Page 111 of Deadly Cry

‘The husband and sister-in-law of the first victim?’ Bryant asked.

‘Yeah, the boss asked me to get background on Ella after she turned up at the search for Archie. There are so many similarities that it’s a bit weird; they both joined the athletics club at school, went to the same college, both joined the chess club, both worked part-time in fast-food restaurants, went to the same university and both ended up in sales.’

Kim looked to Alison.

‘Even for competing siblings that seems a bit much,’ the behaviourist answered.

‘But is it a competitiveness that could have evolved and spiralled out of control?’

Alison considered carefully before speaking.

‘I think it’s a definite poss—’

‘Boss, I’ve just had another thought,’ Stacey said, looking into space, appearing to do sums in her head.

‘Go on, Stace, you’re on a roll.’

‘The first letter was sent on Monday, to you specifically?’

‘Yeah, Stace, but…’

‘So it had to have been posted by five thirty to reach you the following day.’

Kim frowned. Was there a point coming any time soon?

‘You spoke to the press briefly on Monday but it wasn’t until late in the evening.’

Kim got Stacey’s point. Noah hadn’t seen her on the television or in the press as being the SIO because that hadn’t happened when the letter was posted, which could only mean one thing.

The letter had been sent by someone she’d already met.

Someone like Ella Nock.

Ninety-Two

‘You really think one of them took Archie?’ Bryant asked as they banged on Ella Nock’s door for the second time.

If Ella was home, she wasn’t answering her door; but with no car on the drive, she was guessing no one was there.

After the updates from her team, she and Bryant had sprinted to the car to track down the woman who had shown a little too much interest in the abduction of Archie and was definitely a controlling older sibling.

‘Do you want to go in?’ Bryant asked.

Kim thought for a second, shook her head and took out her phone.

Stacey answered immediately.

‘Stace, I need you and Penn over at Ella Nock’s address right now. Get a team to meet you here and force entry on my authority.’

‘On the way, boss,’ Stacey said and ended the call.

‘Guv, we’re right here,’ Bryant said, looking back at the house.

‘But Ella isn’t and she’s the person we need. If half of what we suspect is true, then another person is due to lose their life soon. Come on, we have to find her,’ Kim said, heading back to the car. ‘And the search begins with her brother.’

As they pulled away, she glanced back at the house. Her instinct told her that Archie wasn’t in there; Penn and Stacey were now on their way and had her full authority to break in and search for him.

For once, she had to believe in the integrity of Noah who had assured her that Archie would not be harmed.