Lost Girls by Angela Marsons Read Free Book Online

girls in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen leaving the locker room.
    The figure turned away completely and covered her face for a couple of seconds by scratching her left temple. She then turned slightly in her chair so that she was side on to the viewing area but with the vending machines in her peripheral vision. Her hand continued to obscure her face from the view of Charlie and Amy.
    As the girls stood up to leave, Kim watched the woman take a mobile phone from her handbag. She fiddled with it for a few seconds before putting it back.
    As Charlie and Amy headed towards the exit the woman stood and left the viewing area. Three paces out, she folded to the ground.
    From this second camera Kim noted that Charlie looked back at the commotion but she was too far away to see anything.
    â€˜Distraction,’ Bryant said.
    Kim nodded. ‘And a good one. Everyone would have been looking in that direction. It's human nature. Spectators wouldn't have noticed the two girls simply leaving the building. Charlie looked back to see what was going on, but she didn't stop. She expected her mum to be waiting outside.’
    â€˜Clever bastards,’ Bryant murmured.
    Yeah, Kim thought. That's what she'd been afraid of.
    â€˜But you know something else, Bryant. As the girls came out of the changing area our woman raised her hand to her face so they wouldn’t see her.’
    â€˜Oh, shit,’ he said, shaking his head. He knew what this meant.
    The woman deliberately causing a distraction was someone the girls knew.

Eleven
    A s Bryant spoke into the phone, summoning Brad back to the CCTV room, Kim knew they had a problem.
    The case was top secret and she could not divulge the details to anyone.
    The manager poked his impatient head around the door. ‘What now?’
    â€˜About that sketch,’ Kim said, pleasantly. ‘Any chance you could come with us now to make a start?’
    His eyes widened and Kim sensed that his patience was already stretching beyond its normal tolerance.
    He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, that’s impossible. I’ve got plans, Officer.’
    â€˜Brad, I need you to come with us to the station. This is not an assault case, it’s much more serious, and now you’re involved.’
    He paled as he looked from her to Bryant and back again.
    â€˜But … I don’t get it. That bloke was a copper.’
    Kim shook her head. ‘No, he wasn’t. He was impersonating a police officer to get what he wanted and you can identify him. I think you’re vulnerable.’
    Brad was now standing fully in the room. ‘What’s he done? Has he killed someone?’
    â€˜Well … not that we—’
    â€˜Inspector, I’m over your cryptic answers. You can’t tell me what’s going on but you want me to cancel my plans?’
    Kim was astounded at the drama of it all. Not going out for a few beers was hardly the end of the world. Not much of a sacrifice for the rest of your life.
    â€˜Brad, I can only ask that you—’
    â€˜Are we done?’ he asked, as the colour returned to his face.
    Kim reached into her pocket and handed him a card. ‘Okay, keep your wits about you and if you experience anything out of the ordinary I want you to call me. Got it?’
    He put the card in his pocket without even looking at it and held the door open for the two of them to leave.
    She paused as she drew level with him. ‘Brad, will you just listen to—’
    â€˜Officer, please let me lock this building and get on with my life.’
    She hesitated for another minute but Bryant nudged her forward.
    â€˜Damn it,’ she said, pushing the automatic door before it got a chance to open.
    Bryant matched her step as she headed back towards the car. ‘Much as you’d like to, Guv, you can’t protect ’em all.’
    True, but she could bloody well try.
    She turned back as Brad locked the door.
    â€˜Sorry about