So we know our suspect entered, took the boy and left without leaving any obvious trace, other than possibly prints and/or DNA.
Cahill winced. If the media get hold of that theyre going to start making him into some sort of urban bogeyman.
They dont need the details of the break-in, Sean assured her.
What break-in? Donnelly reminded him.
You know what I mean, Sean answered. Tell Forensics not to waste their time trying to compare the prints to the family, etc. Just get them all up to Fingerprints and have them run against sets already in their database. Maybe well strike lucky and get a hit against someone with previous convictions.
Fair enough, Donnelly agreed, seeing the sense in Seans suggestion.
So we know our suspect entered, took the boy and left without leaving any obvious trace, other than possibly prints and/or DNA.
Cahill winced. If the media get hold of that theyre going to start making him into some sort of urban bogeyman.
They dont need the details of the break-in, Sean assured her.
What break-in? Donnelly reminded him.
You know what I mean, Sean answered. Tell Forensics not to waste their time trying to compare the prints to the family, etc. Just get them all up to Fingerprints and have them run against sets already in their database. Maybe well strike lucky and get a hit against someone with previous convictions.
Fair enough, Donnelly agreed, seeing the sense in Seans suggestion.
Which leads me to the suspect we already have in custody: Mark McKenzie, white, twenty-three years old, and he already has convictions for residential burglary and the sexual assault of a young child. Hes known to have used lock-picks to enter houses at night in the past and he lives only a couple of miles from where the boy was taken.
Fuck me, DC Jesson added in his Scouse accent. What are we waiting for? Lets just charge him now.
I agree, Sean told the baying room, hes an outstanding suspect, but we need to investigate this properly and thoroughly. The boys still missing and McKenzie isnt talking.
Doesnt sound like we need him to talk to prove hes guilty, Jesson continued. Weve probably got enough to do him on method alone.
Perhaps, Sean told them, but I need him to talk if were to find the boy quickly. So far he hasnt admitted taking the boy, but he hasnt denied it either.
What does that mean? Cahill asked.
Means he likes playing games, Sean answered. Maybe this is his play at being famous. You can never tell with someone like McKenzie.
Or maybe its not him at all? Donnelly dropped a fly in the ointment, silencing the room.
Got something you want to share? Sean asked, barely hiding his irritation.
Had an interesting chat with the Bridgemans neighbours last night, he explained. The Beiersdorfs at number five and Philippa Howells at number nine.
Go on, Sean encouraged, trying to get Donnellys sideshow over as quickly as he could.
Both say the same thing: the Bridgemans have kept themselves to themselves since moving in and dont appear to want to socialize. Also, both sets of neighbours have heard plenty of raised voices coming from the Bridgemans house. My pal Philippa told me it was Mr Bridgeman who seemed to do most of the shouting. She also noticed that although he rarely scolded his daughter, he seemed cold towards the boy.
But not Mrs Bridgeman? Jesson asked.
According to Philippa, she was fine towards the boy.
So theres something going on between the boy and the father? Cahill joined in.
The boys only four, Sean reminded them. I know as well as anyone that four-year-olds can be a pain in the backside, but you dont start hating your own children because of it. DC Maggie ONeil tentatively raised her arm. What is it, Maggie?
I was going to raise it in private with you, guvnor, but seems the cats out the bag.
Go on.
Last night, when I was with the family, I picked up on the hostility between Georges parents. A lot of whispered conversations they certainly didnt want me to hear.
Its early days, Sean warned them. It may turn out their marriage was on the slippery slope even before George was taken. You dont need me to remind you that families dont always stick together in adversity.
True, Maggie agreed, but when I spoke to the nanny she said that Mrs Bridgeman was devastated by Georges disappearance, but that Mr Bridgeman was just angry.
Did she say who with? Sean asked, unable to so easily dismiss the Bridgemans as suspects in his own mind now, no matter how much he wanted McKenzie to be guilty.
No, Maggie answered. Just that he was angry.
Hidey-fucking-hi, Donnelly interrupted. Lets get em in, both of them, Mr and Mrs.
We havent got enough to arrest them yet, Sean warned him off. So Mr Bridgemans a bad-tempered bastard so what?
Not arrest them, Donnelly suggested. Get them in as primary witnesses, but interview them on tape separately under caution shit them up a bit. Divide and conquer them before they pull together for self-preservation and concoct a pack of well-ordered lies.
Not yet, Sean insisted. This isnt the time to go in like a bull in a china shop. If we do that and it turns out youre wrong, well be slaughtered. Lets not show them our hand just yet. Besides, we need to concentrate on McKenzie first. It wont look good if were treating the parents as suspects while were still interrogating McKenzie. Lets get him sorted first, one way or the other, then we can think about the Bridgemans.
By then it might be too late, Donnelly told him.
It might already be too late, Sean countered, and regretted it. Listen, we have two very different but promising lines of inquiry. McKenzie remains our prime suspect until I say different. As for the Bridgemans, find out whatever you can, but do it subtly and without dragging them in for interview, understand?
Fair enough, Donnelly agreed, taking what Sean said as a green light to go after the parents.
Sally and I will be re-interviewing McKenzie again soon and will make a further decision after that, but for now do the jobs youre given and for Christs sake, try and get this bloody office sorted.
Detective Chief Superintendent Featherstone was just about to devour a large cooked breakfast hed carried down to his office from the canteen when his desk phone rang, drawing a string of obscenities from his still empty mouth. He answered the phone as he continued to watch his egg yolks solidify.
Alan Assistant Commissioner Addis here. Featherstones appetite faded quickly. I was wondering whether you had any updates for me on the Bridgeman case? I would have popped down and spoken to DI Corrigan myself, but Im away from the Yard this morning promoting the new Safer Neighbourhoods Scheme in Lambeth, of all places.
I understand things are progressing well enough, Featherstone tried to buy some time and space. No stones being left unturned.
What about this suspect you told me about? He sounded very promising.
Somebody McKenzie, Featherstone recalled. Hes still in custody over at Kentish Town.
Has he been interviewed yet?
Im not entirely sure, sir. Ill be getting an update this morning, Featherstone answered, making it up as he went along.
I need you closer to this, Alan, Addis warned him. We cant afford any more bad press. We need the boy found as a matter of urgency. If hes already dead then we need someone charged with his murder without delay or well have a panic on our hands. A child murderer at large does not read well.
Then perhaps we should keep the press out of it for a while longer, Featherstone tried to stall him, until we have a positive result lined up?
No, we cant afford to do that. If they get wind of it from another source before we inform them therell be hell to pay and Ill never get them back on side. Ive made my decision arrange a press conference for this evening. Its time to get the media and public involved. Ill do the briefing myself. Let me know when youve sorted it out, Addis ordered and hung up, leaving Featherstone holding an empty phone still pressed to his ear as he stared at his congealing breakfast.
Then perhaps we should keep the press out of it for a while longer, Featherstone tried to stall him, until we have a positive result lined up?
No, we cant afford to do that. If they get wind of it from another source before we inform them therell be hell to pay and Ill never get them back on side. Ive made my decision arrange a press conference for this evening. Its time to get the media and public involved. Ill do the briefing myself. Let me know when youve sorted it out, Addis ordered and hung up, leaving Featherstone holding an empty phone still pressed to his ear as he stared at his congealing breakfast.
Finally he hung up and pushed the plate as far away as he could across his desk, his already significant regrets at allowing himself to become involved with Assistant Commissioner Addis growing by the second.
The time is approximately ten a.m., Sean announced for the tape, and this is a continuation of the first interview of Mark McKenzie whos being questioned regarding the disappearance of a four-year-old boy George Bridgeman. Do you understand why youre here? Sean asked.
No comment.
Im just trying to clarify that you understand why youre here, Mark.
I said no comment.
Fine. Thats your right. Can you tell me where you were Monday night to Tuesday morning of this week?
No comment.
The boy having been taken from his home sometime during that time.
No comment.
If you have an alibi that can place you somewhere else then nows a good time to tell me and save a lot of people a lot of trouble and time including yourself.
No comment, McKenzie continued with a smirk, the involuntary tapping of his foot returning.
Then you dont have an alibi, Sean tried to bait him.
Thats not what my client said, Jackson got involved. He merely declined to answer your question.
My apologies, Sean told her. Speaking of declined, yesterday you declined to deny that you had taken the boy. Ill give you the chance to do so again, Mark. Are you telling me that you had nothing to do with the boy going missing? A simple yes or no will do.
No comment.
Tell me you had nothing to do with it, Mark, and you never know, I might even start to believe you.
You expect me to make your job easy for you, McKenzie answered, unable to resist any longer. His hatred of the police drove him to torment Sean as the police had tormented him on so many occasions, knowing he was defenceless. He couldnt go running to the media with tales of torture and evidence-planting as far as everyone else was concerned he was a sex-offender and had got what he deserved. Now it was his turn to be the tormentor Youre the police, youre the detectives, yet you cant even find one missing boy?