The Complete Maxie Reddick Mysteries Books 1–3: Three absolutely gripping crime thrillers full of twists by Bridgett Helen

Author:Bridgett, Helen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Choc Lit Crime, Mysteries and Thrillers: A Joffe Books Company
Published: 2023-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Wednesday, 21 December

As Maxie made her way through the police station to Andrew’s desk, she could see he’d a rough day already. He stood up before she reached him and beckoned a finger at her. She followed and from his direction of travel Maxie could tell they were going to see the new DI.

‘So where are we on this missing girl?’ asked the inspector from behind his desk. He didn’t invite either Maxie or Andrew to sit down but Maxie did anyway, leaving Andrew looking like a naughty schoolboy. The DI glared at Maxie then signalled for Andrew to sit too. Andrew updated him on the case.

‘So we’re nowhere,’ the DI said. ‘And has the furore from that ridiculous appeal died down yet?’

‘It’s starting to, boss,’ replied Andrew.

The DI looked across at Maxie. ‘I know the ACU have permission to look into a missing person case but I don’t think you’re going to get much out of this one or be much help to me,’ he said.

‘I don’t know,’ said Maxie. ‘We’re already seeing how unconscious bias hinders the investigation. Previous research has focussed on the court system but it evidently begins much earlier.’

‘As I said, not much help to me,’ he said. Then looking directly at Andrew he asked, ‘Do you suspect the boyfriend of having anything to do with her disappearance?’

‘There’s no evidence to that effect,’ Andrew said.

‘But something is keeping her from coming home,’ added Maxie. ‘I’m pretty sure of that.’

‘Here’s what I think,’ said the DI getting up from his desk and walking around the office. ‘We have a functioning adult who decided not to come home. No body, no leads and a history of similar behaviour. She’s been gone five days and that’s long enough for something to have been found. It’s long enough to have gone anywhere in the world.’

‘But we know she hasn’t used her passport even if we can’t find it,’ said Maxie. Her phone beeped with a message and on automatic pilot she took it out and looked at it.

‘Professor but she could be anywhere in the UK, you know as well as I do if you want to truly vanish off the face of the earth you lie low first of all until all the interest is over — if you’re not too busy with other business obviously.’

There was an awkward silence as he turned his back on Maxie and Andrew and gazed out of the window.

‘What’s your next step?’ he asked without turning round.

‘DS Dawson has a follow-up meeting with Kelly’s employer later this morning,’ said Maxie holding up her phone. ‘That was a message from him.’

‘Okay, I know Orlando. Let’s hear what he has to say. You have until Friday to make some progress. I want a narrative to explain our thinking on Kelly and then I want you to move on and leave it with missing persons. Focus on the boyfriend and friends — if there is foul play at hand here, then nine times out of ten, it’s personal.

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