DI Jack Frost 02 - A Touch of Frost

hairdresser. Your appointment was originally for two o’clock, but you phoned yesterday morning and put it back until five. Is that correct?”
    “If you’ve checked with the hairdresser, then it must be,” she answered defiantly.
    “OK,” said Frost. “So we take it that you altered your appointment because your boy friend was popping in to see you.”
    “Yes.”
    “And you were both here when Karen came home?”
    “Yes.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “We were in here, on the settee. We were kissing . . . my dress was unbuttoned. We didn’t hear Karen come in. We didn’t expect her. That bloody school should have phoned. Karen saw us. She ran out of the house.”
    “Any idea where she is?”
    “No. But I’m sure she’ll be back. My husband doesn’t know it, but she’s been off like this before. Karen’s not quite the innocent he thinks she is.” She put the lighter on the floor then walked to the bar where she slopped a shot of vodka into a glass. Staring defiantly, she raised the glass to her lips. Then she crumpled. “You won’t tell my husband? He’ll kill me if he finds out.”
    Frost shrugged. “If it’s not necessary for him to know, then I won’t tell him. But your daughter is bound to spill the beans when she comes back.”
    “I can take care of Karen,” she said significantly.
    “Right,” said Frost, rewinding his scarf. “We’ll keep an eye open for her, but we won’t worry too much for a day or so. If you get any news, let us know.”
    The lounge door opened for the return of Max Dawson and a dusty, cob webby Detective Constable Webster.
    “She’s not down here,” said Frost. “We’ve looked everywhere.”
    When they got back to the car, Frost took a chance and switched the radio on. Control was calling him. Charlie Bravo had gone to Tommy Croll’s place to pick him up. No sign of Croll, but his rooms had been broken into and all the furniture systematically ripped and smashed. “We’re on our way,” said Frost.

    Detective Inspector Allen rapped at the door of the Divisional Commander’s office and went in. Mullett, sitting ramrod-stiff behind his satin mahogany desk, smiled and indicated the inspector should sit.
    “You look worn out, Allen.”
    Allen sat down wearily and stretched tired muscles. “Thought I’d better put you in the picture with the rape investigation, sir. I’m sorry to say we’ve made no progress at all. A mature woman dressed in schoolgirl clothes walks from her home to the woods and we haven’t been able to turn up a single witness who saw her. We’ve knocked on doors, we’ve asked everywhere. I’ve been thorough - "
    “I’m quite sure you have, Inspector. That goes without saying,” smarmed Mullett.
    “I’ve put our usual circus of known sexual offenders through the hoop . . . still some more to question, but nothing positive up to now.”
    “Any joy from your radio and television appeals to the public?”
    “We’ve had a fair amount of response, which we’re following up, but most of it useless - old maids who reckon the man next door must be the rapist because he always looks over the fence when she hangs her knickers on the line, that sort of thing. I hate to have to say it, sir, but at the moment it looks as if we’ll just have to wait until the rapist strikes again and hope that this time he might leave the odd clue behind.”
    Mullett pulled a face. “We can’t leave it like that, Inspector. He must be stopped before he claims another victim. Have you traced the anonymous phone caller?”
    “No, sir. We’ve appealed for him to come forward, but he hasn’t obliged yet. I do have one suggestion, sir.” He looked hopefully at the Superintendent.
    “Yes?” asked Mullett uneasily, feeling he was about to be forced into making a decision.
    “We set a trap, send in a decoy - a policewoman tar ted up to tempt the rapist into having a go at her.”
    Mullett readjusted his moustache and smoothed the bristles down “I don’t like this, Allen. It could be dangerous.”
    “Let me show you the plan, sir.” Allen left his chair and moved to the large-scale wall map behind the Superintendent’s desk. “We would have men hiding here, and here. Also a couple of radio cars on the surrounding roads. I’d have more men back here, and two more staked out here.” He jabbed at the map. “The woman decoy - "
    “Only one?” Mullett queried.
    Allen nodded. “It’s safer that way. We want to keep the operation confined