Snow Kills by Rc Bridgestock

and imagining the detectives of the day with their afro hairstyles, moustaches, trilby hats and weather-worn raincoats, for wasn’t that the dress code back then? Tina, along with her dark green coloured 21” frame Raleigh Cameo lady‘s bike, seemed to have disappeared into thin air too after her shift at the mill on that snowy night. Standeven Mill was now a collection of business units and luxury flats. The file showed that everyone at the Mill at the time was spoken to over a period of a few weeks but nothing was gleaned from the interviews and extensive searches. The investigation had been thorough, there was no doubt. The workers had been checked, as had strangers to the mill who had made deliveries that day. Detectives had spoken to anyone and everyone who they thought may have had any information, which was apparent from the amount of paperwork, and they had used every tool available to them at that time. The only comparison with the Kayleigh Harwood case was that a young girl had gone missing in the same area and in the same weather conditions. Dylan was sad that there weren’t any other striking similarities. He would speak with Barry Sharpe, he didn’t consider it urgent but he was intrigued.
    The team were updated at the day’s debrief in respect of Donny Longbottom and the resemblances in the case to that of the disappearance of Tina Walker. Dylan told the assembled group that although he was aware of it, there was no evidence so far to support a link to the recent disappearance of Kayleigh Harwood.
    Vicky confirmed that the shoe and jacket had been identified by Kayleigh’s mum and boyfriend as identical to the ones Kayleigh owned and was wearing on the day she went missing. ‘I’ve tried to convince them boss that she might just have dumped them because of hypothermia but they weren’t having none of it. They are obviously distraught at the finds.’
    Vicky and Jackie had also visited some of the customers of the hairdressing salon where Kayleigh worked, but there was nothing of relevance to report. Dylan emphasised the need to trace people who were in the area on the night in question, even if they were only stranded for a short time. ‘We should be able to trace some from the abandoned cars, surely?’ he said. ‘The difference between Kayleigh going missing and Tina Walker twenty years ago is that we’ll find her, I’m sure of that,’ he told his team before they left. ‘Vicky, did you speak to Mavis Beanland yet or anyone at the nearby shelter?’
    ‘No sir. Mavis is not home yet and no one can tell us where her sister lives, but she is still on our list to see, as are the people at the shelters.’
    ‘Let me know when you’ve spoken to her, them.’
    Vicky nodded.
     
    Dylan was on the way home. Tomorrow was another day. Just for tonight he wanted to get home and hold Jen and Maisy in his arms. Maisy was growing daily. Gone were the days of just caring for her, she was becoming a real little character. A bit more hair, fewer wrinkles and she was noticing more about the world around her. He held her as Jen made the evening meal, Maisy’s tiny chubby hand gripped onto his long index finger and the connection ran all the way to the core of his being. She chuckled when he nibbled her foot or tickled her under the chin.
    Jen listened to Dylan talking to his daughter soothingly, then all went quiet and when she put her head around the living room door, she found them both fast asleep. Dylan’s head had fallen back onto the cushion and Maisy was sprawled out on his flattened chest. Tears came into her eyes. She wished her mum could see how happy she was. That reminded her – she must ring dad.
    ‘I’ll just change her nappy before we eat, Jen,’ called Dylan, fifteen minutes later.
    ‘She was only changed just before you arrived home,’ she shouted back.
    ‘Well she certainly needs changing again, don’t you gorgeous?’ he said holding her away from him and curling up his nose as he