Private Sydney (Private 12)

Mark nodded. ‘That’s the way you’re playing this?’

‘Look, we came here to help with the investigation.’

‘Or to cover your butt.’ He stepped menacingly close. ‘You better get a good lawyer, cuz. You’re facing charges. Conspiracy to commit murder.’

Chapter 22

A WOMAN’S SCREAM stopped everyone. It was primal, guttural.

Mark and Kristen Massey headed for the open front door. I stayed close behind.

The female detective stopped the woman, who was in her late twenties. ‘Ma’am, this is a crime scene. I’m afraid you’ll have to –’

‘My baby! Where’s my baby?’

Mark flicked me a look as if I might know what she was talking about. I remembered the microwave steriliser and my heart drilled.

A young constable was trying to restrain the woman. ‘Ma’am, you can’t be here.’

She buckled to her knees. ‘Zoe needs me. She’s just a baby.’

‘Wait!’ I pushed through as the woman continued shouting for someone to listen to her.

I knelt down with her. ‘Was Louise minding your child?’

The woman dug her fingers into my arms. ‘Zoe, she’s eight weeks old.’ Her voice became higher pitched. ‘Why won’t anyone let me see her?’ She locked eyes with mine. ‘I just need to get my baby.’

‘Something’s happened to Louise.’ I spoke calmly, and slowly released her grip. ‘We didn’t know she had Zoe with her.’

Kristen Massey put her arms around the mother while Mark and I raced back inside.

We checked cupboards, drawers, a toy trunk, even the washing machine in case Louise had hidden the child to protect her. The search proved futile.

The baby was gone.

Chapter 23

MARK AND I MOVED outside, now united in our task. The mother was sitting on the brick wall, shaking. She still had the wide-eyed look of hope when we returned.

Her name was Courtney Ruffalo, Detective Constable Massey explained. Louise had been babysitting once a week for three weeks. ‘To give her a break. Her husband’s a fly-in, fly-out miner in Queensland. He isn’t due back until Friday night.’

Courtney nodded, holding back tears. ‘Is my baby all right?’

Mark said, ‘Is there anyone else who might have picked her up for you?’

There was no proof Zoe had been in the house when the murder took place. Then again, anyone who routinely collected the child would have known to take the steriliser and bottles too.

‘Geoff’s away. I have a sister. She works at Westmead Hospital and doesn’t finish until after three.’

That was at least forty minutes away by car.

We had to consider the possibility that Louise had been killed in order to abduct Zoe.

It could have been unrelated to the Finches’ visit. But I had to face reality. The Finches may have killed Louise for the baby.

Mark pulled me aside. ‘We’ll put out a state-wide alert for the missing child. I’ll let the powers know to prepare a media release. We’ll need a photo and description of what the child was wearing.’

Courtney Ruffalo had a photo on her phone, taken that morning. Zoe had on a pink cotton jumpsuit with a yellow-and-white flower embroidered on the chest.