Page 99 of Child's Play

Both nodded but it was Serena who spoke, showing Kim that she was definitely the dominant one in this relationship.

‘We knew them all. Probably Freddie the best and I can’t believe he’s… he’s…’

‘Dead,’ Kim finished for her. Her limited empathy muscle was just not flexing for these two at all.

‘You knew all of them but you’ve only been organising the event for?…’

‘Oh, we’ve never missed a year, Inspector. Not since it started up again in 1995. We were both here that year.’

‘Both?’ she asked.

‘Oh yes, Jared here was a chess champion and I liked to play the violin.’

‘A bit modest, Serena,’ Jared chastised, with a smile. ‘She was world class,’ he said, proudly.

There was a flash of regret in the woman’s eyes as Kim joined the dots.

‘You’re siblings?’ she asked.

‘Twins,’ they answered together.

And close ones at that, Kim thought, as they turned to each other and smiled.

‘Quite the event you run here,’ Kim said.

‘It’s fabulous,’ Serena said, joyfully. ‘A great opportunity to bring exceptional young talents together from around the country.’

‘Highly competitive environment, though?’ Kim asked, cutting short the sales pitch.

‘No more than your usual school sports day, Inspector. Many of our attendees are not physically gifted but still welcome the opportunity to compete.’

Kim had to agree that sounded logical enough and yet there was still something that left a sour taste in her mouth.

‘Okay, let me explain it another way,’ Serena continued. ‘The children that come here don’t fit in anywhere. In a normal school environment, their intelligence is far superior to almost everyone around them, including the teachers. They become isolated by their own brilliance, usually bullied and ostracised through jealousy or just because they’re different. Coming here gives them the opportunity to see that they’re not alone, that there are others just like them and that their gifts are to be celebrated and not hidden.’

Again, Kim had to concede the point.

‘But the intensity of the competition, the passion of the parents?’ she questioned, recalling all the bent heads she’d passed in the café area during her walk around.

‘Have you been to a kiddie’s football game recently, officer?’

Kim shook her head.

‘You should. It’s brutal. Competitive parents shouting from the sidelines, insulting other children, the referee, other parents. It’s no different, except for the shouting of course. We don’t allow that but the children look forward to coming, to mixing amongst their peers. Just to have a couple of days not feeling like freaks or oddities.’

Kim got it but would have been happier had they been meeting up in the woods for hiking, climbing and good old-fashioned fun amongst friends, not intense competition.

‘That’s why we didn’t cancel the event this year. The children needed to come together and—’

‘You considered cancelling because of the murders?’ Kim asked, which was something she could finally understand.

Serena shook her head. ‘No, because of the tragic death of the Robinson boy.’

Kim frowned. ‘Sorry?’

Serena appeared surprised that she didn’t know.

‘The Robinson family are the stars of our event.’