Against the Clock, John Carson [digital ebook reader txt] 📗

‘Not according to her parents. She never got into trouble, either at school or outside. She was an outgoing girl but not stupid.’

‘Maybe she knew her abductor,’ DI Karen Shiels said. ‘Somebody she trusted who could get her to walk away with him.’

‘Possibly. There were no reports of any girl screaming or struggling around that time or any time that evening. Knowing her abductor is an avenue we explored at the time, but we didn’t come up with any viable suspects. It’s like she vanished into thin air. There were no ransom demands and it went cold. She wasn’t heard from again until she was found wrapped on the beach.’

‘And now she’s dead of carbon monoxide poisoning after five years?’ Lillian asked.

Miller looked at her for a second before answering. ‘Hold that thought. We were briefed before we came in here, and I’d like DCI Dunbar and DFS Evans to give you a rundown on their victim first.’ Miller stepped aside and all eyes were glued on the Glaswegian detectives.

Six

Jimmy Dunbar looked grim as he stood in front of the team. ‘Like you, we had a victim found today – at an abandoned leisure centre in Glasgow. Same cause of death. Then wrapped in industrial shrink wrap. There are indications that she was restrained, with ligature marks on her wrists, but not recently. The reason me and my colleague are through here today is, this girl also went missing five years ago. Her name was Alice Brent, and she disappeared without a trace from the leisure centre after she went there on a school trip from Edinburgh. They were going swimming there for the day.’

Evans stood to the side.

‘Can I ask what the kids were doing in a swimming pool in Glasgow, sir?’ Ronnie Vallance said.

Dunbar looked at Evans.

‘We later discovered that one of the teachers was originally from Glasgow and thought it would be a nice day trip on the bus through to the centre. Just a wee change for the kids,’ Evans said. ‘The investigation was ours, obviously, as it happened on our patch, but we worked with DI Miller and his team because of the similarity in the cases. We were working on the theory they were linked.’

‘And of course it would seem that way,’ Dunbar said. ‘Especially after the third abduction.’

‘Zoe Harris was eight when she went missing,’ Miller added. ‘Also from Edinburgh. Abducted at the shows on the Links in Burntisland. She was there with her mum and dad and her little brother. It was a busy Friday evening and the kids were running about. The mother swore that Zoe was there one minute, and she took her eyes off her for a second and then boom, she was gone. She contacted the police, who searched the fairground, and the carnies even let them search their caravans, but nothing was ever found of little Zoe.’

‘How close to the others, time wise, was she abducted?’ Lillian asked.

Miller looked at her before answering. ‘The same day as Alice.’

‘And what time did Alice go missing?’

‘Two thirty in the afternoon. Zoe, just after seven thirty that same night. Five hours between them going missing.’

Karen Shiels looked at Miller. ‘Was a connection ever made back then?’

‘They went to the same school. Zoe wasn’t in the same class as Alice because she was two years younger than her, so they had different teachers, and the families didn’t know each other, as far as was made out to us. Going to the shows in Burntisland was nothing new for them.’

‘Lots of kids go missing every year,’ Harry said. ‘Then, unfortunately, it’s sort of out of sight, out of mind. New cases come along and old ones are put on the back burner. It’s a living hell for the parents, and they’re the ones left behind.’

‘The first victim found today was in a location where she was pretty much guaranteed to be found,’ Lillian said. ‘The one in Glasgow seems to be different. If it’s the same killer – and let’s face it, there’s a good possibility it is – then how could he know Alice would be found?’

‘Armadillos,’ Dunbar said, and saw the confusion on Lillian’s face. ‘Perimeter Intruder Detection System. The building was getting vandalised, but it was more of a safety thing. These modules are on legs and have cameras, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, all sorts of stuff fitted, and they’re placed strategically near doors. When one detects an intruder, it sends a signal to the control centre run by the company that owns it. They can activate a high-decibel alarm, and they capture video. That’s what happened today, just before sunrise. A hooded figure is seen walking into the building carrying the victim. It’s not apparent what the object is from the video feed.’

‘Was the door unlocked?’ Eve Bell asked.

‘It was thought to be locked, but there are that many YouTubers who film abandoned buildings, one of them could have broken the lock and sneaked in without the system going off. Or broken the lock after it was checked, just before the Armadillos were installed. Like some YouTuber knew they were going to be installed and wanted to get in and film before they became fully operational. We don’t know exactly.’

Harry looked at Eve. ‘Can you have a check on YouTube and see if you can find any videos of the place being filmed while it’s abandoned?’

‘I’ll get right on that, sir,’ she replied and turned to her computer.

Harry looked at Miller. ‘If this guy did take Zoe Harris from Burntisland, and he’s killed or been responsible for the deaths of Alice and Sandra, it’s a safe bet that he’ll leave Zoe in a place where she can be found.’

‘It is. It’s just a waiting game now, but I don’t think we’ll have to wait long.’

Seven

‘How’s Alex?’ Jimmy Dunbar asked from the passenger seat of the Audi.

‘Mood swings,’ said Harry. ‘Peeing five times a night. Doing a good Linda Blair impression at times. Life couldn’t be