Chapter 10
Missing Pin
James pulled up on the drive with Lewis and ran for the door, evidence bag with Jamie's jacket inside in his hand. He pulled the bell and the butler, the elderly Bernard Samden, opened the door.
"Hello, Mr Hathaway. Can I help you?"
"Bernard is Catherine in?" James asked and Lewis looked oddly at him. Bernard nodded.
"She is in the living room, Mr Hathaway. Do come in." Bernard said and stood aside before closing it behind Lewis and Hathaway and led them down to the living room, a door next to the kitchen behind the staircase that led to the upper floors.
Bernard pushed open the door and James and Lewis walked in to find Ceit sat with her feet curled under her in a summer dress, studying a crossword on the chaise longe in front of the fireplace.
"Miss Catherine, Mr Hathaway and ... ." Bernard began.
"Inspector Lewis, James. This is unexpected. Bernard perhaps you could fetch some tea?" Ceit said sitting up properly and placing her crossword on the table with her fountain pen.
"Certainly, Miss." Bernard said and left the room and made his way to the kitchen.
"Crosswords?" Lewis asked.
"English Literature degree, keeps the mind awake." Ceit said as she motioned for them to take seats. "Is something the matter?" This was directed at James.
"Ceit, what are Jamie's initials?"
"J.A.H-B. Why?" Ceit said confused.
James pulled out the coat which belonged to Jamie and laid it on top of the brown evidence bag on the table. At that moment Bernard reappeared with a tray of tea for the trio. He placed it on the end table beside Ceit.
"Thank you, Bernard. Would you, ensure Mother has her afternoon tablets please?" Ceit said quietly as she dismissed him and stared at the jacket in front of her.
"Certainly, Miss." With that Bernard left.
"Can you tell us, Ceit, is this Jamie's?" Lewis asked.
"Yes. Yes it is, it's his favourite a gift from my Irish Grandparents on his last birthday. But something is missing." Ceit said, sounding a little distressed as she poured the tea and handed a cup to Lewis and then one to James, who had packed away the jacket once more and placed it beside the couch on which he and Lewis sat.
"Ta." Lewis said as he put in his milk and sugar.
"What's missing Ceit?" James asked as he did the same, watching Ceit as she poured her own.
"A badge. Which was pinned to the right lapel." Ceit said quietly.
"A badge? Of what?" Lewis asked.
"A gold and blue enamel Head-Boy badge. I gave it to Jamie on his last birthday." She met James' eye.
"My Head-Boy badge?" James asked.
"You said to give it to a bright and wise son, when I had one and who was more appropriate than giving the badge to him which had belonged to his own father?" Ceit smiled sadly. "Where did you find his jacket?"
"We went to interview Pritchard today, at his scrap yard. We found it there behind a pile of tyres, along with a cord. We think that may have been what was used to strangle your father, Ceit." James said.
"Do you think Pritchard has Jamie?" Ceit asked her voice full of concern for her child.
"Perhaps. At the very least he passed through there. It's a start anyway." Lewis said kindly, sipping his tea.
"He's a bright boy. He might be trying to help you find him. He inherited your brains, James." Ceit said proudly. A tear running down her cheek.
"We'll find him, I promise." James said, taking her hand in his own and brushing her knuckles to find her wearing her engagement ring on her finger once more. He smiled sweetly at her and she smiled back, a look of sadness and worry in her eyes.
"So we're missing a pin." Lewis asked as they left Ceit's a few minutes later, heading back to the station, evidence in hand.
"My pin, sir. I gave it to Ceit before I left for University. Ceit was in her final year of sixth form. I told her to give it to her son if he ever became head boy of a prestigious school. Jamie is only 8... 9 next week." James explained as he drove them back to the centre of Oxford.
"Perhaps he wanted something that belonged to his Dad, James, the man he'd never met."
"Perhaps, sir. Perhaps." James said, secretly hoping Robbie Lewis was right and that his son would want him in his life when they found him... And James was determined to find him. Not just for his or the boy's sake but for Ceit's too. He owed her that much.