Page 13 of Final Betrayal

‘I need a list of all the employees.’

‘I’ll email it to you.’

‘Thanks.’ Lottie considered the burly man in front of her. He seemed genuinely worried. ‘Are things okay at home, Mr Whyte?’

‘At home?’ He ran a stubby finger along his cheek. ‘Everything’s fine.’

‘Your wife?’

‘She’s dead.’

Lottie thought that perhaps she should have done a quick Google on Mr Whyte before she met with him. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘No need to apologise.’ He waved a hand in dismissal. ‘She died six years ago.’

‘Are things okay between you and your daughter? Any recent arguments or fallings-out that we should know about?’

‘We acknowledge each other’s space. Lead our own lives. We’re both adults.’

Reading between the lines, Lottie gathered that Mr Whyte allowed Amy to do just about anything she liked.

‘Why are you reporting her as missing?’

‘I can’t find any trace of her. Usually she’d send a text if she was staying with someone, and she rarely misses work. Like I said, it’s totally out of character.’

Lottie knew she’d have to dig a bit deeper, but at the same time she hoped Amy would waltz home this evening, contrite and full of explanations, false or otherwise.

‘Have you a photograph of her?’

He extracted a creased photo from his wallet. It showed the two of them sitting at a bar drinking cocktails. ‘Barcelona. Last year. I have a holiday home there.’

‘Did you check that her passport is still at home?’ Lottie said.

‘No. But she wouldn’t … not without telling me. I know my girl.’

Not well enough, Lottie thought. ‘Can I hold on to this?’

‘Mind it for me, please.’

‘I will.’ Lottie smiled involuntarily as she studied the happy face of the dark-haired girl in the picture. Her glass was gripped by a hand with long red nails sporting little diamond studs in the tips, and her ears were adorned with similar heart-shaped studs. ‘She’s very pretty.’

‘And very happy. She has no reason to disappear or run away. Wherever she is, she’s not gone voluntarily.’ Richard Whyte dropped his head.

‘I’ll find her for you,’ Lottie said, and immediately felt Boyd’s foot strike her ankle. She knew she shouldn’t be making promises she wasn’t sure she could keep. But something in Whyte’s demeanour made her feel sorry for him. A thought occurred to her. ‘Your work with the council. Could someone you’ve been dealing with have anything to do with Amy going missing?’

He looked up, his face a mask of incredulity. ‘No way. Amy has nothing to do with my council work.’

‘Any elections coming up? Maybe projects you’ve been involved in that might result in someone making threats against you or your daughter?’

‘You’re completely off track there, Inspector. Amy has no interest in that side of things. It’s very dry and dusty for a girl of her age.’

‘I’ll have a chat with her colleagues in the pharmacy, but if she contacts you in the meantime, let me know immediately.’ Lottie tidied up her papers and Boyd stood. Whyte remained seated. ‘Was there anything else, Mr Whyte?’

‘Amy’s friend. Penny Brogan. I can’t get hold of her. I spoke with her father an hour ago. He hasn’t heard from her either. It seems she might also be missing.’

ELEVEN

Lottie walked back up the stairs with Boyd.

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