‘Of a person’s disappearance are the most critical,’ recited Henley. ‘Maybe next time you’ll remember that when you decide to make statements and not ask actual questions.’
DS McLaren quietly fumed as DC Dao looked at him for instruction.
‘Unbelievable,’ muttered Pellacia, glaring at the two officers.
‘DS McLaren. DC Dao. Follow me,’ Henley ordered, stepping away from Pellacia, she picked up her phone from her desk and made her way towards the door.
The overhead light caught the dust particles in the air as Henley opened the greying blinds and pushed the windows open. The paint was flaking off the walls of the former multi-faith prayer room.
‘Ma’am,’ DS McLaren sat down on a chair that had seen better days, ‘Sian Fox-Carnell failed to return home. There has been no sighting of her, and no one has heard from her.’
‘What have her parents said about her disappearance?’ Henley asked.
‘Not much,’ said DC Dao. ‘Her mother is, I suppose, understandably quite frantic but if I’m honest, slightly paranoid, ma’am. She’s convinced that someone has taken her daughter.’
‘Why would she think that. Have there been threats?’
DC Dao shook her head.
‘According to Soteria, the electronic monitoring company, Fox-Carnell’s last movements were recorded at 5.03 p.m. at Brockley overground station, 5.14 p.m. at Joe’s coffee shop on Coulgate Road, 5.24 p.m. on Breakspears Road, which is where you live, and 5.41 p.m. on Mantle Road,’ said McLaren.
Henley pulled out her notebook and wrote down the times.
‘So, what happened?’ McLaren asked.
‘I was with my daughter when I was approached by Fox-Carnell,’ said Henley. ‘We weren’t far from home. Maybe three houses away.’
‘I wasn’t aware that you had a kid,’ McLaren said his features softening slightly. ‘How old is she?’
‘She’s three.’
‘If Soteria is correct, Fox-Carnell spent twenty-one minutes in your area,’ said McLaren. ‘Twenty-one minutes is a long time to spend with someone.’
‘I didn’t spend twenty-one minutes with her,’ Henley replied. ‘I spoke to her for no more than five minutes.’
‘What did you and Fox-Carnell talk about?’ said DC Dao.
‘My main priority was to protect my daughter,’ Henley said, clenching her right hand into a tight fist. ‘It’s not exactly a secret that this isn’t the first time that someone I’ve investigated has paid me a visit. I told Fox-Carnell to leave,’ said Henley. ‘I warned her.’
‘Warned her or threatened her?’ the DS asked.
Henley leaned forward in her chair. ‘What are you suggesting, DS McLaren?’
McLaren stared back at Henley wide-eyed with mock innocence. ‘I’m just asking the question, ma’am,’ he said. ‘I’ve got four kids, and I wouldn’t blame you if you’d been, what’s the best way to put it, physically forceful.’
‘I didn’t touch her. I warned her that she would find herself back inside if she came near me again. I then took my daughter and went inside my house.’
‘And you haven’t seen or had any communication from her since?’ McLaren asked.
‘No,’ Henley replied bluntly. ‘Now let me ask you a question. Do you seriously have no idea where Fox-Carnell is?’
McLaren’s face reddened. ‘No,’ he admitted.
‘Mantle Road at 5.48 p.m. was her last location?’
‘Presumably she was making her way back to Brockley station.’
‘I still don’t understand why you can’t track her or to be precise, her tag,’ said Henley. ‘Mantle Road shouldn’t be her last location?’
