Chosen by Bill Kitson Page A

moment, however, he’d a case to solve. One he knew would test him to the limit. It was as well Lauren was going back to Cheshire. More guilt; he still hadn’t got round to reading the PNC information. Fortunately, the details couldn’t have prevented the crime, couldn’t have avoided whatever had happened to the missing girl.
    By mid morning Nash had caught up with some of his delayed reading. It yielded a surprisingly large number of offenders whose profile fitted the search parameters, although there was none who seemed likely to be the suspected abductor. He called Mironova and Pearce into his office. He was about to start when Tom Pratt wandered in. ‘I’ve left the search parties to it. I’m not built for scrambling through undergrowth. Not interrupting anything, am I?’
    â€˜Certainly not, Tom. We’re about to run through what we’ve got on the two cases.’ Nash turned to his colleagues. ‘Unless something breaks soon this looks likely to be a long haul. We can start by eliminating those possible suspects we have. I’m talking about Bailey and one or two candidates from that list.’ He waved a hand towards the PNC documents, ‘Plus the man Sarah spoke to in Club Wolfgang shortly before she vanished. We’ve also got the Lizzie Barton murder. At least we’re certain that’s a crime that has actually been committed.’

    â€˜I thought you were convinced Sarah Kelly had been abducted?’
    â€˜I may be, Clara, but that wouldn’t stand up as evidence. All we’ve got at present is supposition, based on meagre facts. Yes, we found her handbag, but she could have dropped that because she was under the influence. Or she could have lost it whilst she was having a knee trembler in the alley.’
    He stilled Pearce’s protest with an upraised hand. ‘I’m not saying either of those happened. The only fact we have is that her disappearance is completely out of character.’
    â€˜What do you suggest we do?’
    â€˜Keep asking questions; check some of these characters out.’ Nash tapped the PNC reports, ‘And keep on searching all the likely places she could be.’
    â€˜Do you mean where her body is likely to have been dumped?’
    â€˜Yes, Viv, I’m afraid that’s exactly what I mean.’
    â€˜Which case gets priority?’
    â€˜We’ve got to concentrate on the murder. It goes against the grain to push the Sarah Kelly case into the background, but we have to.’ Nash turned to his boss. ‘Anything to add, Tom?’
    â€˜No. I think you’ve summed it up as well as you can. Depressing I know, but our job’s like that.’
    When Pratt had gone back to receive the reports from the search teams, and Viv had been sent on coffee-making duty, Clara looked at her boss. ‘You okay, Mike? You look tired. Is the case getting to you? Not starting with nightmares again, are you?’
    He shook his head. ‘No, nothing like that. I didn’t get much sleep last night,’ he confessed ruefully. ‘That’ll change though. Lauren’s going back to Cheshire tomorrow.’
    â€˜Have you ever thought of settling down? Living a more normal lifestyle, I mean?’
    Nash’s expression changed. ‘Once maybe, not now.’
    â€˜Sorry, Mike, I wasn’t thinking. Perhaps you could do with a change. That place of yours is too big, too many memories. Get a smaller flat or something.’
    Nash sighed, ‘You may be right.’
    â€˜Why not try Helmsdale Properties? The woman we met there, Helen Tate was it, remember her? She’ll be happy to find somewhere
for you to lay your head. I’m sure she’d be more than pleased to show you what she’s got on offer.’
    â€˜You never miss a chance to have a go at me, do you?’
    Clara smiled. ‘I’ve got to get my fun where I can. Seriously though, as well as Helmsdale