A Killing Moon by Steven Dunne

‘Makes their disappearance seem voluntary.’
    ‘Or it is what it looks like,’ said Brook. ‘A handful of independent young women continuing their travels – no division worth its salt is going to waste time on a crime they don’t know has been committed.’
    ‘Until now,’ said Noble. Brook threw him a glance. ‘So assuming we’re leaving Derby’s manhole covers to fend for themselves, what next?’
    ‘Concentrate on Caitlin,’ said Brook. ‘She’s got the freshest trail.’
    ‘And with no common link between the girls and no clear motive, we concentrate on method, I suppose,’ concluded Noble.
    ‘You suppose right.’
    ‘Do we accept LaMotta’s story?’
    ‘We’ve got to start somewhere, John.’
    ‘Then we have two perpetrators with a white van big enough to hold a body and luggage.’
    ‘And without windows, so the cargo can’t be seen.’
    ‘A panel van, then. Do our suspects already know where the girls live ahead of the abduction?’
    ‘Definitely,’ said Brook.
    ‘So maybe they followed them home then stalked them over a period of time.’
    ‘They’d stalk them once they had an address, John. Following six girls to find out where they lived is too risky. It would increase their visibility.’
    ‘Agreed. So, taking Caitlin as a template, I’d want to know her movements and habits, work out the best time to strike. That way I eliminate variables like a boyfriend or housemate getting in the way.’
    ‘So?’
    ‘So I might need basic surveillance equipment, like a camera or binoculars.’
    ‘Which suggests some kind of income and a job,’ added Brook.
    ‘Another reason for snatching Caitlin at night,’ said Noble. ‘I work during the day.’
    ‘Okay, it’s March twentieth. Caitlin’s been chosen. You know where she lives. You’re in the van watching her house. What next?’
    ‘It’s thick with snow so I don’t park too near the bungalow,’ said Noble. ‘I don’t want to leave tyre tracks or park in a resident’s space and draw attention to the van. Laurie and Caitlin take a cab because of the weather and I . . . we follow them to the Flowerpot.’
    ‘Do you park near the pub and wait?’
    ‘If we’re confident she’s going home after the pub, we could park the van at any point on her route and wait . . .’
    ‘But you can’t be certain,’ said Brook. ‘It could be several hours before she leaves the pub. She might be going on somewhere, so you have to monitor her departure.’
    Noble nodded. ‘Besides, she left early.’
    ‘You checked the Flowerpot’s cameras?’
    ‘If somebody followed Caitlin from the pub, it’s not on their film.’
    ‘Then they don’t follow her from the pub. They follow her to it, then park along the route back to the bungalow but close enough to see the pub.’ Brook jabbed a finger at the large map of Derby taking up most of one wall. ‘King Street or Garden Street, maybe.’
    ‘And sit in the warm van to watch and wait,’ said Noble. He looked up at Brook. ‘Caitlin must have walked right past them.’
    ‘At which point they turn and drive past her to the abduction site.’ Brook gazed at the map, traced a finger along the route and jabbed at a large green space. ‘Markeaton Park.’
    ‘Perfect,’ said Noble. ‘Nobody will be in the park on a night like that. In fact nobody’s out on foot at all. We drive past her, park the van and wait, knowing it will only be a few minutes. And when she reaches Markeaton Park, we knock her out, take her house keys and throw her body in the back of the van for the short drive back to her place. We know Laurie is still in the pub so the place is empty and one of us goes in to fetch Caitlin’s rucksack, all packed and ready to go.’
    ‘While the other dismantles her phone to disconnect the GPS,’ said Brook.
    ‘Caitlin’s going away the next day, so as far as anyone can tell, she’s left for Belfast and won’t be missed for weeks. You think they knew she was going