Missing Person
I'd received the phone call about half an hour ago. And sure enough, spot on time, she'd turned up. I sat in my patrol car parked opposite an expensive block of flats. The middle aged woman arrived with a much younger man. They stopped at the entrance. She gave him a long, passionate kiss before opening the door, then, hand on his bottom, she'd pushed him inside.
Brazen, wanton, she didn't give a fuck. I made some notes in my notebook. More evidence. She wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Second time this week. She'd pay dearly for this. I pulled away from the kerb and turned on the siren, briefly, just for a few seconds. I wanted her to know, to know I knew, to know I'd been there.... watching.
The whole situation had developed several months ago. I'm a twenty-seven year old police sergeant and I work in a busy London district. I'd been asked by the control room to allocate a call that had come in. A woman wanted to report her mother missing. All my officers were busy. It was a run of the mill job and so, rather than allocate it, I said I'd deal with it, it would get me out of the office.
'Thanks, sarge,' said the controller and left it with me.
I looked up the call on a computer:
Informant: Mrs Claire Carter, 25, Beauvoir Gardens NW1.
Text: Concerned for welfare and whereabouts of 48 year old mother, Simone Firle. Hasn't been seen for several weeks. Unusual not to let her daughter know of her whereabouts, no details of neighbours, has checked with friends...........
There were a few more insignificant details.
I sat listening to an attractive woman in her mid twenties telling me about her missing mother. The husband sat passively and nodded. She struck me as a little neurotic.
'... It's been going on for a while now officer, ever since my father died a couple of years ago, but it's been getting worse recently. We never seem to know where she is...She's been missing for two weeks now. I'm getting concerned.'
I asked what enquiries they'd made, whether they'd checked with friends and relatives. They had, although they had limited information about the mother's social life. I took a report and left the place promising to keep them updated. There was nothing to suggest that the mother had come to any harm, it seemed to be a case, oddly enough, of an overprotective daughter. Still, you never knew...
I decided to visit the mother's address, make a few local enquiries then pass the report on to one of my officers. I didn't mind helping out but I didn't want to get tied up with this sort of crap for longer than necessary.
The missing mother lived in a very smart block of flats, top floor, penthouse. She must have some cash. Not expecting a reply, I knocked on her door whilst deciding which of the neighbours to make enquiries with first. The door was pulled open, forcefully, and a woman's voice, sharp with rebuke, hissed:
'You're late!'
I was surprised. The woman looked shocked. I was obviously not who she'd expected. Instinctively, the lady put a hand up to cover her breasts. Her daughter had painted me an entirely different picture. She was not as I'd expected.
Before me stood a woman I knew must be in her late forties but could have passed for late thirties. And she was fit. Ash blonde, shoulder length hair, blue eyes. She wore a red, silk robe, but not much underneath. I dared not look too hard and tried to keep my eyes directed towards her face. I always try to be professional.
'Mrs Firle?'
'Yes?'
Her voice had softened.
'My name's Sergeant Franks, I'm sorry to trouble you, your daughter was concerned, she said she hasn't seen you for a couple of weeks. She was worried something might have happened to you.'
The lady broke into a smile.
'Oh do come in sergeant, I'm sorry if I startled you I was expecting someone else, should've turned up ages ago.'
She shut the door behind me then led me through to a lounge. I followed her, mesmerised. She was wearing spiked heeled, thigh length, black leather boots that came up almost to the cheeks of her bottom. The red, silk gown was tied loosely at the waist. She didn't appear to be wearing anything else; although I thought I could see the trace of a thong outlined by the thin silk. She showed me to a sofa, then sat opposite in an armchair, crossed her legs and sat back, relaxed and totally unconcerned. My eyes were drawn to an area of flesh between the top of her boot and her robe, exposed as she'd crossed her legs. I looked back up to her face. She was watching me, amused.
'Do you like my boots?'
'Yes, they're very... pretty,' I said.
'Pretty?' She laughed. 'I've not heard them described that way before.'
I felt a little sheepish.
'Mrs Firle, you're obviously fine, I'll let your daughter know... she gave me the impression that you were... ' I struggled to find the right word, the lady helped.