taken something from her, he concluded, which didn’t surprise
him.
“How did he escape?” Patricia asked, her tone
hovering somewhere between anger and despair. “I have only recently heard that
he was arrested after killing Sergeant Underwood and a number of other people.”
“As I said, I don’t have all the details at
this time but I know this much. He was taken to hospital and escaped from there
after attacking the officer with him and a radiographer.”
“Surely he was handcuffed.”
“I couldn’t say, but it’s believed that he
got away in a car he stole after attacking the owner. The police are currently
looking for the car and Michael, if they’ve found either, or a clue to where
they might be, I haven’t heard as yet,” Justin told her. “I’m afraid that’s all
the information I have at this time, I’ll let you know if I hear anything more.
You might be able to find out more for yourself from DI Anderson.”
“If he won’t tell me what is going on then he
will surely tell my husband’s uncle,” Patricia declared, reaching for the phone
that sat on her desk next to the computer. “Thank you for telling me about
this.” Though her words suggested gratitude her tone contained none.
“With your permission, Mrs Water,” Justin
spoke quickly to forestall her before she could make her call. “I’d like to ask
you about the events leading up to the arrest of Michael Davis this morning; I
know only the barebones of what has taken place here, but what I do know leads
me to the conclusion that the public needs to know about Mr Davis as soon as
possible so they can be warned to stay away.”
Patricia was silent for a moment and then she
nodded. “Yes, you’re right, the public should be warned; other girls should not
have to suffer what he did to my daughter, and the police should be brought to
account for their failings.”
“Do you mind if I record this?” Reaching into
his pocket he took out a Dictaphone, which he set on the desk in front of him.
An abrupt nod was permission enough for him and he turned it on. “Okay, I
realise this is likely to be difficult and painful for you, so I apologise in
advance, but please remember, this could help save another girl’s life, and
prevent another mother suffering as you are.
“Your daughter was not Michael Davis’ first
victim, is that correct?” Justin said after consulting his notepad.
“Yes.”
“The first girl he killed was called Danielle
Pale, right?” Patricia gave an abrupt nod. “What can you tell me about her
murder?”
Patricia was silent for several moments
before she spoke. “I don’t know much, only what I have been told. Danielle
disappeared a week ago last Friday; she was reported missing that night by her
parents, and when she hadn’t come home by morning the police began looking for
her. They should have been looking for her the moment she was reported missing,
if you ask me, but, just like when my Emma went missing, they weren’t willing
to do anything until she had been gone for twenty-four hours.
“Of course, because Danielle had a better
reputation than my Emma they didn’t wait the full day, they started searching
the next morning.” Her words were filled with bitterness. “It didn’t take them
long to determine that after leaving home Danielle visited her cousin, Gordon,
and that from there she made her way up to the Davis farm so she could meet her
boyfriend, Michael. It was after leaving her cousin’s house that she
disappeared.”
“Danielle Pale was Michael Davis’ girlfriend?”
Justin was caught by surprise by that revelation. “Didn’t the police question
him when her parents reported her missing?”
“Oh yes, for all the good that did.” More
than what she said, the expression on Patricia’s face told Justin what she
thought of the police’s questioning of Michael Davis. “From what I heard they
spoke to him for about ten minutes, that’s all; he told them he hadn’t
him.
“How did he escape?” Patricia asked, her tone
hovering somewhere between anger and despair. “I have only recently heard that
he was arrested after killing Sergeant Underwood and a number of other people.”
“As I said, I don’t have all the details at
this time but I know this much. He was taken to hospital and escaped from there
after attacking the officer with him and a radiographer.”
“Surely he was handcuffed.”
“I couldn’t say, but it’s believed that he
got away in a car he stole after attacking the owner. The police are currently
looking for the car and Michael, if they’ve found either, or a clue to where
they might be, I haven’t heard as yet,” Justin told her. “I’m afraid that’s all
the information I have at this time, I’ll let you know if I hear anything more.
You might be able to find out more for yourself from DI Anderson.”
“If he won’t tell me what is going on then he
will surely tell my husband’s uncle,” Patricia declared, reaching for the phone
that sat on her desk next to the computer. “Thank you for telling me about
this.” Though her words suggested gratitude her tone contained none.
“With your permission, Mrs Water,” Justin
spoke quickly to forestall her before she could make her call. “I’d like to ask
you about the events leading up to the arrest of Michael Davis this morning; I
know only the barebones of what has taken place here, but what I do know leads
me to the conclusion that the public needs to know about Mr Davis as soon as
possible so they can be warned to stay away.”
Patricia was silent for a moment and then she
nodded. “Yes, you’re right, the public should be warned; other girls should not
have to suffer what he did to my daughter, and the police should be brought to
account for their failings.”
“Do you mind if I record this?” Reaching into
his pocket he took out a Dictaphone, which he set on the desk in front of him.
An abrupt nod was permission enough for him and he turned it on. “Okay, I
realise this is likely to be difficult and painful for you, so I apologise in
advance, but please remember, this could help save another girl’s life, and
prevent another mother suffering as you are.
“Your daughter was not Michael Davis’ first
victim, is that correct?” Justin said after consulting his notepad.
“Yes.”
“The first girl he killed was called Danielle
Pale, right?” Patricia gave an abrupt nod. “What can you tell me about her
murder?”
Patricia was silent for several moments
before she spoke. “I don’t know much, only what I have been told. Danielle
disappeared a week ago last Friday; she was reported missing that night by her
parents, and when she hadn’t come home by morning the police began looking for
her. They should have been looking for her the moment she was reported missing,
if you ask me, but, just like when my Emma went missing, they weren’t willing
to do anything until she had been gone for twenty-four hours.
“Of course, because Danielle had a better
reputation than my Emma they didn’t wait the full day, they started searching
the next morning.” Her words were filled with bitterness. “It didn’t take them
long to determine that after leaving home Danielle visited her cousin, Gordon,
and that from there she made her way up to the Davis farm so she could meet her
boyfriend, Michael. It was after leaving her cousin’s house that she
disappeared.”
“Danielle Pale was Michael Davis’ girlfriend?”
Justin was caught by surprise by that revelation. “Didn’t the police question
him when her parents reported her missing?”
“Oh yes, for all the good that did.” More
than what she said, the expression on Patricia’s face told Justin what she
thought of the police’s questioning of Michael Davis. “From what I heard they
spoke to him for about ten minutes, that’s all; he told them he hadn’t
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