But the fact that she hadn’t been seen or heard from was worrying, because it wasn’t safe for a fifteen-year-old girl to be wandering the streets at this time of night.
Hoping that Nicky’s father might be able to throw some light on her whereabouts, Jay took the lift up to the intensive-care unit now. Directed to a side room at the far end of the ward, she tiptoed towards it, conscious of the patients whose lives were hanging in the balance all around her.
Terry Day was standing in the corridor just around the corner, his shoulders slumped, his head hung low as he gazed through the window at his son on the bed inside. Looking him over as she approached, Jay was struck by how handsome he was. He had thick, closely cropped brown hair, a strong nose, and just enough stubble to make him look manly rather than scuzzy. And he looked quite muscular, she thought, which indicated that he obviously took care of himself. Although, sadly, the same couldn’t be said of his clothes, which were absolutely filthy, and – even from that distance – stank of stale sweat.
Sensing Jay’s presence just then, Terry turned and peered at her with pain-clouded eyes. Knowing immediately that she was plain-clothes, a wave of dread washed over him.
‘You’ve found her, haven’t you?’ he asked, his voice flat and low.
Guessing that he was expecting to hear that Nicky was dead, Jay shook her head. ‘No, sir, we haven’t. But the fire crew are still at the house, and they’ll find her if she’s there.’ Gesturing towards a row of chairs against the wall behind them now, she said, ‘Do you think we could sit down for a minute? There are a few questions I need to ask you.’
‘ Questions ?’ Terry repeated, confusion flashing through his eyes. ‘What can I tell you? I wasn’t even there. If you want to question anyone, it’s their mam .’ He spat the word out, leaving Jay in no doubt how he felt about his ex-wife.
Telling him that she hadn’t managed to reach Sue yet, Jay walked over to the chairs. Following, Terry flopped down on one and sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
‘Could I ask where you were tonight between the hours of nine and ten o’clock?’ Jay asked.
‘Work,’ Terry replied without hesitation. ‘Why?’
Assuring him that they were just routine questions, Jay said, ‘I’ve already spoken to your supervisor, and he’s told me that your shift ended at ten. Is that right?’
‘Officially, yeah,’ Terry said, his frown deepening. ‘But I didn’t actually get away till half past, ’cos I had some stuff to clear up in the basement.’
‘Do you have any witnesses to that?’ Jay asked.
‘Didn’t think I’d need any,’ Terry retorted indignantly.
‘Did you leave the factory premises at any time before your shift officially ended?’ Jay went on.
‘Only for a smoke,’ Terry said. Then, ‘Jeezus, you think I’ve got something to do with the fire, don’t you? I’m going out of my mind here with worry about my kids, and you really think I’d do something to hurt them?’
‘I’m not accusing you of anything,’ Jay told him evenly.
‘Doesn’t sound like it,’ Terry muttered, running his hands through his hair. Then, ‘Right, I started work at two this afternoon, and stayed till half past ten. Got home about eleven, had a row with my girlfriend and went to bed. Then her mam rang and told me about the fire, so I got dressed and came straight here. So now you know everything, maybe you can go back to the house and find my daughter, instead of wasting time giving me the third degree!’
Sensing from the anger that was sparking in his eyes that he was telling the truth, Jay chose her next words with care, because she didn’t want to raise his hopes only to have to dash them if she subsequently got word that a body had been discovered at the house.
‘We’re not absolutely sure about this,’ she said. ‘But we think there’s a possibility that your daughter might not
Hoping that Nicky’s father might be able to throw some light on her whereabouts, Jay took the lift up to the intensive-care unit now. Directed to a side room at the far end of the ward, she tiptoed towards it, conscious of the patients whose lives were hanging in the balance all around her.
Terry Day was standing in the corridor just around the corner, his shoulders slumped, his head hung low as he gazed through the window at his son on the bed inside. Looking him over as she approached, Jay was struck by how handsome he was. He had thick, closely cropped brown hair, a strong nose, and just enough stubble to make him look manly rather than scuzzy. And he looked quite muscular, she thought, which indicated that he obviously took care of himself. Although, sadly, the same couldn’t be said of his clothes, which were absolutely filthy, and – even from that distance – stank of stale sweat.
Sensing Jay’s presence just then, Terry turned and peered at her with pain-clouded eyes. Knowing immediately that she was plain-clothes, a wave of dread washed over him.
‘You’ve found her, haven’t you?’ he asked, his voice flat and low.
Guessing that he was expecting to hear that Nicky was dead, Jay shook her head. ‘No, sir, we haven’t. But the fire crew are still at the house, and they’ll find her if she’s there.’ Gesturing towards a row of chairs against the wall behind them now, she said, ‘Do you think we could sit down for a minute? There are a few questions I need to ask you.’
‘ Questions ?’ Terry repeated, confusion flashing through his eyes. ‘What can I tell you? I wasn’t even there. If you want to question anyone, it’s their mam .’ He spat the word out, leaving Jay in no doubt how he felt about his ex-wife.
Telling him that she hadn’t managed to reach Sue yet, Jay walked over to the chairs. Following, Terry flopped down on one and sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
‘Could I ask where you were tonight between the hours of nine and ten o’clock?’ Jay asked.
‘Work,’ Terry replied without hesitation. ‘Why?’
Assuring him that they were just routine questions, Jay said, ‘I’ve already spoken to your supervisor, and he’s told me that your shift ended at ten. Is that right?’
‘Officially, yeah,’ Terry said, his frown deepening. ‘But I didn’t actually get away till half past, ’cos I had some stuff to clear up in the basement.’
‘Do you have any witnesses to that?’ Jay asked.
‘Didn’t think I’d need any,’ Terry retorted indignantly.
‘Did you leave the factory premises at any time before your shift officially ended?’ Jay went on.
‘Only for a smoke,’ Terry said. Then, ‘Jeezus, you think I’ve got something to do with the fire, don’t you? I’m going out of my mind here with worry about my kids, and you really think I’d do something to hurt them?’
‘I’m not accusing you of anything,’ Jay told him evenly.
‘Doesn’t sound like it,’ Terry muttered, running his hands through his hair. Then, ‘Right, I started work at two this afternoon, and stayed till half past ten. Got home about eleven, had a row with my girlfriend and went to bed. Then her mam rang and told me about the fire, so I got dressed and came straight here. So now you know everything, maybe you can go back to the house and find my daughter, instead of wasting time giving me the third degree!’
Sensing from the anger that was sparking in his eyes that he was telling the truth, Jay chose her next words with care, because she didn’t want to raise his hopes only to have to dash them if she subsequently got word that a body had been discovered at the house.
‘We’re not absolutely sure about this,’ she said. ‘But we think there’s a possibility that your daughter might not
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