The Sect (The Craig Crime Series) by Catriona King

news?”
    Davy shrugged. “Because he’s sixteen I s…suppose. They probably just thought that he’d run away.”
    He tapped up the Net, searching for news of a missing local boy. On the third click he found it and read aloud.
    “Sam Beech, sixteen. Disappeared from the Demesne Estate. Last seen walking to the youth club to meet his friends.”
    “That’s all there is? No nationwide search? No alert?”
    “Teenagers leave home all the time. I’ll check the missing person’s report.”
    They were still reading it as Annette entered the squad ten minutes later, cheerfully waving a piece of paper.
    “Time to celebrate, people.”
    Nicky’s expression said it would have to wait then Annette saw what was on Davy’s screen.
    “One of our victims?”
    “The third. He was sixteen. Disappeared two w…weeks ago. The Chief and Liam are meeting at the lab then they’re visiting his folks.”
    Annette’s eyes widened. Liam wasn’t renowned for his tact so death notifications were normally given to her. She lifted her mobile and pressed dial; three rings later Craig answered. From the echo she knew he was already at the lab.
    “Yes, Annette?”
    “Sorry to bother you, sir, but I’d like to help. I’m not off to London till tomorrow night and this case sounds like it could–”
    He finished her sentence. “Do with some TLC. You’re right, but Liam needs the practice so he’s coming to see the parents with me. I take it Davy’s brought you up to speed, so get a copy of the boy’s file and head down to the school. We’ll meet you there in an hour.”
    He clicked off just as Liam appeared, grumbling loudly.
    “Why’d you drag me away, boss? I was going great guns with the street lads.”
    “Why were you working with the patrols?”
    Liam stared at him, wondering if it was a trick question. He answered anyway. “To try and identify the Vics.”
    Craig glanced across the room at Des who was stroking his beard like it was a pet; it was verging on disturbing. He turned back to Liam, speaking deliberately slowly. “And what has Des just done?”
    “Identified one of the vic…” Liam’s eyes narrowed. “Oh very funny. Ha ha. OK, so he managed to I.D. one of them but the last I heard we had three stiffs.”
    Craig rolled his eyes. “Dear God, Liam, that’s someone’s children you’re talking about. Show a bit of respect.”
    He started grumbling again while Craig crossed the room to Des.
    “We’re heading over to see Sam Beech’s parents and I wondered if you had anything more before we did.”
    Des turned to the file on his desk. “You’ve already got most of this. Sam Beech, date of birth second of January nineteen ninety-nine, attends Demesne High School where he’s in the fifth form doing his GCSEs in June. The school gave them three weeks study leave for their mock exams starting on the ninth of March, so he wasn’t due back a school till next week. According to the notes his mother reported Sam missing on the sixteenth, after he went to meet his mates at the youth club and didn’t return home.”
    Craig tapped the file. “His friends said that he never reached the club. That points to a street abduction.” He turned to Liam. “I need you to canvas the youth club. One of his mates might know something.”
    Liam screwed up his face. “But he never got there.”
    “That’s what the report says but kids lie. Des, anything more on the body?”
    “Nope. Same as the others, except no injuries other than the restraints. To all intents he looks like a low risk kid.”
    Craig shook his head. “Something he did got him killed, even if it was only speaking to the wrong person.” He gestured at the fuming cabinet, where the cling-film was being exposed to cyanoacrylate. “Any prints?”
    It was asked without hope of a positive answer so they were surprised when Des gave a slight nod. The forensic expert caveated it quickly when he saw optimism flash in Craig’s eyes.
    “I didn’t say