Flicking through his bookmarks, her stomach clenched as she realised there were many such sites. Then she turned her attention to his emails. It didn’t take long to find a folder marked ‘x-receipts’, making it the last folder listed in his favourites. Mel’s insides turned over afresh as she realised what kind of online purchases he’d made. He couldn’t have. Surely to God… She knew him. Or she thought she had.
‘There’s something else, Melissa,’ Jade said tentatively as, trying to still the palpitations in her chest, the dizziness in her head, Mel closed the laptop.
What? What else could there be? Melissa looked questioningly up to where Jade was standing opposite her, fiddling nervously with her hair.
‘The reason I left.’ Looking tearful again, Jade went reluctantly on.
She looked more than upset, Mel thought, studying her face. She looked fearful. Ashamed? ‘Jade?’ Her heart thudding painfully now, Melissa urged her on. ‘Tell me.’
‘He’d been drinking a lot,’ Jade said quickly. ‘Because of the problems between you, I think.’
Was she defending him? Against what? What had he done?
‘I didn’t know what to do.’ Jade looked beseechingly at her. ‘He came to my room. I wasn’t sure why. I thought it was to do with the children. I tried to get him to leave. I begged him to, but…’ Jade stopped, her face flushing as she glanced quickly down. ‘He’s much stronger than I am.’
‘No.’ Melissa reeled. She felt the room shift around her.
‘I tried to fight him off, I swear. I should have said something, I know I should, but you were going through so much. I thought it would be better if I just left. I wish I hadn’t. I wish…’ Swallowing, Jade dropped her gaze back to the floor. ‘Evie might still be here, if only I’d said something.’
Melissa stared at her, shocked to the core. She’d loved him. With her whole heart, she’d loved a man who was a complete monster.
‘You think he’s taken her, don’t you?’
‘I honestly don’t know,’ said Jade. ‘If he has, I’m sure he won’t hurt her, but…’
Pausing pointedly, she glanced at the laptop and then back to Mel. ‘Knowing what you know now about his… activities, I really think you should tell the police. For Evie’s sake.’
Seventy
MARK
Mark had been going door to door with officers, targeting sex offenders and investigating any known links to child trafficking for sexual exploitation or the babies-for-sale trade. They were also visiting parents who’d recently lost babies, in particular bereaved mothers without a support network who might be prone to depression.
As if any parent wouldn’t be. Mark had empathised completely as some of them had relived their experiences, his mind playing over memories of his own son, outwardly perfect while his small lungs had struggled to draw their last breath. His tiny white coffin. He’d had to excuse himself as one mother had recounted how she’d nursed her seven-month-old baby in her arms until God had taken her for an angel. Leaving the woman in the care of a female police officer, Mark had sought the sanctuary of his car, where he’d sat with his head on the steering wheel, his heart bleeding steadily inside him.
Glancing around the woodland adjoining the local beauty spot, every square foot of which could conceal a small body, Mark felt a sinking sense of hopelessness. He’d trodden this route looking for Daisy. He’d never imagined he’d be walking it again in search of his own missing child.
Clamping down on his thoughts before his mind wandered too far, Mark reached into his pocket for his ringing mobile.
‘Mark, I managed to get hold of Jade on her mobile, finally,’ Lisa said, when he picked up the call. ‘She’s going to come in and give a statement, but I thought you should know her alibi checks out. We have her on the bank’s security cameras at the time she says she was there.’
‘Ten fifteen.’ Mark sighed. Given her unceremonious departure from the house, he’d thought… But he’d been wrong. He wasn’t relieved at the news, however. Jade had definitely formed an attachment to Evie, but if she had taken her for whatever reason, Mark had doubted she would hurt her in any way. ‘Okay, Lisa, thanks. I’m on my way to see Mel. I’ll be back at the station as soon as I can.’
‘See you later,’ Lisa said. ‘Oh, and Mark, about Jade… I couldn’t get much sense out of Mel, for obvious reasons, but why did you say she’d left exactly? It’s just, it was a bit sudden, wasn’t it?’
‘Very,’ Mark said, and sucked in a breath. He had to give some kind of explanation, but what? She took advantage of me while I was drunk would sound pretty lame. And unbelievable. Mark was well aware of that. ‘I haven’t said anything to Mel yet, but…’ He faltered, feeling acutely embarrassed. ‘She, er, came on to me. Heavily.’
Lisa was quiet for a moment. ‘And you’re surprised?’
Not surprised; shocked. And angry, bewildered and humiliated. Ashamed. He wondered whether he’d been responsible, whether he’d led her on in some way. All of the things he’d told victims of sexual crime they shouldn’t be feeling, and none of which he wanted to become general knowledge. Cummings would have a field day.
‘A bit,’ he said instead, glancing up curiously as two officers approached him. ‘Looks like I’m needed. I’ll catch you at the station, Lisa.’
‘DI Cain.’ One of the officers looked at him apologetically as Mark ended his call. ‘We have instructions to accompany you to the station.’
Accompany him? ‘Why?’ Mark asked, his stomach tightening as he braced himself for news of Evie.
‘DCI wants to have a little chat,’ the other guy said, his tone arrogant.
So it wasn’t about Evie. Mark felt himself go weak with relief. He looked the guy over, deciding to seek him out later regarding his attitude. Right now, he hadn’t got the time or the inclination. ‘What about then?’ he asked.
Shooting his colleague a disparaging look, the first officer spoke. ‘I’m afraid I can’t say, sir. We’ve just been asked to make sure you get there.’
‘Sorry, it will have to wait,’ Mark said, reaching for his car door. ‘I’m going home to see my wife.’
‘It’s not a request, sir,’ the officer responded, his expression hardening as he moved to prevent him opening the door.
Mark looked at him, thunderstruck, and then turned to the second officer, who’d walked around to position himself on his other side. ‘We’ve been told to escort you,’ the man said dispassionately. ‘We also need to take possession of your phone.’
‘What?’ Mark laughed incredulously. ‘You have to be kidding?’
‘Never been more serious in my life. Sir,’ the second officer assured him, his tone now definitely disrespectful.
* * *
The officers disclosing nothing on the drive in, other than to tell him there were no developments regarding Evie, Mark still had no idea what was happening. He had a distinct feeling, however, that his colleagues did, as the two men insisted on escorting him right to the DCI’s office door. The silence as he was walked through the main office was so profound you could have heard a paperclip drop. The scornful glances didn’t do much to alleviate Mark’s uneasiness, and the contemptuous sneer he registered on Cummings’ face caused his step to falter. It was Lisa’s expression, though, one of palpable shock, that stopped him in his tracks.
‘Lisa?’ he said, his apprehension growing tenfold.
Cummings got to his feet. He didn’t speak, didn’t utter a word, simply moved to stand by Lisa’s side.
Lisa glanced at Cummings, back to Mark, and then looked embarrassedly away.
‘Sir.’ One of the officers urged him on, taking hold of his arm.
‘I know what I’d do with paedo pervs in our own ranks,’ someone muttered, as Mark walked on. ‘Castrate the bastards and make an example.’
‘What the fuck is going on?’ Mark demanded, as Edwards swung his door open.
‘Sit down,’ Edwards said shortly, banging the door shut and marching past him to his desk.
Mark stayed put. ‘Look, I have no idea what the hell this is all about, but—’
‘That’s an order, DI Cain. Sit!’ Edwards eyed him furiously. ‘Now!’
Mark tried to temper his own fury. ‘My daughter’s missing,’ he said, walking reluctantly across to the chair. ‘Whatever this is, can’t it wait?’