Page 6 of Nothing Hiding

Daisy McKay was the victim’s name, and she was the youngest daughter of the family of five, and the only one still living with her family and therefore, traveling with her parents. The other two daughters were at university, one in the States and one in Australia.

Ambassador McKay. Juliette realized the name was familiar, and that she’d heard it before in articles and on the news. And the circumstances of the family were something she could relate to too.

Her own upbringing had also been nomadic, even though it had seemed normal to her to be uprooted every few years.

Tragedy had struck this family, too, and with her own father's shocking history so fresh in her mind, she couldn't help wondering if this crime was also linked to the ambassador’s activities. She'd need to look very closely at the ambassador himself, she decided. If there was the slightest chance that he'd been involved in anything underhanded, she was going to root it out.

So, what had the circumstances been?

The daughter’s disappearance had been picked up early this morning, she saw. Saturday morning. On Friday, the parents had been in Scotland, and the daughter was home alone. The unlocked fire escape door, clearly her escape route, had been seen by a sharp-eyed security guard when it got light.

The parents were on their way home. More than that, Juliette didn't know. But that fancy London home in Regent’s Park, which Ebury had included photos of in the initial report he had sent, would be her first stop.

"Local police are investigating, but the situation still looks in flux. Scotland Yard will probably take over in the next hour,"Ebury had instructed."For now, I've organized one of the local officers to give you a ride there and brief you if anything further has been found."

"There's a lot we don't know," Juliette muttered to herself. This was a developing situation, and she guessed the only advantage was that, at least, they were getting there fast.

The chopper landed on the outskirts of London, touching down on a helipad in the parking lot of a police station, where a car was waiting. A young, uniformed police officer was standing to attention beside the car. It was a sunny day here, too, warm and balmy. A perfect Saturday for most Londoners, but not for this traumatized family. And not for Daisy, if she was still alive.

"Morning," the policeman said in brisk tones as they climbed out of the helicopter and approached. "I'm Officer Sidney, and I'm going to transport you to the ambassadorial residence."

"Morning, Officer," Juliette said, remembering instantly the formality and procedure with which things were done in England, policing included. "We're the American task force, Agents Hart and Thompson, as well as Sierra Lowry who's on the team." As they climbed into the car, with the radio crackling out a stream of information she asked, "Is anything further known yet? Do they have a ransom demand?"

"No ransom demand as yet," the officer said regretfully, activating his lights as he got on the road and began driving, fast and efficiently, on what was clearly the quickest route into the city. It took them over a bridge crossing the River Thames. On this fine morning, the Thames was crowded with boat traffic. The Houses of Parliament beyond were bathed in sunshine.

"There's Big Ben," she said, pointing out the tall, iconic clock tower at the northern end of the houses. Sierra and Wyatt took it in, with Sierra snapping photos on her phone, briefly becoming a tourist instead of an investigator. Juliette felt glad that they'd managed to get such a good view of it as they crossed.

As she always was when in London, Juliette was impressed by the ever-lower traffic in the streets as they neared the city center.

“Quiet here,” Wyatt commented, staring around in surprise at the quiet streets, with far more pedestrians than motor vehicles.

"The congestion surcharge has made a difference,” the police officer said approvingly. “Helps a lot with police work, too, being able to get around faster.”

Juliette could remember when she was here as a younger child, how polluted the air smelled, and the nonstop traffic sounds she heard from her upstairs room. Coming back as a teenager, it had felt like a different place.

Wyatt glanced at her and muttered, “Everything okay? You’re looking preoccupied.”

Juliette sighed. “It’s Lucien. He took the job in Marseilles.”

“And you’re trying to make it work long distance?” Wyatt asked, sounding dubious.

Juliette frowned. She knew her partner’s stance on that. He’d shared it with her before, and it wasn’t positive.

“I want to make it work,” she emphasized to him, feeling angry that he was still doubting it could. Surely, it was possible?

“You know my feelings on it,” he said with a rueful shake of his head. “Long distance seldom works unless there’s a clear end point in sight. With you and Lucien, there isn’t. And look how busy we’ve been. I’m sure he is too.”

Juliette gave a frustrated sigh, angry that Wyatt was refusing to be more positive about this, and not wanting to admit that he might be right.

“Now’s not the time to discuss it,” she muttered. Turning to the officer, she asked him, "Have there been any other similar or related crimes here recently? Any other high-profile abductions, or any other crimes involving the McKays?"

He shook his head. "That's something my colleagues and I were discussing this morning when we heard about this. Nothing else came up. This is out of the blue. There was a missing person report called in yesterday, another young woman in the London area, but it’s not anything that we can connect to this."

Juliette made a mental note to keep the missing person report in mind, but for the time being, it was more important to focus all their attention on the ambassador's daughter.

And here they were, passing Regent’s Park, which had always been one of Juliette's favorite places in London. It was just a few blocks away from Hyde Park and Green Park, which were the top of her list. Those happy, early morning walks through the treed pathways of Hyde Park were among her fondest London memories.

And there, ahead, was the stately residence, set inside a fenced off area within Regent’s Park, where the US ambassador and his family lived.

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