Page 7

7.01 A.M.

‘What the hell?’ Kim cried once Frost had stopped speaking.

‘Read it again,’ Bryant said.

Frost took a breath. ‘“This is clue one. It’s human nature to spring your food well. Find me by eleven or…”’

Frost stopped speaking and then continued. ‘That’s it, folks.’

‘Penn, write it on the board,’ Kim instructed.

‘You reckon this is some kind of Randonautica thing?’ Stacey asked.

‘What now?’ Kim asked.

‘I don’t think so. Randonautica is an app,’ Penn said, taking his seat. ‘It was founded in 2020 and it randomly generates clues enabling the user to explore their local area and report their findings. I think we’re looking more at geocaching.’

Frost’s hand shot into the air.

Kim ignored it and focussed only on Penn.

‘Go on.’

‘Randonautica focusses on randomly generated co-ordinates and is based on chaos theory. It isn’t someone laying a trail with clues.’

‘And the other one?’ Kim asked.

‘Geocaching,’ Penn repeated. ‘That’s been around for decades. Back in the day, there were clubs for it, before the internet.’

‘Break it down for me,’ Kim instructed.

‘I’m no expert, but as far as I know this is how it works. Let’s say we’re all part of a geocaching club. I might leave a box at Leasowes Park. I’d then give you all a clue as to where I’ve left it. In the box will be a logbook which you’d sign and date to say you’ve found it.’

Kim waited.

‘Err… that’s it,’ Penn added.

‘This is some kind of hobby?’ Kim asked. ‘I mean, what’s the point?’

Frost pushed her hand further into the air.

Penn followed Kim’s example and ignored the reporter. ‘There’s probably a lot more to it now, especially with the internet as a tool. I think it gained popularity during the pandemic when people just needed something to do.’

Frost’s hand was still waving frantically in the air.

‘Okay, speak.’

‘There’s a group in Telford. They love this stuff. One of my exes was proper into it. I think they ended up creating a website to do it professionally. It’s called Seekers Inc.’

‘Bloody hell, Frost, why didn’t you say so in the first place?’

Without giving her the chance to answer, Kim turned to Stacey and Penn. ‘Okay, all we have right now is a phone number, an email address, a clue and the hint that someone might be missing. You two get cracking on that lot while we head over to Telford.’

‘And we’re doing that because…?’ Bryant asked, raising an eyebrow.

‘Because as knowledgeable as Penn was on the subject, he really wasn’t. No offence, Penn,’ she apologised. ‘We’ve been told it’s a game and that we’re going to be playing it for thirty-six hours. If the Jester is that confident we’re not going to catch him off the first clue, it’s not his first rodeo, is it? We need to have a better understanding of how it all works and to see if the Jester has used the Seekers site in the past.’

Kim grabbed her jacket and wondered yet again if she was just wasting everyone’s time.

Stacey was tapping furiously. ‘Yep, Frost is correct. The website is called Seekers Inc. I’ll try to contact this Ryan Douglas and get him to?—’

‘Who?’ Frost called out without raising her hand.

The look on her face stopped Kim from berating her. ‘Why?’

‘H-He’s the old boyfriend I was telling you about. I knew about the company, but I didn’t know he owned it.’

Kim managed to hide her surprise that there’d been a boyfriend. Instead, she asked the obvious question. ‘You didn’t think to mention it? You don’t think that connection could be the reason you’ve been targeted?’

‘I was seventeen. I doubt he’d even remember my name,’ she said, looking away.

But you’ve remembered his, Kim thought. And it makes you uncomfortable.

She couldn’t help but be intrigued, but she had more important questions to ask.

‘Okay, I want just one answer before you go back to withholding vital information from us.’

Frost met her gaze, but her expression hadn’t yet returned to normal. The mention of this name was clearly not a welcome surprise.

‘Is he capable of something like this?’

She didn’t hesitate. ‘Oh yes. This and a whole lot more.’