‘Warn him of what, Ma’am?’

‘Le Forgeron. Tell him he’s next.’

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jenny was still not back at her desk when Jazz arrived.

She walked into Robert Jones’s office and found him, head back, half asleep.

‘Have you seen Jenny?’ she asked abruptly.

‘Yes, she’s at her desk.’

‘No, she isn’t.’

‘Then perhaps she’s gone to the loo.’

‘Mr Jones, it’s really important I find her. When was the last time you saw her?’

‘About an hour ago?’

‘Right. May I borrow your phone?’

‘Of course.’

‘DS Roland, I need you to get as many men as possible into the school to look for Jenny Colman, the head’s secretary. What? No, forget the media and start searching now. Let me know if you find her. Thanks.’ Jazz put the receiver down and turned her attention to the head. ‘I need a full list of employees at the school for the past twenty-five years now.’

‘They’ll be in the archive file in the bursar’s office.’ Robert Jones was on his feet, finally sensing the urgency. ‘I’ll show you where it is, shall I?’

They used the fire escape to leave the building and walked across Chapel Lawn and into Main Hall. Taking the steps two at a time, forcing Robert Jones to do the same, Jazz asked, ‘I presume you take out thorough references on all the staff that come to work at the school?’

‘Of course.’ Jones stood panting in front of a door on the third floor. ‘One can never be too careful these days.’

‘Even on members of staff who may have been employed here before?’

‘Yes, I . . .’ Jones was sweating as he unlocked a large filing cabinet. ‘Nineteen eighty-five?’

‘We’ll start with that, yes.’ She could hardly contain her irritation at his pedantic slowness.

‘Here we go.’ Robert Jones took the ledger across to the desk and opened it.

‘Thanks.’ Jazz began to skim down the names.

‘Can I help?’

Ignoring him, she turned over the pages in an agony of suspense. Then, finally, she found the one she was looking for. She smacked the book shut and gazed up at Robert Jones.

‘Excuse me, Mr Jones, I’ve got to run.’

Jazz sprinted over to Fleat House, calling Roland as she went.

‘Any sign of Jenny Colman yet?’

‘No, Ma’am.’

‘Have you been into Fleat?’

‘Course not, Ma’am. Thought that was off limits. Didn’t think you’d want my plods crawling all over it with their mucky . . .’

Jazz didn’t bother to let him finish. As she arrived at the front of the house, she asked the PC if anyone had been inside.

‘No, Ma’am, not for the past hour.’

‘Thanks.’ Jazz pushed the door open and walked swiftly along the corridor towards the stairs. Dialling Miles’s number and getting no answer, she left him a message.

‘Meet me at Fleat House urgently with back-up. Tell Roland to get his backside here too.’

Up the stairs she went, knowing exactly where she was heading, dreading she might be too late.