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.That was more like it, she was back to her officious self.He supposed she couldn’t help it.She was halfway up the first set of stairs by the time Bill caught up with her.‘I wouldn’t touch the handrail if I were you, ma’am.’She kept climbing.‘Why not?’‘Never know what the yobs have smeared on it.’ Bill stifled a smile as she removed her hand from the rail.Wind whistled along the walkway.It was windier here on the third floor than it had been at street level, and Paul Carnegie’s flat was at the end of the walkway.Rubbish had blown into the corner and partly over his doorstep.Bill kicked a lager can out of his way and rapped on the door.No response.He rapped again, louder this time.Still no response.It was then Bill spotted the woman with the mess of wild red hair, plodding along the walkway towards them.That was all he needed, Mad May Fraser.He should have remembered she lived in this block.‘You found my Megan yet?’Kate took a step backwards.Bill couldn’t blame her, for May had a ferocious look on her face and looked as if she meant business.‘We’re working on it Mrs Fraser,’ Bill said.‘Not working hard enough if you ask me.’‘We’ve highlighted it in the press and had officers doing doorstep enquiries.I’m sure you’ll have noticed.’‘Fat lot of good they’ve been.Who’s the bint?’‘This is Detective Inspector Rawlings, and she’s pulling out all stops to find your Megan.’‘Hmph! I’ll believe that when the cows come home.Anyway, he’s not home, went out this morning and hasn’t come back yet.What you want with him anyway?’‘Now, now, Mrs Fraser.You know better than to ask that.’‘Hmph!’ Hair blowing wildly in the wind she stomped away from them along the walkway.Stopping when she reached the stairwell, she turned and shouted, ‘You find my Megan or there’ll be trouble.’Kate had a bemused look on her face.‘Megan, that’s the fourteen year old who’s missing, right?’‘Yes, ma’am.But it’s not the first time she’s gone off.We picked her up in Arbroath the last time, and the time before that it was Glasgow.’‘Not sure if you want to go up there, mate.There’s two pigs waiting for you.’ May Fraser’s voice, echoing up the stairwell, had a hollow sound.Bill suppressed a smile.‘I reckon that’s Mr Carnegie on his way up.I’ll pop along and meet him.’ With that, he strode along the walkway.He’d almost reached the next landing when he caught up with a man in a hooded jacket, retreating down the stairs.‘Paul Carnegie?’He turned to face Bill, his face in shadow.‘Who wants to know?’‘Police, mate.I’m Detective Sergeant Murphy.My gaffer, Detective Inspector Rawlings, is waiting upstairs.We’d like a word.’‘What about?’‘Better if we discussed that in your flat, we don’t want the whole block to know.’ Bill nodded his head in May Fraser’s direction.Paul glared at the woman.‘I suppose that would be best,’ he said, with a sigh of resignation.‘After you,’ Bill said, making sure he remained behind Paul Carnegie in case he changed his mind about the interview.Chapter TwentyPaul Carnegie led them along a dark hallway and into a sparsely furnished room.It contained one leather armchair that had seen better days, a formica-topped table strewn with newspapers and magazines, a two-bar electric fire, a computer chair, and a corner desk unit dominated by a state of the art computer.He stood for a moment, shifting from foot to foot, as if unsure what to do next.Bill guessed he didn’t get many visitors.‘What is it you want?’ Paul’s voice was soft and high-pitched with a note of anxiety he seemed unable to conceal.‘We wanted to ask you about your daughter, Jade.’‘Jade has been missing for five years, and your lot haven’t done much to find her.’‘Then I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know we’ve reopened the case.’ Kate’s voice was steady, but Bill could tell she wasn’t at ease.Maybe it was because Paul Carnegie still had his hood up, or maybe it was because of the accusatory tone of his voice.‘Why would you do that?’‘Let’s just say there have been developments.’Paul was silent, seemingly mulling over what Kate had said.‘Why don’t you take your coat off and sit down, and you can tell us what you remember about the day she disappeared.’Kate leaned against the desk and smiled at him.Bill guessed she was trying to strike a non-threatening pose, so he perched himself on the arm of the leather chair.Paul sat in the computer chair, loosened the toggle buttons on his coat and pushed back the hood.He kept the coat on his shoulders, but underneath he wore a checked shirt and grubby jeans.His spectacles were held together at the bridge by a piece of sticking plaster, and he looked unkempt.He passed a hand over his partially bald head and smoothed the hair down at the back.His eyes were bright behind his spectacles and Bill wasn’t sure if he had tears in them.His chin was dark with stubble which was either a fashion statement or indicated a reluctance to shave.‘It’s so long ago, it seems like another life.’‘In your own time,’ Kate said.Bill took out his notebook and rummaged in his pocket for a pencil.‘She’s been gone now for five years.It was a day something like it is today.Cold and windy, but it was a month earlier.February it was.As if I’d ever forget.’ He paused, lost in thought, before continuing.‘The last time I saw her was at breakfast.When I came home from work she was gone and I never saw her again.’Paul looked away and lapsed into silence.‘How was she at breakfast time?’‘Same as usual.Giggly, in a hurry.Diane was nagging her to eat before she left for school.’‘And when you came back?’‘I was late that night.I’d been held back at the depot.We’d had a load of spring bulbs delivered earlier in the day and they needed to be stored properly ready for planting.’‘You were a gardener.’‘Yes, with the council.I enjoy working with the earth, couldn’t abide an indoor job.I haven’t worked much since Jade disappeared though.Didn’t have the heart for it.’‘You’re unemployed?’‘That’s right.I do jobbing gardening from time to time, and I keep my mother’s grounds tidy.There’s lots to do there.’‘Let’s get back to the day Jade disappeared,’ Kate said.‘As I said, when I came home she’d already gone.Off to visit a friend, Diane said, but she didn’t return.It’s upsetting remembering that day.’ He fumbled with his spectacles.‘D’you mind if I get a drink of water?’Kate nodded her agreement.Paul got up and went into the kitchen.When he returned he was carrying a glass which he laid on the desk.Water splashed out and formed a small puddle on the surface.He stared at it for a moment before continuing.‘It destroyed our family, you know.Diane wouldn’t stay home [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]