Kelly brought the mugshot of the woman, taken hastily upon her admission to hospital, up on her iPad. She looked like a frightened little bird, dishevelled and disorientated, as well she might. The photo was utterly unflattering, but it was all they had. At least they had eye and hair colour, face and ear shape, as well as a few expressions, which was more than they had on other cases. Kelly stared at it. Despite the grime and the fear, the young woman was stunning. Her bright blue eyes were hauntingly piercing and her mouth fell slightly open, framed by full lips and perfectly round features. It was an unforgettable face.

‘She’s physically healthy, right?’ Kelly asked.

‘She’s being assessed still.’

‘No, what I mean is, she wasn’t obviously hurt, or malnourished or at death’s door. In other words, she’d been looked after. She wasn’t starving or destitute.’

‘That would appear to be the case.’ Rob looked at the photo of the woman, who’d been given a blouse and some joggers in hospital, and her face had been washed. She looked terrified and vacant at the same time. Kelly studied her.

‘I reckon she’s about twenty, what do you think?’

‘I’m useless at things like that, guv. I thought you were twenty.’

‘Oh, piss off! Look at her eyes: they’re plump and open. Look: her skin is thick and fleshy – a classic sign of youth. She hasn’t got a wrinkle. Head injury?’

‘Don’t think so.’

‘Gross and fine motor skills?’

‘Under investigation.’

‘Come on, Rob, you need a break. Kate can you take over for a bit? Rob, get your coat. Let’s pay the hospital a visit. Where are the others?’

‘Will’s coordinating a perimeter of about five miles, setting up requests for sightings, unusual activity, and reports of vehicles on that part of the A66 in the early hours of Saturday, up to around first light. The items from the scene have been inputted into the lab system so analysis can start straight away.’

‘How many objects were pulled from the scene?’

‘Around a hundred. Mainly litter, I think, as well as the tyre tracks.’

‘Good work. Come on, let’s go.’

Chapter 4