Free Little Red by Justin Cairns

them’ .
    ‘Good, thank you……….what about the missing teacher?’
    ‘Well….he was a substitute teacher brought in this morning. The teachers noticed he was also missing when the head count order came to each class……the children were just sat in the room on their own. We searched the school and perimeter, but they’re not here. There’s no sign of a struggle on the premises or around the school for a fifty metre radius.’
    Jack was impressed . The relay of information from the woman and her attention to detail was impeccable.
    ‘Great work….stay with us, we could use another clear head on this’ .
    ‘Yes Sir’ attempting to hide a smile .
    They entered the double doors noticing the smudges of tiny hands as children had dragged them down the glass. Nathan spied the collage of art work pinned to the boards, the long wooden panels had a blue fabric background although only tiny segments could be seen from under the paintings and small child hand prints, all in an array of colours. This was a place that should never be the hive for an investigation. The building had a welcoming feeling, like a home away from home. It was the type of school he would have liked to go to when he was a child. Paintings of smiling kids and wagging tailed dogs belonged…….not a crime scene investigation for an abduction case. The corridors were cluttered with uniformed officers, each and every one had their own designated task, none of them seemed wasted, they all moved with speed to accomplish their orders.
    The teachers were segregated from one and other, a protocol which had been played for a long time when interviewing a possible witness…..keep them separate so they can’t converse with other possible witnesses , that way, the stories that are relayed to the interviewers are fact from the witnesses perspective, if they talk with friends beforehand, other events come in to play, ones they may not have seen. Every room had been occupied as it was a small school. With the children, stood a police Constable, making an effort to engage with them and keep them distracted from the new visitors. Whilst chatting and appearing friendly they fired some vital questions for the class to answer, so who played with Abby at lunch time?......what did you play?.....where did she go after you finished playing?
    It was a long shot but on some occasions a child has provided a small piece of evidence to help push them in the right direction. It was the teachers who received the interrogation full force, especially the Head Master. Jack had entered the Head’s office with Nathan. The parents of the missing girl were sat at his desk, their heads turned as the men entered. The small, balding man stood from his chair to greet them and Jack flashed an un-convincing smile. He motioned to the PC stood in the room to exit, the door clicked shut as he left.
    ‘Mr Mundon , Simon Mundon?’
    ‘Yes Detective’ he answered timidly
    ‘Chief Inspector’ his eyes connected with the Head Masters.
    Nathan looked the small man up and down. He didn’t come across as an ideal Head. He wasn’t much of a frightening figure for the children to fear. He remembered his Head Mistress, Jesus she was evil!
    ‘Sir, we have a situation here as you may well know’ .
    ‘Yes we do’ .
    ‘What can you tell me about the Sub Teacher who has also disappeared?’
    ‘Well, it was the first time I had met him. But he came highly recommended by St Paul’s Primary School………he was a teacher there for a long time, so they told me’.
    ‘Right, how did he appear?’
    ‘Well at first I thought he was too young to be a teacher, never mind a substitute. He was a charming man and knew his English Literature very well. I was surprised to be honest, but he seemed ideal for the position.’
    ‘Do you have any records detailing his p lace of residence, a CV maybe?’
    ‘Yes of course, we complete a thorough check of any possible teachers, to ensure they are the best