What the dead want, p.5
What the Dead Want, page 5
‘Sorry, I’ve been out all day. It’s on my laptop. I want to give it one more read and then I’ll send it to you. You’ll get it first thing tomorrow.’
‘The pathologist’s report has come in?’
‘Dr Schofield’s report is included along with toxicology. Apparently, Mr Means had smoked cannabis before his death.’
Her eyes rolled upwards. ‘That complicates the case. Could his fall from the roof of the building have been a result of his cannabis use?’
‘According to the doctor, the man did have THC in his bloodstream at the time of his death. But the direct cause of death was the failure of the safety harness. The Health and Safety expert, Josh Harley, is firmly of the opinion the harness wasn’t fit for purpose.’
‘Right, thanks. The cannabis use does muddy the waters though. The barrister for the builders will argue the case and cast doubt in the mind of the jury. Why is nothing straightforward any more?’
She wandered off back to her office at the end of the corridor.
‘I’ll get it to you first thing tomorrow,’ Ridpath shouted after her.
She waved her thanks without turning around. Ridpath continued to his office. Sophia was no longer there but a note affixed to the screen of the computer said:
Chrissy called. All the files are in your Dropbox at MIT. If you need anything, call me.
What would he do without all these women who made his life possible? Chrissy, Emily, Sophia.
And then it hit him. What would he do without Mrs Challinor?
Chapter ELEVEN
Ridpath stepped into the hall of his house and called out, ‘Eve, I’m home.’
There was no answer.
‘Eve, I’m back.’
Still no answer.
He frowned. Where was she? He was about to ring her best friend Maisie’s home when Eve appeared behind him out of breath.
‘Sorry, Dad, late this evening.’
She pushed past him, hanging her coat on the stand in the hallway.
‘Where were you?’
‘At Maisie’s, doing homework. Lost track of time. I’m starving, what is there to eat?’
‘I ordered pizza on the way back. Should be here in a minute.’
He followed her into the kitchen where she was already rooting in the fridge looking for something to nibble.
She held up a bit of Cheshire that had seen better days and a carrot on its last legs.
‘Sorry, I’ll get to the supermarket tomorrow. No time today. The pizza will be here soon.’
He looked across at her. When had she become so tall? She was now the same height as the fridge. He remembered when she could barely open the door and certainly couldn’t reach the top shelf. She was looking more and more like her mother. Her nose had a slight upturn and her eyes had a glint of devilment he used to love in Polly. At least she hadn’t started dyeing her hair.
Not yet.
Her eyes lit up and she pulled out a jar of peanut butter.
‘I wouldn’t eat that. You don’t know how long it’s been there.’
She checked the lid. ‘The sell-by date says… 20 September 2021. Only three years ago and peanut butter doesn’t go bad, does it?’
She grabbed a slice of bread from the bin. Ridpath heard the crunch of the crust as it hit the chopping board.
‘I wouldn’t eat the bread either, the pizza—’ He was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. ‘What did I tell you?’
He grabbed his wallet and went to the front door, expecting to see Uber Eats with his margarita pizza held in front of him. Instead, a young, rather spotty man, stood there.
‘Eve, forgot this.’ He held out a pencil case which Ridpath took. ‘Are you her dad? She talks a lot about you and the police.’
Ridpath stood there, not saying anything, words refusing to leave his throat.
‘Well, tell her I’ll see her tomorrow. See ya, Mr Ridpath.’
With those words he turned and walked down the path.
‘I didn’t catch your name,’ shouted Ridpath.
‘It’s Billy to my friends. Tell Eve I came round.’
Ridpath closed the front door and went back into the kitchen.
‘Who’s Billy and why does he have this?’
Eve looked down at the bright green pencil case and blushed, the heat starting at her neck and rising slowly up her face.
She sucked in air. ‘I was going to tell you about Billy…?’ she finally answered.
‘Go on, I’m listening.’
‘Well, we met a few times on the tram. He’s at college and we got talking.’
‘I thought you said you were studying at Maisie’s tonight?’
‘Did I?’
‘Yes, definitely.’
‘So what are you going to do now, Dad, rewind the tape and point out my mistake? But you haven’t read me my rights yet. “Eve Ridpath, you do not have to say anything. But, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”’ She held out her arms in front of her. ‘You going to handcuff me now or later?’
Ridpath recognised the tactic from countless police interviews: when under threat, go on the attack.
‘Don’t be silly, Eve. I’m simply pointing out you said you were at Maisie’s when it was obvious you were with this… boy.’
‘He has a name you know, it’s Billy. And I’m simply pointing out I feel like I’m being given the fourth degree here.’
Ridpath smiled. ‘It’s the third degree and it comes from the questions given in Freemasonry when a person wants to become a master mason.’
‘Whatever. Are you going to give me one of the funny handshakes now?’
‘Eve, you know I’m not a Freemason. The police have been handicapped for too long by their peculiar form of insularity. But let’s not change the subject. Were you or were you not with this boy this evening?’
She stood up. ‘None of your business,’ she shouted.
‘It is my business, I’m your father.’
‘Exactly, you’re my father not my copper, my inquisitor or my jailor. Don’t you trust me or something?’
‘It’s not about trust…’
‘Oh, it is Dad. It’s all about trust.’
The doorbell rang loudly. To Ridpath’s ears it sounded exactly the same as the bell at the end of the first round of a boxing match.
‘The pizza is here.’
‘I’m not hungry.’
She stormed out of the kitchen and stomped up the stairs in the manner only a teenager could stomp.
He was left sitting in the kitchen.
The doorbell rang again.
‘Round Two,’ he muttered to himself before going to the door.
Chapter TWELVE
He’d gone to her bedroom door twice over the last hour to ask her to come down to eat the pizza. Each time he was met with a firm, ‘Go away.’
Finally, he put four slices on a plate and left it outside her door. At least, if she was hungry she could eat when she wanted.
He realised he hadn’t handled the whole conversation well. He’d been both flippant and demanding. Not the right way to deal with a teenage girl.
But why hadn’t she told him the truth? Why had she lied to him? They had always been honest with each other in the past, why had she suddenly started to lie?
He tried to think back to when he was the same age: spotty, unkempt, obsessed with football and totally lacking in any consideration for anybody but himself.
Eve was different. She seemed more aware of the world and its issues than he had ever been. More conscious of those around her, less selfish, far more aware. A function perhaps of growing up in a world surrounded by social media, 24/7 news, and Covid.
He settled down at the kitchen table and logged onto his laptop. He couldn’t solve the problem with Eve at the moment, he’d try to have a word with her in the morning.
Right now, he had to get on top of the missing child case.
He checked his emails and found Chrissy had sent him the initial police missing person report. He scanned through the initial blurb at the head of all misper reports and then turned the page to the completed form, checking the signatures at the end first. The investigating officer was a Sergeant Aiden Markham and the duty inspector was Stephen Warner.
MISSING PERSON REPORT FORM 737
PERSONAL DETAILS AND DISAPPEARANCE CIRCUMSTANCES
W1 British Male ANDREW GOLDING, aged fourteen last birthday, reported missing, last seen 11.15 a.m., May 22, 2020. Report made at 12.55 p.m. on May 24, 2020 by his mother, MRS SHARON GOLDING. Andrew went out of the house at 11.15 a.m. and never returned. Mother thought he had gone to stay with his grandad. She checked later and when she discovered he hadn’t been there, she reported it to the police. Due to operational conditions, we went to the house on the following day, May 25 at 2.15 p.m.
Ridpath shook his head. A child is reported missing and the police don’t arrive until the following day? He wrote a note to himself.
What operational conditions? Why so late?
CLASSIFICATION OF RISK AND RESPONSE (ACPO Manual of Guidance 2005 – Para 3.5)
High: There is an immediate risk and definite grounds for believing the missing person is at risk through their own vulnerability or mental state, or there are grounds for believing the public is at risk through the missing person’s mental state. Such cases should lead to the appointment of a senior investigating officer (SIO). There should be a press/media strategy and/or close contact with outside agencies.
Medium: The risk posed is likely to place the missing person in danger, or they are a threat to themselves or others. This category requires an active and measured response by police and other agencies in order to trace the missing person and support the person reporting.
Low: There is no apparent risk of danger to either the missing person or the general public.
After consultation with Inspector STEPHEN WARNER, ANDREW GOLDING’s risk was assessed as HIGH.
MISSING PERSON REPORT
Section 1 – Administrative details
Surname/family name: GOLDING
Fore/given name: ANDREW
MP Reference No.: 1007/2020/APC2W3UUHJ9
Div/Area: SOUTH MANCHESTER
Website consent signed: YES
OIC/IIO name: AIDEN MARKHAM (SGT 1007)
DNA source available: YES
If YES – give details: HAIR BRUSH
DNA source current location: MFH FILE
Blood group: A+
Dental chart available: YES
Dental chart sent to MFH sect: YES
Mobile phone no. available: YES
Photo available: YES
Photo sent to MFH sect: YES
Section 2 – Misper’s personal details and disappearance circumstances
Age: 14 YEARS OLD
DOB: 20 June, 2006
Ethnicity: WI
Hair style: SHORT. PARTING ON LEFT
Glasses: NO
NI no: NONE
Sex: MALE
Religion: CHRISTIAN
Last seen on: May 22, 2020
Transgender: NO
Build: SLIGHT
Disability: NONE
Eye colour: BROWN
Nationality: BRITISH
Sexuality: N/A
Mental impairment: NONE
Place of birth: MANCHESTER
Marital status: SINGLE
Relationship of informant to misper: MOTHER
Surname: GOLDING
Forename: SHARON
Date of Birth: 14 August, 1973
Information: GRANDFATHER – ERNEST GOLDING. 12 BRINDLEY STREET.
Details of clothing and jewellery believed to be worn or in misper’s possession: STRIPED T-SHIRT, BLUE SHORTS, NIKE SNEAKERS. ST CHRISTOPHER MEDALLION ROUND NECK. MAY HAVE BEEN CARRYING NIKE MERLIN FOOTBALL AND MOBILE PHONE.
Last seen location: HOME. 11.15 A.M. MAY 22, 2020
Last seen by: MOTHER
Who are they missing with? ALONE
Reason for disappearance: POSSIBLE ARGUMENT WITH MOTHER. RUNAWAY?
Venue searched by: AIDEN MARKHAM (SGT)
Known mental health issues: NONE
Previous history of wandering: NONE
Address previously found: NONE
Garden/garage/outbuildings searched? YES
Local parks/fields/school grounds/vehicle searched? NO
Search authorised by: SHARON GOLDING (MOTHER)
There it was, the bare outlines of the disappearance of a young boy. He always found these misper forms incredibly sad. In the last figures he saw, over 200,000 incidents of missing children were reported in England. Most were found quickly but over 1500 were classified as long-term missing. In other words, they had simply vanished and had never been found.
It appeared Andrew Golding was one of those 1500. And for each of them, there was a form lying in some police archive somewhere, gathering dust, unsolved.
He stood up and stretched. Just three more reports to go through to bring himself up to speed.
Above his head he heard the floorboards creaking followed by the bedroom door closing. Should he go upstairs and check on Eve?
Probably not. His presence was about as welcome as a City fan in the Stretford End. He opened the living room door and listened.
All quiet.
He crept up the stairs to the landing and peered around the corner. The pizza plate was sitting outside her bedroom door with only two slices still remaining. At least she had eaten.
He crept back downstairs as quietly as he could, so she wouldn’t think he was checking up on her, even if he was.
Chapter THIRTEEN
After making himself a pot of tea, he sat down and thought about switching on the television to watch something mindless.
Outside, the wind was blowing through the leafless trees and the next door neighbour’s garden gate was banging. Should he go out and close it for him? Eve wouldn’t be able to sleep if it banged all night.
And then the noise ceased. He heard his neighbour’s voice carried on the wind. ‘I’ve closed it now, love. Bloody thing was driving me potty.’
Me too, Ridpath agreed.
He glanced at his laptop with his notes lying next to it. He had to finish reading the reports. As senior officer, it was his duty to know the ins and outs of the case off by heart. He couldn’t rely on anybody else, it was his job, his duty.
He sighed loudly and sat down at the table to log on.
He checked the pages attached to the Form 737. The first was a report from Fiona Barton, a detective constable in West Didsbury who had been appointed as the SIO on the case.
27 May, 2020
Appointed SIO into the disappearance of ANDREW GOLDING on May 22 at 11.15 a.m.
Immediately instituted following actions:
Searched local area for CCTV
Interviewed family
Checked his room for diaries/notes. None found
Visited grandfather of missing boy
Tried to visit grandmother, but passed away three weeks ago
Discussions with misper team
Actions going forward:
Press release with image of missing boy
Check HOLMES for disappearances of similar young people
Visit school and talk to teachers
Exactly the steps Ridpath would have followed, straight out of the police manual. But why was she only appointed to look into the disappearance two days after the police visited the family’s home?
They had missed the golden hour, the special time around the disappearance when memories were fresh and CCTV even fresher.
He yawned and checked the time: 11.30 p.m. He’d push through as there were only four more reports to read.
The next one was shorter and even more concise. DC Barton wasn’t one for long-winded reports. A woman after Ridpath’s heart.
28 May, 2020
Actions:
Discovered CCTV of ANDREW GOLDING. Near Southern Cemetery at 11.23 a.m.
No other CCTV available
School says he was a quiet boy, bright, sporting on school football team
Revisited family. Mother admitted argument on morning of disappearance
Press release: two positive sightings both in Southern Cemetery
Actions going forward:
Issue another press release
A walk-through of his last journey?
Check misper files
Check discovered bodies
Check morgues
The last two notes suggested to Ridpath DC Barton believed Andy wasn’t a runaway. She had obviously come to the conclusion he was dead.
Why was she so certain? He needed to talk to her if he was going to get anywhere in the investigation.
He found another note in the file from a week later. This time in a different type font.
DATE: 4 June, 2020
I, Albert Ramsden, Detective Constable, have taken over the case from DC Fiona Barton.
I visited the family. Nothing to report.
I circulated the information and misper report to the UK Missing Persons Unit at the National Crime Agency, uploading data to HERMES, the MPDD and POLKA.
DATE: 25 September, 2020
Reviewed case with Inspector Stephen Warner.
Nothing to report except death of grandfather, Ernest Brindley, on 12 September, 2020. Have tried to find witness statements from Fiona Barton but appear to be missing.
Checked misper report at the UK Missing Persons Unit at the National Crime Agency. Updated HERMES and POLKA.
DATE: 25 October, 2020
Reviewed case with Inspector Stephen Warner.
No new leads or information.
In the absence, nothing to report.
Checked misper report to the UK Missing Persons Unit at the National Crime Agency. Uploaded latest details to HERMES and POLKA.
No leads from MPDD.
The case was then reviewed on the same date each month with exactly the same note attached each time.
DATE: 25 March, 2022
