Next Victim Read online

  Alan was waiting in the front garden. “What the hell’s happened? I can’t find any sign of a struggle. Are we sure about this?”

  “Have you seen her? Were you even looking?” Rachel flew at him. Why was he never where he should be? He shook his head. “No, I didn’t think so! I told you last night I was working most of the weekend. Where were you, Alan?”

  “She rang me this morning asking if I’d take her and Ella somewhere. I told her to give me until eleven and then we’d arrange something.”

  “Did you see anyone come to the house?” she asked.

  “No. I’ve been in the back with Ade for the last hour. He’s been measuring up.”

  “Bloody Ade!” Rachel brushed past him and went inside. The place was much as she’d left it early this morning. Dirty dishes filled the kitchen sink and mugs littered the table top. Mia’s room was a mess. Most of her clothes lay scattered across her bed. She obviously hadn’t been able to decide what to wear.

  Elwyn knocked on the bedroom door. “I’ve had a quick word with the neighbours.”

  “We haven’t got any,” Rachel said. “There’s me and Alan and the farm across the road.”

  “The woman at the farm was hanging her eggs for sale sign on the gate. She saw a red Citroen pass by at about ten thirty. A man was driving and there was someone in the passenger seat, although she couldn’t see who.”

  “Registration plate?”

  “No, she didn’t look, didn’t think it was important.”

  They heard Jason and his team arrive.

  “We’ll go next door to Alan’s and leave them to it,” she told Elwyn. “We’ll just be in the way.”

  She went downstairs. Jason was already examining the front door.

  “I’m going on the theory that whoever took your girl knocked on the door or rang this bell.” He brushed fingerprint powder over both places. “He could have worn gloves, of course, but it’s worth a shot. I’ll need to take prints from your family too.”

  “Anything, Jason. Just call when you’re ready.”

  “I should have some results through later. Might help things along.”

  “Right now, I’ll take anything. This is a nightmare. It’s got me climbing the walls.” She burst into tears. “Sorry, I don’t usually do this, it isn’t me.” She rubbed her eyes. “It’s just the waiting, the not knowing. It’s tearing me apart.”

  “It’s your daughter, Rachel. We all understand,” Jason said.

  Her mobile beeped. It was another call from Jed. Not now, please. She cut him off without answering.

  Alan was pacing about. He came over as soon as they went inside. “That man from the other night. Could he have taken her?”

  “What man?” Elwyn asked, immediately suspicious.

  “No . . . one, just a friend who took Mia and her mate bowling,” Rachel said. “He’s not in town this weekend anyway.”

  “A boyfriend?”

  Rachel looked at Elwyn. Wasn’t she allowed any private life? “No. Just a friend.”

  “Name?” Elwyn asked. “I’ll speak to him anyway, just to rule him out.”

  “Sorry, I’m going . . . to throw up.” Rachel dashed out of the room. This was getting worse by the second. If Alan remembered Jed’s name, or Megan told Elwyn, she’d had it. Everything was crashing down around her.

  * * *

  DC Amy Metcalfe studied the screen in front of her, trying to make sense of what she read.

  “How d’you think it’s going?” Jonny asked.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be taking her car to her house? You’d better get going, she might want it,” she said.

  “Just leaving. I thought I’d have another look through the reports first. Can you imagine having a kid go missing like that? D’you reckon it’s got something to do with this little lot?” He nodded at the pile of paperwork on his desk.

  But Amy wasn’t listening. “I’ve got an odd one here. It seems our Paul Greyson and his wife used to be foster parents. The records are old and sketchy, but one of the kids he took on had the surname Franklin.”

  “You’re thinking our Franklin? I suppose it might be, but then again it could be someone else entirely.”

  “If this Franklin is the same man as our developer, then it is significant. I asked him if he knew Greyson and he said he didn’t.”

  “It’s a long shot if you ask me. How many Franklins are there around here? Bound to be more than one for sure. And anyway, what reason would he have to lie about knowing Greyson?” Jonny asked.

  “Because he has something to hide,” Amy said.

  “Like what?”

  “I’ve no idea. Could be anything.” Amy got up from her desk. “I think I’ll go and ask him. If anyone wants me, I’ll be at his offices.”

  “And if he doesn’t work weekends?” Jonny shouted after her.

  “I’ll take my chances,” she called over her shoulder.

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Hugo Franklin’s offices were open, but he wasn’t there.

  “Mr Franklin received a call and had to leave,” a stony-faced receptionist told Amy. “You could try later, although he may go straight home.”

  “Can I have his home address?” Amy asked.

  “We don’t give out personal information,” the receptionist stated.

  “I wouldn’t ask, but this is a murder enquiry.” Amy showed the receptionist her badge. “You don’t want to be had up for obstruction, do you?”

  “Here.” She handed over a card. “But he won’t be there. It’s Saturday, he’ll be on the golf course.”

  “Which club?” Amy asked. Why hadn’t the woman said so in the first place?

  The receptionist pointed it out on a map of the area pinned to the wall. “Didsbury. That’s where he lives. The course is there, about half a mile from his home.”

  Amy set off. It would take her twenty minutes or so to reach the address she’d been given. She’d guessed that Franklin would live somewhere like that. Didsbury was a much sought-after suburb, boasting some of Manchester’s largest and most expensive houses. It wasn’t that far out of town either, which was an added attraction for a rich local businessman.

  As she expected, Franklin lived in some splendour, in a large executive-style residence probably built by his own firm. She parked up on the drive and made for the front door. She rang the bell, knocked on the downstairs windows. No reply, nothing.

  “He’s not in.” The woman’s voice came from behind her. “I’ve called a couple of times and he’s never here.”

  Amy turned and regarded the young woman. “I know you.”

  “Probably. You’re police, aren’t you?” She tapped her nose. “I have an instinct for these things.”

  Amy suddenly twigged. She’d seen the girl’s photograph on the incident board at the station. It was Alice Brough.

  * * *

  “Are you okay? You were deathly white. I thought you were going to faint,” Elwyn asked Rachel.

  She gave him a wan smile. “What did they say?” She was dreading his reply. If either of them had remembered the name ‘Jed,’ he’d make the connection and despite what had happened, the third degree would start.

  “Nothing. We were too concerned about you. Alan and Megan are outside in the garden. They are distraught about Mia and worrying about you is adding to the pressure.”

  “Sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’m not as tough as I thought I was. I should be able to work this out, but I can’t. It has to have something to do with the case. But I’m damned if I can see what.”

  “I think you’re right. He slipped up with the Shaw killing. He had to make a hurried exit. I think we’ve found something that has our killer running scared. Taking Mia is his insurance.”

  “But what do we have, Elwyn? As far as I can make out we’ve got bugger all.”

  “I’m trying to work it out. I had a word with an old friend, someone I’ve got stuff from before. A mine of information, he is. A man was hanging a
round the clubs and pubs down Cheetham Hill about a month ago asking odd questions. He wanted to know about McAteer and Beatty. How they operate, what they were up to currently. I showed him the photofit and he thinks it was him.”

  “Did he get anything?”

  “He was handing out cash, so, yes, I’d say he got what he needed. Certainly enough to terrify Croft.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. This man is good at finding what he needs. He knows all about me. He has my name, address and details about my family.”

  “It wouldn’t take a genius to find out who the SIO on the case is, and then to find out one or two personal details. There are plenty of links. Frodsham’s Facebook friends for example. We’ve spoken to them, some know Megan. A few discreet enquiries and he has the lot.”

  “It’s freaking me out. He could have been watching us.”

  “You okay now?” Alan shouted from the door. “Have you told them? Given them that bloke’s details?”

  Elwyn looked at her, frowning. She had to come up with something.

  “What’s going on, Rachel? You’re holding something back and I can’t work out why. If there is someone who Mia might have gone off with, we need to know. Who is this man Alan is on about?”

  “It’s not him. We’ve already spoken. Alan is being dramatic as usual. A friend of mine took the girls out, it was no big deal. But you know how jealous he gets.”

  “Does this friend have a name? We might as well check him out anyway.”

  “We’ve got something!” Jason Fox came over to them, a smile on his face.

  Rachel could have kissed him. If ever she needed a break, it was now. And not only that, Jason had diverted everyone’s attention from her.

  “We did get DNA from an item found at the site of Luke Shaw’s killing. The mask he used had saliva traces on it. We’ve run it through the database and got a familial match.”

  “Not a direct one?” Rachel asked. “You’re saying that our killer hasn’t been in bother before, but a close relative has?”

  “Yes. The matching individual was pulled over for suspected drink-driving five years ago. He got into a spat with the officer attending to him and ended up being arrested for assault.

  “Who is it, Jason?” Elwyn asked.

  “Hugo Franklin.”

  Chapter Fifty

  “We’ll bring him in,” Elwyn said.

  “I want to come with you,” Rachel said.

  “Not a good idea. You’re compromised. Stay here. I’ll keep you up to date, don’t worry.”

  On his way out of the house, Elwyn collared Jonny Farrell who had just parked Rachel’s car on the drive. “We need to speak to Franklin urgently. DNA results show that he’s related to the killer. With luck and his help, we should be able to clear this up.”

  “Amy went off to talk to him earlier. His name came up as a possible foster child of the Greyson’s. Mind you, she wasn’t sure it was our Franklin.”

  Elwyn was surprised. “I’d no idea they fostered kids. Ring her, tell her what we now know about the DNA result and ask where he is.”

  Elwyn presumed that Greyson hadn’t mentioned it because, being in his late sixties, his fostering days were well behind him. “I wonder who else he and his wife took in? Ring the office and get Stella to check, will you?”

  Elwyn rang Amy and brought her up to speed. “Did you get hold of him?”

  “No, sir, he’s nowhere to be found. I tried his house and the golf club but he wasn’t at either. But I did find Alice Brough lurking around outside Franklin’s house, which I find odd. I can’t see what the link between them is. It’s not in any of the reports. She refused to tell me why she was there, said it was none of my business and went off home.”

  Elwyn told Jonny, but he didn’t have any idea either of what Alice was doing, or what she knew. Elwyn made a mental note to speak to her once they’d found Franklin.

  “Stella is doing her best with the fostering records, sir,” Jonny said. “But they’re not all computerised, so it could take a while. But she did find out something interesting. Greyson also took on Alexander Brough, Alice’s father. There’s a note on the record. It seems the pair didn’t get along and eventually had to be separated. Brough left the Greysons but they kept Franklin.”

  “We’ll ask Alice about that later. Do we have a mobile number for Franklin?” Elwyn asked.

  “I’ll ring Amy and ask her.”

  Amy had a mobile number for Franklin but said it was turned off.

  “Another dead end.” Elwyn threw his hands up. “His office might know. Try them again.”

  A few minutes later Jonny was still shaking his head. “They’ve no idea either. The best his secretary could come up with is that he could be lunching somewhere. But there’s nothing in the diary. Apparently he got a phone call, left saying he was going out, and that was all.”

  Elwyn was annoyed and frustrated. “Rachel thinks we’ve got a lead, that we’ll speak to Franklin and get the killer’s name. I’m not going to disappoint her. We’ll keep trying until we find him. In the meantime, we’ll have that word with Alice.”

  They drove off. Elwyn was disappointed. He wanted to crack this, but more than that, he wanted to help Rachel get her daughter back. He just wished she would tell him what was troubling her.

  * * *

  Amy went back to the station. Various results had come in while they’d been gone, notably Luke Shaw’s mobile phone data. She scanned through the numbers. And there it was. The unknown one from Oliver’s phone. Both he and Luke had called it. That meant it had to be significant. It was chancing it, but things were desperate. She picked up the office phone and dialled the number. It was turned off.

  She went back to her research. Amy was going with the theory that Greyson and Franklin had known each other. So why had Franklin denied it? From what little information they had, Greyson and his wife had been exemplary foster parents. They’d taken on several children during their time with the agency, some long term.

  Amy wanted to know what Franklin was doing in care in the first place. The record, such as it was, said a lot about Greyson but not much about Franklin. She searched for his birth record. It was an unusual name, it should be simple. But after an hour spent scouring every website she could find, there was no sign of him. Hugo Franklin did not seem to exist.

  Chapter Fifty-one

  Rachel couldn’t settle. She stood at the kitchen window watching Alan pace up and down in the garden. He was hurting every bit as much as she was. It was a shame that they couldn’t offer each other any comfort. But the rift between them had widened recently, particularly since Jed had surfaced again.

  Doing nothing didn’t suit either of them, but all they could do was wait and watch. It was soul destroying.

  “The prints from the door have gone. We’ll rush it through. We have prints from the items found at the Luke Shaw kill site to match them against. If the abduction is down to the killer, we’ll know soon enough.”

  Rachel thanked Jason. He was doing his best but what he said terrified her. The man they were hunting was a beast. He’d done horrific things to his victims. The idea that her child had fallen into his hands was unbearable.

  “Someone’s just pulled up outside in a car I don’t recognise,” Jason said.

  Rachel took a look through the window and her heart sank. Jed. Like she didn’t have enough on her plate! She couldn’t risk him coming inside. Jason knew of his reputation, and although he worked closeted away in forensics, he might still recognise him.

  She marched outside to meet him. “What the hell are you doing here? Don’t you think I have enough to worry about without you coming round and causing trouble?”

  “Don’t start, Rachel. She’s my daughter too. I want her found every bit as much as you do.”

  Rachel got into the passenger seat. “Drive. Get us away from the house before anyone sees us.”

  “Ashamed of me? That it?”

  “Too right I am. You’ve
no right even contacting me, never mind coming to the house.”

  “I want to find Mia. I take it you’ve checked that she’s not with any of her friends?”

  “I’m not stupid, you know.”

  “You think her disappearance has something to do with the case you’re working on?” he asked.

  “Yes. But as yet I have no evidence. If forensics do their bit, I will know very soon.”

  Jed pulled into a layby. “Names, Rachel. Apart from Franklin, who are you interested in?”

  “I can’t tell you that.”

  He leaned over, caught her by the hair and yanked her round so she was facing him. Rachel yelped, and her eyes widened in a mix of fear and anger. She knew all about Jed’s temper when he didn’t get his own way.

  “Don’t you dare get rough with me!” she said. “It won’t work, Jed. I’ll have you put away before you know what’s hit you.”

  “I can help,” he insisted. “I know people who will talk. Don’t be a fool, Rachel. You need me.”

  She pulled herself free. Rachel wanted to fly at him, pummel him with her fists, but he was right. She swallowed hard. “Two young men, horribly tortured and killed. Both gay. One found in the canal that runs through that land I asked about.”

  “The other one you mentioned?”

  “Greyson. We believe he was killed to throw us off the track. For a while our killer was trying to point the finger at you. Oh, and Hugo Franklin.”

  “Franklin? I told you, he’s not someone you get on the wrong side of. He’s a bad bugger.”

  “That’s not how he presents himself. He employs a lot of people in this city. He is building houses all over.”

  “Underneath that exterior, he’s a villain. Franklin is running another, less legal enterprise that he’s successfully hidden from the law.”

  “What enterprise? How come we know nothing about it?”

  “Because he pays people to keep quiet. He’s secretive. I know for a fact that he’s changed his name at least once. Check him out. You’ll see. Your team have spoken to him, he’ll feel threatened and that makes Franklin dangerous.”

  Rachel felt her panic rise again. “In that case we need to know who he really is. We have a DNA trace for a member of his family found at one of the murder scenes. That means a close relative of his is our killer.”