Page 127 of Child's Play

‘Yeah, and how do you catch a killer who is more intelligent than you?’

Kim thought for a minute. ‘You hope that they’re far too clever for their own good.’

‘Great words, oh wise one,’ he said, as they reached the hall.

The majority of the space had been prepared ready for the final event. Two long tables faced each other with three seats behind each. Nameplates were in position for the finalists and a judging table was located in between.

Two tripods ready for camera equipment had been positioned to catch all the action and a hundred or so spectator seats had been placed to witness the battle of the brainboxes.

A few seats on the front row had been taken already by the early birds. One woman was busy combing her child’s hair and adding a spotted bow to the top of her head.

The child ripped it out and threw it on the floor.

‘Charming,’ Bryant observed.

‘Unsurprising,’ Kim noted, looking around the room. ‘Act like a mini adult but look like a kid. No wonder the child is confused.’

‘Good point,’ he answered as her gaze searched a group of kids sitting in a huddle, waiting, over in the far corner.

‘He’s not here, guv.’

‘I can see that, Bryant,’ she said as a tingle shivered down her spine. ‘And as this competition comes to a close and he’s one of the organisers where the hell else would he be?’

Ninety-Six

‘It’s a bit like one long shift, isn’t it?’ Tiff asked, stifling a yawn.

Stacey smiled. ‘Yeah, that’s why we like it.’

‘Don’t your partners and families mind?’

‘For the most part they get it,’ Stacey offered, tightly. In her case Devon understood most things, but what Devon was failing to understand was her inability to answer the question that had been put to her at the beginning of the week, that she’d successfully avoided through work.

‘Oh, there’s no better feeling than when your other half just gets you. When you finish each other’s—’

‘Tiff, I’ve really got to crack on with digging on Beth…’

‘But the boss says she’s looking for siblings now, so why are you still working on the wife of one of the victims?’

‘It’s a suspicion, Tiff. Just cos the boss has had another idea we don’t leave leads dangling in mid-air. It’s about finishing what you started.’

‘I get it,’ she said, stretching her arms above her head. ‘But I need to get out, just for a short while. Need anything?’

‘Diet Coke,’ Stacey answered as she drained the bottom of her can, pleased to finally get a few minutes to herself.

Despite being exhausted Stacey hated that she’d been pulled off researching Beth Nixon to look at siblings of child geniuses. Secretly she thought it was a bit of a long shot but the boss was convinced it was a possibility.

But, her time with Beth was not yet over because she didn’t have all the answers.

‘Right, Beth Nixon,’ she said to the empty room. ‘What exactly have you been trying to hide?’

Ninety-Seven

Ten minutes later they were back outside the main hall which was beginning to fill up. The smaller rooms had all been cleared and handed back to the hotel, and Jared was still nowhere to be found.

‘Okay, Bryant. I don’t like the fact that Jared Welmsley is missing cos you know who else we haven’t seen?’

He shook his head.