[2022 Wattys shortlisted story]
A missing family. A twenty year old murder. An old ghost story. And a private detective from London. But what do they all have in common? It's the job of DCI Neo Denzel to figure it all out.
In the quiet town of Mart...
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'What the hell is going on, Denzel?' Superintendent Palmer fumed. 'First, a family of four goes missing. Then a teenager dies of a drug overdose that you suspect is foul play. And now Jerry Phillips was found barely alive in Felton Pond. And you say to me?'
Neo sighed. 'That I don't think that Jerry Phillips fell. I think he may have been pushed.'
Palmer threw her hands up in the air. 'And what proof have you got? For any of it?'
'We're still working on it,' Neo replied, thin lipped.
Ever since Palmer had stormed into his office, after being informed about Jerry Phillips' close brush with death, she was like a madwoman keen on answers. What was frustrating, at least to Neo, was that he had none to give her.
Palmer rubbed a tired hand over face and sat down. 'The family has been missing for four days now, and what evidence have you found? Is there anything that the searches have brought up?'
Neo shook his head. The searches had revealed exactly zero information. The only good thing was they hadn't discovered any bodies in the marshes, meaning, for the moment, the investigation was still being considered a missing persons case and not a homicide. But other than that, there had been no new evidence, no footprints, not even another scrap of clothing. People had been told to be vigilante in the area, but even Neo's nosy neighbours hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Bennett family.
'But you're sure about the teenager? Is there anything there that could help this case? I have my higher ups breathing down my neck for some results, Denzel,' Palmer murmured, dejectedly. She knew how little evidence they'd found, but to hear it spelt out plainly made her feel sick. The clock was ticking down. Who knew what was happening to the family or even if they were still alive.
'Barry seemed pretty certain of it, but there was no evidence there. He checked the needle for fingerprints and the rest of the body, but the chances were Dean Montgomery was too high to even notice he was being killed.'
'Could you be looking at this the wrong way? The kid was on the down and out, who's to say his death is even linked to our missing family. Even you can't ignore the fact that there was no connection between them, Dean Montgomery had never met the Bennett family and Vise Versa.'
'But he was still killed in the same place they disappeared. What if he'd seen something, what if that's why he was killed?' Neo demanded.
'And what if it really is a coincidence and we're chasing our tails, trying to make the puzzle pieces fit?' Palmer asked him gently. 'We need evidence, not theories. If you find something that links the Bennetts to Montgomery's murder, then pursue it. If not, I want you to drop it. Dean Montgomery's death is a tragedy but there is nothing that can help him now, the same may not be said for the Bennett family.'
The door burst open before Neo could argue.
Charlie strode through the door, her face pale, and a laptop bag dangling at her side. She halted when she saw Palmer standing there.
