Page 74 of Child's Play

‘Wow, Bryant,’ she said.

‘Yeah, I know, my observations are insightful, perceptive, valuable and—’

‘You tried to hide a guinea pig from your mum?’

He huffed and she was joking because there was a chance he had a point. But what the hell was she trying to hide?

‘Bryant, I only have two questions. First, do you tell me these anecdotes to calm me down?’

Because, invariably they always did.

‘Let’s just say I prefer you angry when it’s not just the two of us in an enclosed space. So, let’s call it self-preservation.’

‘And finally, what happened about Rupert?’

‘I kept the secret for a week. Spent the whole time in my room and not out with my mates. Come Monday morning Mum asked if I wanted a lift to school with the cage and that she hoped I’d had a nice holiday.’

Kim laughed out loud. ‘Bryant, I swear…’

She stopped speaking as her phone began to ring.

‘Stace, tell me you’ve got something good to save me from Bryant’s stories from when—’

Stacey interrupted her and she let her colleague speak as her eyes grew wide.

‘Bloody hell, Stace,’ she said, when the constable had finished. ‘Good work.’

‘What?’ Bryant asked as they reached the hospital island.

‘Turn the car around and take me back to Belinda’s house, right now.’

‘Why?’ Bryant asked, doing a full drive around the traffic island.

‘Because Stacey made my wish come true and we are now going back to wipe that smile off Veronica’s face.’

Fifty-Two

Penn wasn’t surprised to see DI Travis waiting for him when he stepped out of the interview room.

‘Well?’

He could see the man’s anxiety, which was coupled with hope.

Penn shook his head. ‘Honestly, guv, I’ve got no clue what’s going on here. She’s now reverted back to her original story. Swears he was at home with her.’

Travis leaned back against the corridor wall as two constables walked between them. He waited until they were out of earshot before speaking.

‘Why has she changed her mind?’

‘Scared because of her neighbour’s body turning up on the train tracks.’

‘Which could be completely unrelated,’ Travis said.

Penn nodded even though he felt neither of them believed it.

‘What’s your gut say? Is she telling the truth, this time?’ Travis asked.

‘She’s definitely scared of something. Hands trembling, voice a bit shaky and swearing on her kids’ lives. Not so cocky as the two times I’ve met with her before.’