Page 119 of Final Betrayal

‘You can.’ Damn him.

When McMahon had left, Boyd entered the office. ‘You okay?’

‘Any word on Bernie Kelly?’

‘Nothing yet. Belfield called to say he’ll be out looking for her today, trawling the streets.’

‘He’s of the opinion that she didn’t take Katie and Chloe. I don’t know which is the worse scenario.’

‘What do you mean?’ Boyd’s face was pale and his hair looked greyer; it was as if the weight of the rubble was still on his back.

‘That Kelly took them, or that our murderer did.’ She tried to recall if she’d mentioned to McMahon about the coin she’d found in Louis’ jacket. If she hadn’t, maybe now was the time to do it. It would impress on him the urgency of finding her daughters, if they were in the hands of the killer.

‘Calm down, Lottie.’

‘Don’t, Boyd. Do not tell me to calm down.’ She tried to keep her tone even, but it kept rising. ‘The one anomaly in all this is the coin I found in Louis’ pocket.’ She went to put on her jacket and realised she’d never taken it off. ‘I’m going to drive around town again.’

‘Leave it to traffic. What do we tell parents of missing children? Stay put.’

‘I’ve heard that not two minutes ago. Were you earwigging?’ She sighed. She felt so helpless. She had to work the case as if she was an outsider. Leave her emotions at the door. She had to look at all the angles as a detective, not a hysterical mother.

Boyd said, ‘Listen to this. We might have something on the murderer.’

‘What?’

‘Come on, I’ll show you.’

Anything to be doing something, she thought as she followed him out to the main office.

FIFTY-THREE

A pall of smoke hung over the town as they walked to the Petit Lane car park. Traffic was being diverted from the centre to allow the recovery and rescue to continue at the courthouse. Lottie glanced over at the terrace where the first two bodies had been discovered. Mrs Loughlin stood at her gate. She returned Lottie’s wave and made her way into her house.

Kirby and McKeown were up ahead, walking along the perimeter wall of the car park. Lottie and Boyd had parked there earlier. She’d seen the CCTV images and hadn’t thought they meant anything. Still, she had approved this venture.

‘Chasing shadows,’ she muttered. ‘I don’t think McMahon will be too happy with us.’

Boyd said, ‘The only thing he’s ever happy about is a balanced budget.’

She had to agree with that statement. Walking behind him, she noticed how he winced as he moved. Her own bones ached, but neither of them was complaining. There was no time or sympathy for that. Walking wounded just about summed them up.

‘It’s about here that the shadow disappeared.’ McKeown had stopped a few paces ahead of them. He held the image up, then surveyed the area.

‘There’s a manhole cover here.’ Kirby bent down. ‘It’s been opened recently.’

‘The council were probably clearing the drains,’ Lottie said.

‘But this isn’t a drain, or a sewer. It hasn’t got the correct markings.’ He looked up hopefully. ‘Anyone got a screwdriver or a knife?’

Lottie leaned against the wall and stared as McKeown took a knife from an ankle strap.

‘That’s not allowed,’ she said, trying to keep her jaw from dropping.

‘I didn’t see anything,’ Kirby said, taking the offered blade.

Lottie turned away as she heard Kirby sliding the knife around the edge of the manhole cover. It screeched as it moved.

‘Got it!’ he said.

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