‘Hello, Morgan, it’s funny you’re phoning me, I’ve just emailed you with a bit of an update about Isaiah.’
‘You did? Bev, you’re a saint, thank you. I was phoning to see if you had anything yet.’
‘It’s not a lot but it’s definitely some kind of game where the players have to complete challenges to go up a level. It’s all very basic at the moment. I couldn’t get any further than the first challenge on Tim’s computer. I’ll keep at it though and let you know.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome, it’s the most exciting thing I’ve had for a long time to be honest. It beats retrieving vile images off paedophiles’ computers. Bye, Morgan.’
She hung up, and Morgan felt relieved they were getting somewhere at last.
FORTY-TWO
Morgan needed to speak to Lexie, to find out if she had heard of the game,Isaiah. She had a terrible feeling that all three teens may have been involved in it. Ava had denied it, though, when asked, saying she knew Tim played it; but now Morgan wondered, what if she hadn’t admitted it because she hadn’t wanted to get in trouble? She opened the file on her computer containing all the information from the Lawsons’ crime scene. Things were getting too confusing, she wanted to start at the beginning again, to see if they had missed something. First, she looked at the photographs, at the pictures of the fire crew tackling the blaze on first arrival, and she caught her breath. They had been so busy with everything that had happened after that they hadn’t really focused on why the killer had started a fire in the first place. She knew the investigator from the fire service was investigating the arson side of it and made a note to speak to Nigel. Had the killer wanted to get rid of all the evidence, or had they wanted someone to phone it in, so the bodies were discovered sooner? The more she thought about it the more she realised that they may have been overlooking vital clues. She sent all the photos to the printer. It was late but she knew Wendy was probably still at the Riggs’ house. She would have a contact number for Nigel, she thought, deciding she would call in and check on Roley after she’d spoken to Natalie White. Her desk phone began to ring, and she answered it, hearing Brenda’s familiar voice.
‘Morgan, there’s a Natalie White at the front desk to collect Ava Rigg. Tina said you wanted a word with her.’
‘Be right down, thanks, Brenda.’
Morgan locked her computer, grabbed her laptop bag and called at the printer to collect the copies of the photos before stuffing them inside her bag.
She made it to the ground floor in record time, bursting through the double doors into the reception area, making Natalie White jump and let out a small screech.
‘Sorry, can I have a quick word?’
Natalie nodded; Morgan opened the door to one of the interview rooms.
‘Thank you for coming to collect Ava, I really appreciate it.’
‘What the hell has happened? I got some garbled message from Lexie saying we had to come here for her. Is Ava in trouble? What has she done and where are her parents, shouldn’t they be the ones picking her up?’
‘Ava hasn’t done anything, it’s her parents who have, but you’d be better getting the full story from her. I wanted to ask you something else while you’re here. Has Lexie mentioned playing an online game calledIsaiah?’
Natalie looked blankly at Morgan. ‘Not that I recall, should she have, what is it?’
‘I don’t know, that’s what I’m trying to find out. Did you know Sally Lawson, Natalie?’
‘Well I knew who she was, I sometimes go to her salon for a fresh cut and blow dry but only occasionally. I wasn’t friends with her, she’s just someone I said hello to. I don’t know anything about her or her life. Look, I need to get going, I’ve left the dinner in the oven.’
‘What about Tim? He was friends with Ava and she’s best friends with Lexie, surely they all knew each other? Are you sure you didn’t really know Sally that well?’
Natalie looked at her. ‘I haven’t really spoken to her since we were teenagers, some stupid drama. She took my boyfriend off me back then, and we fell out and never really spoke since. I’m sorry that she’s dead, that they’re all dead, but I can’t help you.’
‘Oh, I guess that must have been difficult.’
‘It was a long time ago, I got over it and I didn’t hold a burning grudge against her, if that’s what you’re wondering.’
Morgan shook her head. ‘Of course not, thanks again, maybe you could ask Lexie about the game and see what she says?’
‘Haha, you’re kidding right. My daughter doesn’t tell me what she needs for her cooking lessons, so she’s barely going to tell me about some online game, but I’ll ask her and let you know.’
‘Thanks, I’ll send Ava down now.’
Morgan opened the door so Natalie could go back into the reception area.
Swiping her ID card to let herself back into the station, she went up to the canteen. Was Natalie hiding something? She had a feeling deep down inside her stomach that she was.
‘Ava, Lexie’s mum is here for you. I’ll let your mum know where you are when she’s allowed to go home. Have you ever played a game calledIsaiah?’
