I shake my head. Why am I thinking like this? This is Ash!
It’s as if Tom can see the wheels turning in my head. ‘Let’s not focus on the negative. With all that’s happening you’re bound to be confused, wondering who you can trust. And remember that the burner phone wasn’t locked – that’s a good sign. He may have had it just to keep communications open with someone. Let’s get back to this Tinder photo. Are you certain it was Ash?’
‘Absolutely. One hundred per cent.’ I reach for the water glass on the table and take another gulp. My mouth feels like cotton wool, my stomach turning over and over.
Tom consults a sheet of paper in his hand. ‘Well, the good news is that he doesn’t have the Tinder app on his registered phone. We’ll check his web history to see if he’s used the online app, but I believe most people use their phones.’
He gives me a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He’s trying to calm me, and for a moment it almost works.
‘Thanks for sharing this with us, Jo. You’re being really helpful and incredibly brave.’
‘I don’t feel brave. I’m trying to focus on something I was told when I first started acting and suffered mega stage fright. “Remember that bravery is not the lack of fear but the ability to move forward in spite of fear.” I’ve no idea who said it, but it’s the only thing keeping me going.’
Tom stands up.
‘Sounds like good advice. You’ll have to excuse me. I’m going to pop along to the incident room and see whether we’ve got any news. I’m sure Zoe can sort out something to eat and get you a cup of tea. I know you’ll say you’re not hungry, but we need you to keep strong.’
I don’t argue, but I know the food will taste like cardboard. I must try, though. If I faint from hunger when we have news of Millie, I’ll be no good to anyone.
27
‘Becky,’ Tom called as he strode into the incident room and made straight for the whiteboard. Becky hurried across from where she was standing, looking at a monitor. ‘Rob, can you join us, please?’
Rob lifted his head and looked at Tom with raised eyebrows, as if he hadn’t expected to be invited. ‘Yes, boss,’ he said as he strode towards them. ‘What can I do?’
‘Let’s brainstorm ideas and, Rob, can you write them up on the whiteboard, please.’
Rob grabbed a black marker pen.
‘Okay. Chuck in thoughts as and when you have them. We still don’t know if it’s a kidnap or an abduction, but let’s start with kidnap.’
‘If that’s what it is, who’s our victim?’ Becky asked. ‘Jo doesn’t appear to have access to much money, although she would beg, borrow or steal to get it. Ash might have some. We haven’t found vast amounts in the UK, but with his overseas connections who knows if he has some stashed somewhere else? And we’re trying to trace his father. Then there’s Jo’s mother. Has she gained financially from her divorce? Would she cough up for Ash? Or it could be Steve Allman, but it’s not clear who would know he has a child.’
‘May I comment, boss?’ Rob said, clearly not sure if his role was only to write down the thoughts of his senior officers.
‘Of course. Don’t worry how off the wall your ideas might sound.’
‘They seem such unlikely targets for a kidnap for ransom. Kidnaps of that sort nearly always begin with “No police” and yet they pretty much guaranteed we’d be involved given the set-up.’
‘True,’ Tom said, ‘but in one way it was extremely clever. They had three full hours to get away and cover their tracks. It’s feasible that they planned to make the call to Jo within a couple of hours, but that something went wrong. Equally, they might not care if the police are informed. They seem a clever and resourceful bunch. Let’s think of other options, though. If it’s not a kidnap, who would want to abduct them, and why?’
‘Ash himself,’ Becky said. ‘There’s something going on there that we haven’t got to the bottom of. His change of behaviour, his fear that he’s going to lose Millie. Something must have changed in his life, and we don’t know what it is. Neither does Jo.’
‘And there’s the very real possibility that he might be in Tessa O’Hanlon’s bedroom. While we’re checking that out, let’s consider other options. What motive could there be for taking both Rajavi and Millie?’
‘Revenge?’ Becky suggested. ‘The fact that they took Ash – a paediatrician – could be relevant. What if he performed an operation on a child who died? Could they both have been taken as punishment?’
‘Good. When we’ve got all this down, Rob, I need you to transcribe the lines of inquiry and pass them to DI Sims at Force HQ. See if any patients had a reason to hate Rajavi.’ Rob nodded, and Tom continued. ‘What about power as a motive? Have they been taken so that someone can make either Jo or Ash do something that they otherwise wouldn’t want to do?’
‘It’s hard to see what Jo could do,’ Rob said with a frown. ‘Again, we’re back to Ash. Has some child been refused treatment? Does someone want him to get a rare and expensive drug for them?’
‘There are probably easier ways in the case of the drugs, but the other idea is a good one,’ Tom said.
‘I hate to throw this into the mix,’ Rob said, his face sombre. ‘But has Millie been taken for some form of exploitation – sexual or otherwise – with Ash taken as a diversionary tactic?’
‘I’ve thought about that. They went to an awful lot of trouble to get Millie when they could have snatched a similar girl with a less vigilant parent from the street. So why Millie? What’s special about her? Let’s get the team checking for recent similar child abductions, particularly where there’s a possibility that the child was specifically selected – and you’ll need to spread the net beyond the Greater Manchester area.’
Becky pointed to a photo on the board. ‘That brings us neatly back to Steven Allman, who we’ve already begun checking out. He may have decided he wants his daughter for himself. We know he doesn’t seem to approve of Ash as a father. He’s got form too, and you’re not going to like it.’
‘Okay – tell me the worst.’
‘Allman sets up everything and anything relating to tours for bands and other acts – comedians, magicians, you name it. Mainly it’s bands.’ Becky tapped on his picture. ‘And when I say he sets up everything, it seems there are no limits to what he’s prepared to do on their behalf.’
She walked over to the printer and picked up a piece of paper which she handed to Tom.
‘Who’s this lot, then – Union of Evil XXI?’ he asked.
Rob smirked. ‘I think it’s Union of Evil Twenty-One, actually, boss.’
Tom shrugged ‘Very possibly. Personally, I lost the will to live after Half Man Half Biscuit. What did Allman do?’
‘It turns out he procured an underage girl for a member of the band – Kraig Solester. That’s Kraig with a K,’ Becky said.
‘Of course it is,’ Tom said. ‘Go on.’