes he can be a little overprotective of the old place.’

‘My men did mention his size, sir, but I can assure you that he was obliging enough to show them around.’ He went on to say that considering the size of Windrush, they would need to make an extended search, and asked his permission to go ahead.

‘Of course you must, Detective Inspector. I’ll notify Mr Lee immediately, and tell him you have my full permission.’

After a few words of thanks, Jackman hung up. The man had been charming, and his concern for the missing girl had sounded genuine. Jackman stared at the phone. So why did he feel so uneasy?

With a light tap at the door, Marie entered. ‘Andy’s off duty, but he left you this.’

Jackman took the memo and read it aloud:



‘Sir, regarding planning permission for Benedict Broome’s project at Windrush. Will know more after I’ve spoken to a senior council official tomorrow, but I suspect things are not straightforward. I’m certain it warrants taking another look. PC Andy English.’



Something in Jackman wanted to jump up, grab a van full of uniforms, and chase out to Windrush immediately. They would need to search the place under their terms, not those of the giant caretaker, Mr Micah Lee.

‘I’m sorry to say it’s too late to move on this today. There aren’t enough hours of daylight left. We’ll go tomorrow. Why don’t you go downstairs and see how much support uniform can offer us? We’ll need a pretty big team for a place that size.’

Marie nodded. ‘I’ll see what I can organise.’ In the doorway she hesitated. ‘You will let me know as soon as Rosie and Max get back, won’t you?’

‘Of course I will,’ he said.

He watched his sergeant walk out. He fully understood her concerns. Young women were the common denominator in this investigation, and Rosie was a very pretty young woman, who looked much younger than her years. But she was also an experienced and very capable police officer. There was no doubt in his mind that she was perfect for the job. Even if it was risky.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN

After Marie had liaised with uniform regarding a full-scale search of Windrush, she walked back into the office to get her jacket and keys. Jackman sat on the edge of her desk, deep in thought.

‘Thought you were going to visit Toni Clarkson?’

‘I am, but I’ve been thinking. Would you come with me?’

‘Of course, but why the change of heart?’

‘Her father. If I go alone there’ll be little chance of talking to her without him sitting in on the conversation, and that’s not what I want. If you are there too, we should be able to get her alone.’

‘I agree. She’ll talk much more easily if her parents aren’t there.’ She looked at him. ‘Any news from Rosie?’

‘It’s on tonight at ten thirty. Max rang me just before you walked in.’

‘Where?’ asked Marie, feeling her throat constrict.

‘Apparently they don’t divulge the location until half an hour before it kicks off. I’m not sure what Rosie and Max said to them, but although Chloe is well pissed off, her brother Luke is singing like a bird. Max reckons he’s got the wind up about something that happened there a week or so ago, plus he has confirmed that Shauna Kelly was one of the partygoers. And he’s very keen to help us.’ Jackman gave her a tight smile. ‘He’s told Rosie that she can use his name to get in.’

‘She trusts him?’

‘Luke has been going for a while now. Not to every party, but quite a few of them. He is considered “safe” by the organisers, not that he knows much about them.’

‘Where’s Rosie now?’ Marie asked.

‘She’s gone to borrow some suitably trendy gear from her niece. She’ll be back at ten, to wait for the call.’ Jackman glanced up at the wall clock. ‘It’s only six o’clock, so we have plenty of time to go see Toni, and grab some supper and a few hours’ rest.’ Jackman stood up. ‘Ready?’

‘Ready.’

*

Jackman drove fast through the lonely fenland towards Harlan Marsh. The long reed-fringed drove seemed endless. He slowed down a little. From the day he began driving in this terrain, he’d learned never to underestimate these seemingly benign roads. A change in camber, a hump-back bridge, a sudden and unexpected bend or even simple complacency could have you nose down in a deep ditch in seconds.

Tiredness overwhelmed him as he eased the car around a bend and saw Harlan Marsh town ahead of him. This visit really could have waited until the morning, but then he would need to get the search party out to the old sanatorium.

Neil Clarkson opened the door. He was not exactly welcoming. ‘Keep it short, DI Jackman, my daughter is exhausted.’