ma’am. Would you like me to assist you?”
“No thank you, Officer. I just didn’t know if you realized the light had changed. You seemed to be a million miles away.” She began crossing the road.
Rick hesitated before going back to the poster. Lyndsay had been missing since June 10, it was now June 14. A description of her was in bits and pieces and half of the Crimestoppers contact number had been ripped away. Four days. She could be anywhere. I’ll check on the computer back at the station and see if there has been any news of her whereabouts.
He spun on his heels and headed back to the Police station in Manly. Lunch could wait.
***
“Gavin, do you know anything about a girl missing in the Narrabeen area?” Rick asked his partner who was sitting at his desk. He munched on a salad sandwich while reading a report. At Rick’s question, he put down the report and looked up.
“That pretty blonde on the posters that are stuck up everywhere? As far as I know she’s still missing. What’s your interest?”
“I used to go to school with her. I noticed the poster when I was crossing Central Avenue. Do you know who’s looking after her case?”
“No idea. I guess a couple of Detectives from Narrabeen station.”
“I might give them a call. See what information they can give me.”
“We’re quiet at the moment and you’re due to knock off anyway, why don’t you go over and see them? We have the next couple of days off, you could offer to help out?”
“Yeah, I will. Thanks mate.”
“Rick.”
“Yeah.”
“Who exactly is she? Were you a couple at school?”
Rick laughed. “Me? No way. She was tall, absolutely gorgeous. Blue eyes, hair like gold silk. She wouldn’t have given me a second glance. To be fair, I never had the courage to approach her either.”
Gavin was puzzled. Rick was the tall, dark and handsome guy that every girl dreamed about. He worked out every morning and night and had the muscular torso to prove it.
Rick laughed some more at the puzzled expression on his partner’s face. “In high school, I was short, overweight, pimply and a dork.”
Gavin raised his eyebrows at his partner and best friends’ confession. “I didn’t know.”
“No, it’s not something I brag about. I worked hard to get a decent body, nature took care of the rest.”
“Go find her, mate.”
Rick patted Gavin on the shoulder. “I’ll certainly try. I only hope she’s alive. Have a good couple of days with Sandy and the kids. Say hi for me.”
“I will. I can’t wait to tell her you were an ugly duckling that turned into a swan.”
Rick laughed before he headed for the lift to take him down to his car in the underground carpark. As he unlocked his bright red Mazda MX-5, something gnawed at his gut. Something wasn’t right, was Lyndsay still alive?
***
Rick waved to the Sergeant at the front desk as he strode through to the Detective’s part of the station.
He passed through a glass door into the large area and glanced around. Two detectives huddled over a computer screen, no-one else was around. He cleared his throat as he approached. The man and woman finally looked up.
“Can we help you?” the female asked as she raked her eyes over the incredibly handsome man now standing before her.
Rick twirled his police cap in his hands. “I’m Senior Constable Rick Masters from Manly.” He presented his hand and the female shook first.
“Senior Detective Janine Kelly.”
“Senior Detective Mark Greene. Have a seat and tell us what can we do for you?”
Chairs scraped across the tiled floor as they pulled three into a circle and sat down.
“I noticed a poster of a girl who has been missing for the past four days,” Rick began.
“Lyndsay Richards,” Mark cut in.
“Yes, that’s the one. I was at school with her and wondered what progress had been made in the case.”
“She disappeared while bushwalking in the Kuringai National Park. Apparently her and her boyfriend had an
Rachel Morgan
Nona Raines
Justin Robinson
Gregory Maguire
Mel Odom
Syrie James
J.E. Anckorn
Ella James
Michele Bardsley
Nora Roberts