Snow Kills (7 page)

The two men sat at the dryer bank next to the window.

 Marlene Schofield was a slim woman in her thirties. Dressed in a black roll neck jumper, shorter than knee length skirt and high heeled black patent court shoes, her burgundy hair was cut in a neat, short bob. Ned nodded in her direction and winked at Andy. ‘Drink on a stick?’ he said with a wink.

‘Are you for real?’ Andy whispered. ‘She’s way out of your league.’

‘I’m sorry about that,’ Marlene said apologetically, when she’d seen her customer through the door. She picked up a book from the desk, pulled up a chair and sat opposite the detectives. ‘But they still expect their hair doing, no matter what’s happening.’ She crossed her legs, appearing slightly flustered as she opened the appointment book and ran her finger down a list of clients. ‘I thought she hadn’t rung me because she wanted time off with Matt. I understand, to a point,’ she said, looking at the detectives, her head on one side. ‘I was young once, contrary to Kayleigh’s beliefs of course, and I’d still love a lie-in after a night on the tiles, but I’m running a business. You’d think youngsters these days would be pleased to have a job when there’s so much unemployment round here, wouldn’t you?’

‘Has she gone missing before?’ asked Andy.

‘Not that I know of, but Matt does ring her in sick on occasions – and annoyingly, it’s always on our busiest days. But that’s kids today for you,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘They’ll take responsibility for nothing or no one.’

‘He didn’t ring you this time then?’ said Ned.

‘No. Not this time. I tried to ring Kayleigh to let her know I was opening up again after the snow had been cleared some. Her mobile phone wasn’t responding and so I ended up calling her home and spoke to her mum.’

‘Fortunately, you’re not busy,’ said Ned, looking around the empty salon.

‘You’ve caught me in-between appointments, that’s all. A lot of our clients don’t know we’re open again. Being on my own means I haven’t got around to phoning all our regulars yet.’

‘I could do with a trim. Any chance?’ said Ned, running his fingers through his hair.

‘Suppose so,’ Marlene said, getting up from her chair and pointing to the empty chair in front of the wall full of mirrors, as she reached for a gown from the peg on the wall.

Ned moved in quickly and raised an eyebrow to Andy.

Marlene placed a maroon nylon smock around his ample frame and expertly tied the ribbons in a bow at the nape of his neck, to stop any hair falling onto his suit. Next she draped a towel around his shoulders. ‘It could do with a bit of a wash,’ she said, screwing up her nose as she held up a greasy lock.

Andy sniggered.

‘Go on then,’ Ned said with a forced smile at Andy.

Marlene took DC Granger over to the bowl.

‘What was Kayleigh wearing when you last saw her?’ said Andy.

Marlene thought long and hard. ‘Nothing appropriate for the weather,’ she scoffed. ‘In fact, a customer remarked on it: short skirt and high heel boots.’

‘I can’t understand …’ said Ned, but before he could finish Marlene had pushed his head lower into the sink as she smiled at Andy, who sniggered. ‘Bit rough aren’t you?’ It was Andy’s turn to smile at Marlene through the mirror.

‘What colour were her boots?’ Andy said, suppressing a chuckle.

‘Black with a gold ankle strap; they weren’t cheap. She doesn’t do cheap, our Kayleigh. All these questions... you’d think something bad had happened to her.’ Marlene stopped in her tracks. ‘You don’t think... do you?’ Her face was full of concern.

Andy shrugged. ‘We don’t know. We’re just making enquiries with anyone that knows her or saw her Wednesday 7
th
January for now. Tell me, was she in a good mood? She didn’t seem agitated or upset about anything, did she?’

‘No,’ Marlene said, shaking her head. ‘One thing about Kayleigh is she wears her heart on her sleeve. She would have said if there was anything bothering her. You’ve got me worried now. I feel awful, I thought she just skiving. Just a trim?’ she said, turning to Ned as she ruffled his hair dry with a towel.

Ned was quiet. He closed his eyes and noticeably relaxed in the hairdresser’s hands. Snip, snip, snip went the scissors.

‘Any customers that were a bit over-friendly or showed too much attention towards Kayleigh?’ Andy said.

‘Well she’s popular with the men, as you’d imagine, being young, blonde, attractive and with a figure to die for,’ she said.

DC Granger’s eyes shot open. Marlene pushed his head down.

‘But I suppose the only customer that I consider is a bit of a pest to her is a lad called Donny. He’s in his early twenties, I would have said. Dresses like a Teddy boy. You know, skin-tight jeans, big soled shoes and has his hair styled in a big wave at the front of his head. If he’s not in here asking her for an appointment to get his hair trimmed with her, he’s sitting on that wall opposite with his flaming scooter, drooling.’ She pointed across the road to a turning circle in the road. ‘I’m not sure if he’s a bit, you know, slow, if I’m honest, so I may be being a bit unkind, but the customers and I tease her about him.’

‘Don’t suppose you’ve got Danny’s number?’ asked Andy.

‘No, sorry,’ she said.

Ned’s arm fell from the armrest, his head jerked, momentarily he had fallen asleep.

‘Hey, keep your head still,’ Marlene scolded. ‘Otherwise you’ll be minus an ear. I once had an accident and cut through an old lady’s hearing aid wire when she did that,’ she said. Andy sniggered. Ned opened his eyes wide.

‘This lad’s about often, then?’ Andy said.

‘Oh, all the time. But saying that, I haven’t seen him since the snow came down.’ Marlene put her finger under Ned’s chin and lifted his head. She concentrated hard as she ran the scissors along his forehead to cut his fringe.

‘Do you have a list of customers’ names and addresses that we could see?’

‘You can have my customer index, but I only have telephone contact details of our regulars.’

‘Any live Manchester Road area?’

‘Don’t know, like I said we only take telephone numbers. You can help yourself to the cards,’ she said pointing to the reception desk. ‘Why you asking?’

‘We know that’s how far Kayleigh managed to drive before parking her car – it’s still there.’

‘Now you are worrying me. This is serious isn’t it?’ Marlene said, softly.

‘Who was her last customer?’ said Andy.

Marlene studied for a moment or two, picked up the appointment book once more, scissors and comb still in her hands and turned the pages. ‘Er... Mavis Beanland,’ she said. ‘And the lad I was talking about, his name is Longbottom, Donny Longbottom.’

‘Great. We’ll need to speak to Mavis. Have you got her details?’

‘Her number’ll be in the box,’ she said looking suddenly pale. ‘But she was going away...’

‘Try not to worry, not yet anyway. But if the Teddy Boy turns up, could you give us a call and we’ll come round and check him out,’ Andy said getting to his feet and placing his calling card down on the dressing table where she was working. Marlene proceeded to brush the small hairs from Ned’s neck with a soft brush and untied his gown.

‘Bloody hell mate!’ Andy said, with a whistle as she turned his colleague round to face him. ‘Ned, me old son, I’ve never seen you looking so darn... smart.’

Ned smiled smugly back at his image in the mirror.

‘We do our best. Miracles take a little longer,’ Marlene said to Andy, without looking up from the index cards she was fanning through at the counter. She handed them to Andy. Ned took a small bottle of aftershave from his pocket, sprayed in on his hands and slapped his face.

‘That’s six-fifty,’ Marlene said, holding out her hand. Ned looked at her. ‘Six-fifty? I don’t want to buy the bleeding shop. Anyway you should be paying me, you could sell that lot to stuff a cushion,’ he said pointing to the hair that covered the floor around the chair.

‘Unreal,’ whispered Andy as his colleague turned his pockets out to show they were empty. ‘The last time he had a haircut it probably cost him one and six.’

Andy reached inside his jacket for his wallet and took out a ten pound note. He handed it to Marlene.

‘Forget it,’ she said with a smile. ‘Just make sure you find Kayleigh safe and well for me, eh?’

‘Well, now that’s mighty generous of you love,’ said Ned.

Andy looked to the ceiling. ‘We will do our best. You really shouldn’t though, but I suppose it saves us getting attacked from the moths in his wallet,’ he said, clearly annoyed at his colleague. ‘Would it be okay if we did a visual search of the premises?’ he asked.

Marlene nodded. ‘Yeah, of course, if you think it’ll help.’

‘We just need to be sure, for ourselves that she isn’t here.’

‘I haven’t noticed anything has been disturbed, but she does have her own set of keys, just in case I ever need her to open up for me – you know, that odd late night on the tiles we spoke about,’ she said, her eyes downcast.

‘You and your better half?’ Andy said, nodding towards the ring on her finger.

‘II haven’t got a ‘better half’, as you put it,’ she said.

‘Oh, you haven’t?’ said Ned. ‘So which tiles do you tread when you go out then?’

‘None in particular,’ she said. The corners of her mouth curled up in a smile.

‘Well you’ve got my number if you fancy a night out?’ he said, laying his calling card on the reception desk.

‘Yeah, sure, that’d be er... nice,’ she said, lifting her eyebrows as she smiled knowingly at Andy.

Andy closed his eyes momentarily and shook his head in disbelief.

The officers walked through into the back of the shop and, satisfied that Kayleigh wasn’t there, they took the index cards and made their way back to the car.

‘She can’t wait to get m’ kit off?’ said Ned.

‘You think so do you? I’m not sure your lass would be too pleased at you taking Marlene out, do you?’

‘Ah, what she doesn’t know, me old son, won’t hurt her, will it? Come on Mr Grumpy,’ Ned laughed, ‘You’re just jealous because she fancies me.’

‘Whatever,’ said Andy as he opened the car door and jumped inside.

Jackie and Vicky were at the Harwood house, carefully going through Kayleigh’s personal belongings in her bedroom. Watching them from the doorway, Kim leant against the door jamb for support, pulling an oversized angora cardigan tight around her tiny frame.

‘I know I’ve already given you a picture of Kayleigh, but this one is a particular favourite of mine,’ she said, removing a glossy picture from a dark wooden frame and wiping a tear away. ‘It was only taken recently; a reception at the hairdressing college. She won first prize in the Fantasy Style class and she was so proud,’ she said touching her daughter’s image. ‘The Principal presented her with a necklace that had a pair of golden scissors on it.’ Vicky reached for it, Kim pulled back. ‘You won’t lose it, will you?’ she said, clutching the picture to her chest as panic flashed into her eyes.

Vicky stepped forward, put a soothing hand on her shoulder and took the photo. Kim lowered her gaze, making a soft whimpering sound.

‘I promise, we’ll take good care of it,’ Vicky said softly. She put a finger under Kim’s chin and, tilting it upwards, she smiled into her weary, tear-stained face. ‘Go make a cup of tea eh? I’m sure Jackie would like one and I definitely won’t say no.’

Kim’s smile was weak but she turned on her heels and left them alone. Jackie frowned at Vicky. Quietly and industriously they continued to search through the teenagers things. Vicky placed a comb in a see-through evidence bag and sealed it, just as Kim walked back into the room with a tray of tea and a plate of biscuits.

‘I’m sorry, but we do need to take some items away with us, just in case ...’ said Vicky, when she saw the look on her face. The tray wobbled in Kim’s hands and the cups slid to one side but luckily Jackie was on hand to grab it from her, and gently she helped her put the tray on the top of a set of drawers.

Kim sat on the corner of Kayleigh’s bed, taking deep breaths. In between, she sighed heavily. Jackie put an arm around her and rubbed her back soothingly. ‘Please don’t say... I can’t bear to think that something awful has happened. I keep getting this terrible feeling of foreboding. Is this how it’s going to end?’ Kim said. She flapped her hand in front of her face, and then swallowed hard, choking back the tears. ‘Oh, don’t mind me. Just do what you need to do.’

Vicky picked up a cup of tea from the tray and placed it in Kim’s hands. ‘Drink this; it’ll make you feel better.’

There was only one way to deal with this situation and that was to continue with as little fuss as possible. They took Kayleigh’s toothbrush, handheld mirror and her laptop. Vicky sat and busied herself tagging the bags. The quicker they got this task over with, the better. Hopefully, these few objects would give them a DNA sample, fingerprints and hair sample they needed and they would be able to check her use of the internet.

All finished, the three women looked at each other, each immersed in their own thoughts. Kim Harwood broke the silence and talked about her daughter and how difficult it had been bringing her up on her own since her husband had died. ‘They were devoted to each other, you know ... I lost her dad,’ she said, wearily. ‘I can’t lose Kayleigh too. Please find her for me, please,’ she whispered as she looked into the eyes of each of the officers in turn. Tears ran down her cheeks and she bravely brushed them away. ‘I’m sorry, I just want her home,’ she sobbed.

Jackie knelt in front of Kim to comfort her. ‘We’ll find her for you. We will...’

‘Kim, we need to search the rest of the house. It’s routine just to ensure she is nowhere here, no matter how ridiculous that might sound. An attic, a garage, a greenhouse or even an outhouse... people turn up in the strangest of places,’ Vicky said.

Kim nodded and wiped her face with her handkerchief.

‘This shoe box, do you know if it relates to the boots she was wearing on the day she went missing?’ Vicky said.

‘Yes. She loves them; hasn’t had them off her feet since she bought them. Goodness knows how she wears them heels when she’s on her feet all day,’ Kim half smiled.