Missing Believed Dead Read Free

one of the paths. Ten minutes later he returned, without the flowers. She saw him hesitate before he got back in the car. He reversed until it was level with the gate then started to drive out. The car stopped when it reached her. He wound down the window and leaned out. ‘You’re May’s lass, aren’t you?’ he’d said. ‘Your mum was looking for you. I think she was annoyed.’
    She shivered, her ma could be a dragon when she was in a paddy.
    ‘I could give you a lift if you like . . . it would get you home quicker.’
    ‘OK,’ she said, and got in the car.
    ‘There’s a bottle of coke on the back seat if you want it.’
    She reached over, took a drink of the coke, and that was the last thing she remembered before waking up here in the dark and the cold.
    No one came when she screamed. And now she knew no one ever would.

 
    Chapter Three
     
    Sunday, 11 March
    Detective Inspector Kate Rawlings sorted the papers on her desk into a neat pile and deposited them in the out tray which she lifted and placed in a steel filing cupboard. Tomorrow she had to report for duty at Dundee Police HQ, and there was no way she was going to leave a mess behind at the Forfar office for her detective sergeants to clear up.
    Removing her spectacles and laying them on the desk, she massaged her eyelids with her fingers. It had been a long day. She shouldn’t have been in the office, because this was supposed to be her Sunday off. But there had been so much to sort out and tidy up before she left. Her brow wrinkled into a frown and she worried whether all the loose ends of her team’s many cases had been tied up. But everything had been allocated and her team was a good one, well able to work on their own. She shouldn’t have any need to worry.
    ‘Seeing you’re still here . . . ’ Jan came in and laid a folder on her desk. ‘I thought you might want a look at this before you go.’
    Kate replaced her spectacles, leaned back in her chair, and sighed. ‘What is it?’
    ‘The surveillance report on the Asian guys we were watching. We may have a lead on the location of their cannabis factory.’
    ‘Are we ready to raid it?’
    ‘Just about, but we want to make sure first because it’s a bungalow in a fairly classy residential area. Don’t want to make a mistake and upset the neighbours.’
    Kate combed her fingers through her short fair hair. ‘These guys always seem to pick the expensive private housing estates to set up their factories. Maybe they think we won’t catch them there.’
    Jan laughed. ‘They should be so lucky.’
    ‘Anything else on the go?’
    ‘Not really, I think you’ve tied most things up.’
    ‘Let me know when the raid is arranged,’ Kate said, closing the folder and handing it back to Jan. ‘I want to be in on it.’
    ‘Won’t you have your hands full in Dundee?’
    ‘Probably.’ Kate shrugged. ‘But I don’t want to miss this, we’ve been waiting long enough to catch them.’ She stood up, tucked her white shirt into the top of her trousers, buttoned her cardigan, and pulled her jacket on. ‘Well, I’d better make tracks if I want to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I meet my Dundee team tomorrow.’
    ‘Time for a last cuppa before you go? The kettle’s on in the staff room.’
    ‘Sure, why not?’ Kate was finding it increasingly difficult to leave the Forfar office where she had been happy, and this would put her departure off by a few more minutes.
    Jan pushed the door of the staff room open and Kate was greeted by a resounding cheer.
    Detective Sergeant Adam Strachan stepped forward. ‘Just wanted you to know we wish you every success in this new undertaking, and let you know how much you’re appreciated here, ma’am.’
    ‘But it’s temporary and I’ll still have a foot in this camp.’ Kate blinked back tears. At least half the people here had been off duty and must have made an effort to come in. It was at times like this she felt appreciated.
    ‘Yes, but it’s