Free Challis - 04 - Chain of Evidence by Garry Disher

route
home. Then well do it again, taking alternative routes. Several police
officers will follow her, handing out leaflets. Well use a megaphone to
explain what were doing. The purpose is to jog peoples memories, either of
last Thursday or of other days when something out of the ordinary might have
occurred.

    Like what?

    Perhaps Katie spoke to an adult
along the way, a stranger or someone she knew. Or an unfamiliar vehicle was
seen in the area. Anything at all. Youll be surprised how well it works.

    Ellen held no hopes whatsoever that
it would work, but couldnt say that, and in fact Donna didnt look gladdened.
Her face crumpled.

    You think shes dead.

    We mustnt give up hope.

    I wish Justin was here.

    A bit callous of him to leave you
alone, Ellen said carefully.

    Im not alone, said Donna hotly,
pointing in the direction of the TV in the other room. Plus hes not far away.
Hes doing more than you lot to find Katie.

    Guilt? Smokescreen? Genuine concern?
How well diddohe and Katie get along?

    Donna sniffed. Not bad. Argue a
bit.

    What about?

    Oh, you know, the usual stuff,
noise, TV watching, homework, stuff like that. Katies always saying, Youre
not my dad. Shes got a temper on her. A sudden change came over Donnas
face. You think he done it, dont you? Well, he was with me on Thursday and I
can prove it. And if he was abusing her regular, or at all, would she shout and
yell and give him cheek? I dont think so. My uncle done stuff to me and I tell
you now, it makes you quiet and sad.

    Ellen blinked away sudden tears. Im
sorry, Donna.

    Yeah, well, so you should be.

    Ellen said carefully, What about
his relationship with the little one. Shelly She held up a placating hand. I
have to ask, Donna, to get it out of the way. If I dont, someone harder and
more senior will come along and ask, she added, feeling nasty and small.

    Shelly? Shell adores him.

    She doesnt say, Youre not my
father?

    Donna was disgusted. Justin is her
father. God. Get your fucking facts right, why dont you.

    Ellen blushed. Forgive me, Donna, I
should have checked. Are you Shellys mum?

    No. God. When we first met, I was
alone with Katie and he was alone with Shelly.

    Ellen bent her head to her notebook
to hide her face. She should have been told all of this. She should have
checked.

    Justins not involved, take it from
me. His mates arent, either. Theyve all got kids of their own; were always
in and out of each others houses. Yeah, theyre rough, theyve got tattoos, a
couple have even been done for minor stuff, but theyre not into anything sick.
Its a stranger, I tell ya.

    Ellen nodded, closing her notebook,
glancing at the crowded refrigerator, where drawings, cards and photographs
jostled. Peninsula Plumbing, the cards read. Mr Antenna. Waterloo
Motors. Rising Stars Agency.

    * * * *

    10

    The
Seaview Park kids were notorious for surging and flickering about the town like
a dangerous organism, appearing, disappearing, dispersing, merging again. On
Saturday morning they were first spotted forming inside the main entrance to
the estate, eight of them, mostly Jarretts and Jarrett acolytes, aged between
six and eleven; a moment later they were outside it, throwing eggs at passing
cars. They were gone well before the police arrived. So what else is new?
sighed Pam Murphy, taking witness statements from irate motorists in between
doorknocking and handing out flyers.

    Over the next hour she tracked them
by their crimes. They lifted packets of LifeSavers from Wallys milk bar and
spray paint from High Street Hardware. All along High Street they went, like
quicksilver, terrorising the law-abiding. T-shirts from Hang Ten Surf Wear,
sunglasses from a rack in the pharmacy, cheap jewellery from a couple of the $2
shops. Their movements were obvious: they were heading straight down High
Street to the parkland on the waterfront, to the dodgem cars, shooting
galleries, Ferris wheel, ghost train, flower, jam and cake displays, pony
rides, outdoor art show,