The Taken Girls: An absolutely gripping crime thriller full of mystery and suspense. G Sanders D

speaking over each other.

      ‘No,’ said Mr Shaxted.

      ‘Lucy gets on well with her parents,’ said Debbie.

      ‘They’re a loving family,’ said Mrs Shaxted.

      ‘Thank you, that’s very helpful.’ Ed held out her hand to Jenny, who quickly gave her two cards. ‘Should you think of anything you haven’t mentioned, please call us on this number.’

      As the two detectives were about to leave, Ed appeared to have another thought.

      ‘Debbie, you stood at the door and watched Lucy walk down the road. Perhaps you could show us the point she’d reached when you last saw her?’

      In the front garden, Debbie pointed down Victoria Road. ‘I watched her until she reached the corner of Cogans Terrace. I’m sure she continued down Victoria towards the path.’

      ‘Thanks, Debbie, that’s a great help. Oh, by the way, are you sure she might not have dropped in to see somebody else on her way home?’

      ‘We’re not friends with anybody around here.’

      ‘And boyfriends? Are you sure Lucy wasn’t seeing someone?’

      ‘No … I mean yes, I’m sure she wasn’t. She’d have told me. We’re best friends.’

      ‘I forgot to ask when we were inside. Did Lucy have a holdall or backpack with her?’

      ‘No, nothing like that. Just her purse and mobile.’

      ‘Okay, thanks. If you think of anything else call the number on this card.’

      On cue, Jenny handed Debbie one of her cards.

      At that moment Ed noticed Mr and Mrs Shaxted appear at the door of the house. She stopped Jenny with a hand on her arm and spoke to Debbie.

      ‘One last thing, Debbie. DC Eastham is going to walk down the road. She’ll turn and wave when she gets to Cogans Terrace. Watch Jenny as if she were Lucy. Then, go back to your front door just as you did last night.’

      Ed stood where she could see both Jenny and Debbie. Jenny reached the road junction, paused to wave, and then continued walking. She was across Cogans Terrace and stepping onto the pavement to continue down Victoria Road as Debbie turned back to the house.

      ‘Thanks, Debbie.’ Ed shifted her gaze to the parents. ‘We’ll be on our way. Time is of the essence in a case like this.’

      Ed hurried to join Jenny. Time was of the essence if you had a clue. So far they had nothing. Well, they didn’t have much, but at least Ed was now sure which way Lucy had started to walk home.

      ‘Jenny, I’m sure Lucy continued down here, she didn’t go via Cogans Terrace. We’ll look for a spot where an abductor might have struck.’

      By the time they’d reached the primary school they were sure there was only one spot: at the end of the path where it joined Hollowmede by the triangle of grass.

      ‘I think he waited here, hidden by the hedge,’ said Jenny.

      ‘And, assuming it was a he, that’s where he left his transport, where our cars are parked.’

      Ed and Jenny walked over to DI Saunders who was discussing the progress of the house-to-house. He turned to face them.

      ‘We’ve got nothing from the door-to-door so far.’

      ‘We may have something,’ said Ed.

      She explained the most likely spot for the abduction was where the path reached the triangle of grass.

      ‘We think the abductor left his transport here and waited for Lucy by the hedge.’

      Saunders didn’t respond so Ed continued. ‘He must have been tracking her. He must have parked, waiting for Lucy to leave Debbie’s house. We should identify the spot.’

      ‘The junction of Cogans Terrace and Victoria Road would be the favourite. Mike, get the teams to ask specifically about a vehicle parked in that area last night, say between 21.30 and 22.05. Also ask if people were out last night around that time, walking the dog, coming home, going out, whatever. He must’ve had transport so anything about a vehicle could be vital. Jenny, get SOCO over here to me. Lucy Naylor was probably abducted from this very spot.’

      Ed frowned. Borrowdale and Potts were still in earshot. She coughed to catch Saunders’s attention and added, ‘That’s what Jenny and I concluded.’

      For a moment there was no response from the DI. When Saunders did speak, he changed the subject.

      ‘Ed, Jenny, you’ve finished with the parents so join the door-to-door. I’d like to wrap up here by early afternoon. Liaise with Mike and Nat. Tell them we’ll meet in the Incident Room at 14.00 to review what we’ve got.’

      Once again, Ed thought it was going to take time to become part of the team, let alone lead it, but that would be her job. As a step towards that end, Ed resolved to make sure Mike and Nat were made aware of the contribution she and Jenny had made to the investigation when the team met back at the Station.

       11

      Ed and Jenny were the first to arrive in the Incident Room. Ten minutes later, Borrowdale and Potts entered with fish and chips closely followed by Saunders, carrying nothing but a coffee. To escape the greasy smell, the women went to the machine and returned with coffees of their own. As they resumed their seats, Brian Saunders looked at Ed.

      ‘Did you get anything new from the parents?’

      ‘From the parents, no, but we checked Lucy’s room. It wasn’t a typical teenager’s room: no pop posters and very tidy, a bit old-fashioned like her clothes. We took a box file crammed with notes. Her laptop was taken last night and is already with forensics. We may get a lead from her email or social media but I doubt it – her parents actively discouraged her. Jenny and I also spoke with Lucy’s friend, Debbie, alone. We’re convinced there’s no boyfriend and we got a new piece of information.’

      Saunders made no sign she should continue but Ed was determined to spell out their contribution in front of Mike and Nat.

      ‘Debbie always watches Lucy leave and doesn’t go back indoors until she turns to wave. Jenny re-enacted Lucy’s departure and waved just before crossing Cogans Terrace to continue down Victoria Road. By the time Debbie turned away, Jenny was committed to the Victoria Road route. Taking that route Jenny and I identified the probable site of the abduction as the spot where the footpath joins Hollowmede.’

      Having spoken to the table in general, Ed looked pointedly at Saunders before asking, ‘Did SOCO find anything useful?’

      ‘Freshly broken twigs in the hedge and some fibres. There were faint signs that something had been dragged from the hedge to where a vehicle was probably parked. The marks could have been made by Lucy’s shoes.’

      ‘No trace of the vehicle?’

      ‘There was fresh rubber as if someone had pulled away sharply but nothing SOCO could get a tread from. Analysis of the rubber might give us a lead but residents park there all the time.’

      ‘When they can find a space,’ said Nat.

      ‘Find a space?’ Saunders looked impatiently at the DC. ‘What are you trying to say?’

      Potts straightened in his chair and interrupted. ‘An irate resident couldn’t get into his usual parking space last night. It seemed like a useful outcome from the door-to-door but in the end it was something and nothing.’

      Potts looked back at Borrowdale who was only too ready to expand.

      ‘A guy on Hollowmede said he came back Friday night just after ten and there wasn’t a space. He was really pissed off. Claims