Desperate Need (Completed)

Chapter 13

"Malcolm Jones?" One man in a suit and one man in police uniform had just walked into the office while I was at the front desk. Both looking very clean cut and serious.

"Yes," I answer, curious as to what these two men could want of me on a Monday morning.

They both display their badges to me and tuck them back away again. The uniformed officer takes out a notepad and pencil while the man in the suit approaches me, taking a seat on the other side of the desk. "We need to ask you a few questions about Ashleigh Bailey."

"Sure," I reply, trying to keep my cool as my heart raced inside my chest. When I left for work this morning she asked that I don't tell anyone where she is and if asked she hasn't seen me. "What's going on?"

"When was the last time you saw Miss Bailey?" Suit asked as his colleague started jotting notes.

"Wednesday, she was here at work for the day."

"When was the last time you heard from her?"

"Thursday, she called in sick."

"You spoke with her?"

"Not as such, she sent me a text message. I send her a few replies making sure she was okay. I hoped she would be at work this morning but she hasn't shown up yet."

"Did you hear back from her at all over the weekend?"

"No. She didn't reply. What's this all about?"

"What time did she leave work on Wednesday Mr. Jones?" Suit was playing the hard game, obviously very adept at asking all the questions.

"I'm not sure, sometime in the afternoon, she stayed a bit later that day to get the bilge pump finished that she was servicing and then she went home after that. What's going on?"

"What time did you leave work on Wednesday night sir?" Suit wasn't letting up.

"About 9pm I guess. I had some other things to finish up."

"And you didn't see anything out of the ordinary when you left?"

"Nothing comes to mind. What the hell is going on?" I try to assert myself over this detective who knows how to control his witness well.

"Ashleigh Bailey has been reported as missing and as things currently sit you are one of the last people to see her alive Mr. Jones. Do you have surveillance cameras around this building? Specifically the staff parking area?"

"No we don't, are you accusing me of something here?"

"Should we be?"

"Ashleigh left here on Wednesday night and I haven't seen her since."

"Wednesday night? You said before that she finished work in the afternoon sir, which is it?"

My hands tremble slightly on the desk as I'm interrogated in my own business office. "It was probably somewhere between 5 and 6 when she left that evening."

"Her partner claims it was much later than that when he drove past and still saw her car here."

"Maybe it was, I wasn't watching the clock. If you're accusing me of something you better get a warrant or whatever it is that you do."

"We don't need a warrant to accuse you of anything sir, we're simply asking some questions to determine the whereabouts of Miss Bailey. If you remember anything out of the ordinary that night or have any other information that may help us this is my number." Suit passes me a business card with his contact details on it. "We will be in touch again."

The two men stood and walked towards the glass exit doors.

"Her boyfriend is violent with her," I blurt out clumsily, hoping it lifts the heat from me somewhat.

Both men stop and turn around again to face me, uniform scribbling on his pad while suit looks me dead in the eyes.

"How are you aware of this information Mr. Jones?" Suit asks in a quiet tone.

"She would often come into work with bruises, around her throat, arms, and occasionally on her face. I asked her one day if she was safe at home and she simply turned to me and smiled saying that she will be fine. I left the matter alone, she obviously didn't want to talk about it but she knew she could talk to me if she needed someone."

Suit nods his head, taking in the information and calculating scenarios that had obviously not been present in his mind until now.

"Thank you. That is useful information. If you have anything else you can contact me."

With that both men turned and walked out of the office and back to their unmarked car.

My skin is covered in a cold sweat as I watch them leave.

What the hell do I do now?