Lena chewed at her lips and could feel the tears welling up. She found it difficult to talk, her tongue felt swollen and she could hardly swallow. He still gripped her hand tightly, and like her he suddenly found the emotional upheaval difficult to deal with, and was trying to keep his composure when DC Burrows tapped and entered.
‘Hello again, just wondered if you needed to use the bathroom before I take you into the conference room.’
Lena stood up and nodded. ‘Thank you, I do need to go.’
Lena followed DC Burrows out, and Marcus, left alone, clenched and unclenched his hands. He had been concerned, very worried, even angry, but now he was beginning to feel a terrible sense of dread. Close to tears, he sniffed, and then closed his eyes as he prayed that what he had begun to fear could not be true: he would never see Amy again.
Lena was washing her hands in a small cracked washbasin in the ladies’ toilets. She drew down a roller towel and carefully dried them, then stood and ran her fingers through her hair. She had forgotten to bring her handbag with her, and she wanted to freshen up her lipstick and powder her face, as it looked patchy from tearstains. She needed a drink as her throat felt so dry, and when Burrows returned to ask if she was ready she asked if she could possibly have a glass of water. Burrows said there would be some on the table and they were now ready for them to join the conference.
Lena gave the policewoman a pitiful pleading look. ‘Tell me, these press conferences, do they bring a result? I mean is it usual that they find whoever is missing?’
Burrows had never before been on a missing person’s case, and in today’s early morning session Reid had indicated a depressing possible outcome. Amy Fulford had been missing since Saturday afternoon and it was now Wednesday morning. There had been no contact, no sightings, and it seemed she had disappeared leaving no clue of her whereabouts. Added to this was the fact it was apparently totally out of character – she had never gone missing previously and seemingly had no boyfriends, no history of drug or alcohol abuse, and to date they could find no reason for her to run away. Although DI Reid had not expressed his personal views, he had made his team aware that with nothing on CCTV, and no witness sightings they had to contemplate the worst-case scenario. Amy Fulford could have been abducted, held against her will, raped and possibly murdered. However, he still hoped that they would find her alive and well and return her safely to her family.
Chapter 10
The raised small platform in the conference room held seats for the Fulfords, the uniformed Chief Superintendent John Douglas and DI Reid. Behind them was a dark blue curtain with a large Metropolitan Police crest and two large blow-up photographs of Amy positioned on either side. Seated in a row of hard-backed chairs were numerous local and national journalists. Cameras were positioned to film the meeting, and photographers sat in the back row, ready to swing into action when permission was granted. Both Lena and Marcus had agreed to give statements to the press and if they wished to speak at the meeting they would be allowed to do so. To one side was a large screen on which Reid planned to show the route they believed Amy might have taken that Saturday afternoon.
Chief Superintendent Douglas thanked everyone for being present, introduced Lena and Marcus and then handed over the meeting to DI Reid. Reid spoke clearly and concisely, outlining their concerns and the publicity he hoped the meeting would generate. Amy, he said, was only fifteen years old and her parents were deeply distressed and appealed for anyone with information to come forward. They already knew that Amy, who had a bank account and cash card, had not withdrawn any large amounts of money recently. He continued to elaborate on the problems of tracing the exact route Amy might have taken from Fulham to Mayfair. He added there was a football match on that same Saturday afternoon at the Chelsea stadium, Stamford Bridge. This, he said, could possibly bring forward witnesses but it also meant that the area was quite congested not only with vehicles but with groups of fans heading towards the match.
The screen lit up to show a map of the Fulham Road with the Newmans’ street, Harwood Road, flagged up, and this led directly onto the Fulham Road. The most viable means of transport Amy might have used to reach her father’s Mayfair flat were bus and Underground, and they were asking for any witness that saw her either on the street, Tube or a bus to come forward. Bus stops were flagged, as well as the route from Fulham Road towards Knightsbridge, Park Lane, Marble Arch and Mayfair.
Lena had calmed down and Marcus kept his hand over hers as they listened intently to the lengthy press conference. Reid said that MISSING PERSON – APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE flyers had been handed out by officers in all the aforementioned areas, but as yet there had been no witness that actually saw Amy after she had left the property in Harwood Road. Reid expressed the importance of the press coverage and described Amy as a caring quiet well-educated girl and said it was doubtful she would have accepted a lift from anyone she did not know. He went on to say they were considering the possibility Amy had been abducted off the street and that if so someone out there must have seen or heard something, but there had been no kidnap threat or ransom demand.
He then turned to the Fulfords and asked if either of them would like to say a few words. Lena gripped Marcus’s hand tightly, afraid to say anything.
Marcus cleared his throat. ‘I’d like to thank DI Reid and everyone for their dedication in trying to find our daughter Amy.’ He released Lena’s hand and sipped from a glass of water. He coughed again, almost unable to continue, then spoke in a very emotional voice.
‘Amy is our pride and joy and the most beloved and caring young girl, and I beg anyone who saw her, or knows where she may be, to please come forward and tell the police. My wife and I are desperate for our daughter to return home. Thank you.’
It was some considerable time later when the conference eventually broke up. DI Reid had asked for an officer to follow Lena home to retrieve the jumper identical to the one they believed Amy was last seen wearing. Meanwhile, he wanted to have a few private words with Marcus and as he had driven Lena to the station he arranged for a squad car to take her home. Marcus waited in the same small interview room they had previously used.
‘You mind if I just ask you a few personal questions, Mr Fulford?’ said Reid when he finally joined him.
‘No, not at all, anything you need to know, please go ahead.’ Marcus kept his voice level but he was nervous, worrying if Lena had mentioned what they had discussed the previous evening.
‘Right, we need to have our forensics people check over your flat, specifically your daughter’s bedroom, and we will also require the same permission from your wife. I would like you to be present, so if you could be available early this afternoon?’
Marcus nodded, promising to return the Lexus to his wife’s house and drive straight home.
‘Do you think your wife would like to have a family liaison officer present? It must be a very emotionally draining time,’ Reid said.
‘I think that is a question you need to ask Lena, but I will be giving her as much care and attention as I can.’
‘You are separated and live apart – do you feel this could have had an adverse effect on Amy?’
‘No, not at all, it’s been two years and it was amicable.’
Reid nodded and, choosing his words carefully, he said that he would need to know Marcus’s whereabouts during the time Amy had been missing. This would mean that he needed the names of any girlfriends or partners Marcus was involved with. He pointed out that they had made no reference at the conference to the fact he and his wife were involved in divorce proceedings but it would probably become known if the investigation was to continue.
‘What do you mean, continue?’ Marcus asked.