Vanishing Point. Danielle Ramsay

you?’

      ‘We’ve got one headless girl in the morgue who was gang-raped and sodomised before being murdered. Then we have one of our own coppers in ICU. What connects them is the fact they’ve both been branded.’

      Amelia gaped at him. ‘Run that by me again?’ she asked quietly, trying to hide her surprise.

      Brady edged forward in his seat towards her.

      ‘Both victims have been branded. Simone has the letter “N” burnt onto her breast and the girl in the morgue has the letters “MD” with a scorpion above branded at the base of her spine.’

      ‘If you think there’s a connection—’ began Amelia, starting to shake her head.

      ‘I know there’s a connection. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know.’

      ‘What? A hunch? Is that it?’ questioned Amelia with an edge of scepticism.

      ‘It’s enough to worry me,’ Brady replied, sighing heavily.

      She didn’t reply. From the troubled look on her face Brady could see that she was weighing up the enormity of what he was asking her to do.

      He nervously dragged his hand back through his hair as he waited for her to respond.

      Eventually she looked him in the eye.

      ‘You’ve got to take this to Adamson. If you don’t then you’ll be seen as withholding evidence. If Gates finds out he’ll crucify you.’

      ‘Like you said, it’s just a hunch. For the time being I want to keep this between you and me. Get me that surveillance footage and I’ll have a clearer idea as to whether or not I actually have something concrete.’

      She remained unmoved.

      ‘Please, Amelia. Believe me, if I had any other choice …’ Brady’s voice trailed off. He didn’t know what else to say to convince her. She didn’t owe him anything. And he was acutely aware of that fact. Until today they hadn’t seen each other in over six months and then only in a professional capacity. She had hinted that she wanted more, but he had backed away, unable to move on after Claudia.

      ‘You know what you’re asking me to do, don’t you?’ asked Amelia, raising her head.

      ‘I’m desperate …’

      She lightly sighed. ‘Alright, I’ll do it. Only because I’d hate to see you do something that will mean you end up losing your job once and for all.’

      ‘Thanks.’

      ‘Don’t thank me, thank Conrad. He rang me earlier. He’s the one who convinced me to help you. He’s a good man, Jack. You’re lucky to have him on your side.’

      ‘Yeah, I know. What did he say?’

      ‘Enough,’ answered Amelia.

      Brady didn’t say anything.

      ‘Do not screw up and involve me,’

      ‘Thank you, Amelia. I owe you one,’ Brady replied, relieved.

      ‘This is against my better judgement, Jack. And I’m not doing this as your colleague, I’m doing this because I care about what happens to you. Even if you don’t.’

      Amelia held his eye as she waited for a response.

      But typically, Brady didn’t say a word. Instead he uncomfortably broke away from her gaze.

      She knew why. She’d read the files from his childhood and knew better than anyone why he couldn’t deal with emotion. Why, when offered the chance of something good, he would inevitably end up running from it for fear of destroying it. But there was something about him, a vulnerability that meant she couldn’t resist wanting to help him. Despite her better judgement.

      ‘Amelia, I … I …’ began Brady.

      But Amelia was already gathering up her bag and phone.

      ‘Save it, Jack. For when you actually mean it,’ she said as she stood up to leave.

      Before he had a chance to say anything she was already walking away.

      *

      Brady made his way back to his office. He was cursing his stupidity at leaving his car keys on his desk. He needed to be somewhere and fast. And the last place he wanted to be was wandering around the station when Adamson was looking for blood: his blood.

      He grabbed his keys off the desk as someone knocked on the door.

      ‘Yeah?’ Brady called out distractedly.

      Conrad walked in.

      ‘Sir?’ Conrad greeted, surprised that Brady looked as if he was going somewhere.

      ‘I’ve got a meeting to go to, Conrad,’ answered Brady. ‘This won’t take long, will it?’

      ‘You wanted an update on the missing girl, sir.’

      ‘What have you got?’

      ‘I’ve just spoken to Harvey, sir.’

      Brady sighed as he agitatedly ran his hand through his hair. ‘Can it wait?’

      ‘You might want to hear this,’ replied Conrad.

      Brady sat down.

      ‘Does she fit the body type?’ he asked, cutting to the chase.

      ‘Yes, sir.’

      ‘Go on,’ he instructed, aware that he was going to be late. And the person he was meeting wouldn’t hang around.

      ‘Well, she’s been missing since Thursday morning, sir,’ answered Conrad. ‘Didn’t turn up at school.’

      ‘So why wait until now to report her missing?’

      ‘Harvey said her parents weren’t overly concerned until they saw the news this morning about our murder victim. Panicked them. They tried calling her mobile, but she’s not answering.’

      ‘Where did they think she’s been since Thursday? I mean, this is Saturday for Christ’s sake.’

      ‘Parents believed that she’d been staying at a friend’s house. It seems her younger sister’s been covering for her. The missing girl’s called Melissa Ryecroft and unbeknown to her parents she was allegedly approached by a model agency scout on her Facebook wall last Sunday. Said he could get her in front of a top model agency in London if she was prepared to move fast. Said he’d arrange a meeting with them which was supposed to have been scheduled for 10am Friday. He also said he’d meet her in London on the Thursday. All of this was arranged without her parents’ knowledge. They had no idea about this model agency or scout. As I said, they believed she was staying over at a girlfriend’s house. They had no idea what she was getting involved in.’