Free The Convenience of Lies by Geoffrey Seed Page A

actress and her mum should be here shortly.’
    ‘And the reptiles?’
    ‘Couple of TV crews lined up, the local papers are all sending and I’ve just had a word with that freelance guy I told you about.’
    ‘McCall… yeah, interesting bloke.’
    ‘You’ve checked up on him?’
    ‘Always best to be prepared.’
    ‘You need to watch him. Like I said, he won’t be fobbed off with any old fanny.’
    ‘So I gather.’
    ‘He’ll want a long talk with Etta. You happy with that?’
    ‘So long as you sit in.’
    ‘What about giving him an inside track on Etta’s private life? That’d spin the story very big.’
    ‘We’ll see. Meanwhile, you do all that front of house guff with the TV people.’
    ‘OK, but won’t they be wondering why you’re not doing it?’
    ‘Not too sure I care a damn what they wonder.’
    They headed to the pumping station car park to meet the divers. A slight wind began to disturb the perfect reflection of the castle on the far bank. Benwick paused, hands in the pockets of his jeans, staring across the reservoir.
    ‘She’s out there, Mr Hoare… poor little sod… somewhere, out there.’

 
    Fourteen
     
    McCall watched the rubber-suited frogmen bob about like seals, sleek and glossy as they worked their systematic way from the main sluice towards the trees Ruby was known to climb. He got shots of them diving into the watery gloom only to emerge to give the thumbs-down.
    He’d also covered the child actress being filmed for television in a copy of the green polka dot dress Ruby had on when she vanished. Police had the look-alike walk from Linden House to the parade of take-away shops and convenience stores on Woodberry Street, hoping to jog the memory of anyone who might have seen Ruby.
    Women watched the performance from doorways or hanging out of windows to catch a glimpse of what might be on the TV news that evening. But the plastic Venetian blinds at Café Leila remained down. The sight of this play-acting little ghost caused the owner to shake with dread.
    McCall told Lexie he’d ring later to say if he discovered anything new. For now, he couldn’t help smiling, seeing Hoare comb back his silver hair as a TV camera crew set up to interview him. Weekly paper reporters stood behind the tripod and scribbled down his every word. If only they knew.
    ‘We need people to think back hard,’ Hoare said. ‘Do they remember seeing Ruby that afternoon? If so, what was she doing? Where was she going, was she with anyone? It is vital we find out every last detail.’
    The young TV researcher asked Hoare why the reservoir was being searched.
    ‘We have to explore every possibility. We know this was Ruby’s playground; a place where she felt safe and free but she could’ve had an accident.’
    ‘So something could’ve happened to her here?’
    ‘We have to fear the worst but hope for the best.’
    Hoare knew a snappy sound-bite when it came to him.
    McCall kept the intriguing DI Benwick in sight. There was much to talk to him about. But that could wait. More urgent was McCall’s need to have a face to face with Etta. He took Hoare to one side after he’d done his TV interview.
    ‘Malky, old mate - where’s Mum?’
    ‘Bear with me. I think she must have slipped out of the flat for a minute.’
    ‘So she’s been at home all this time? I could’ve talked to her there.’
    ‘Someone’s looking for her right now. We’ll find her then she’s all yours. Honest.’
    *
    The first gusts of rain hit the reservoir like fistfuls of gravel. It did not trouble the frogmen but drove all the other hacks and photographers except back to their offices. McCall saw Benwick and Hoare in a huddle as if something was not going to plan. McCall went to shake hands with Benwick.
    ‘Sorry to barge in. I’m Francis McCall.’
    ‘Yes, I know.’
    ‘OK, well, time’s getting on and I need to talk to Ruby’s mother for my feature piece.’
    ‘So do we.’
    ‘How do you mean?’
    ‘She’s gone