Page 30 of Deadly Cry

‘Go on,’ she said, opening the first envelope.

‘I saw absolutely no evidence of Katrina being forgetful, confused or disoriented. She always knew where her child was, so…’

Kim nodded her understanding. She’d thought the same herself. Katrina’s death was not linked in any way to her being a negligent or even forgetful mother.

‘Anything on the statements?’

Penn shook his head, and, knowing now what she did about the alley to the side of the building and how quickly one could be shepherded towards it, she was not surprised.

‘Stace, what you been up to?’ she asked, taking the single sheet of paper from the envelope.

‘Getting different stories from the rape victims, boss. If it’s all right with you, I’d like…’

Kim was no longer listening as she read the first line of the note.

She tried to hold her rage, but the words thundered into the air as she looked around at her team.

‘How fucking long have we had this?’

Twenty-Six

‘Bryant, get me an evidence bag. Stacey, call Mitch and get him over here. Now.’

Both sprang into action as Kim held the single sheet of paper up by the top left-hand corner. She took out her phone with the other hand and snapped a photo of the text.

The sheet itself appeared to be simple copier paper with no watermark or obvious means to discern it from any other plain sheet of paper. The text was handwritten in what looked like blue biro ink. Without moving her thumb or forefinger, she slowly turned the page around for anything on the back that might help. There was nothing obvious to the naked eye, but who knew what forensics might find?

She dropped the letter into the evidence bag being held open by her colleague. She turned and took a photo of the envelope before dropping it into the bag with the letter.

‘Mitch is on his way,’ Stacey said, ending her call.

‘How the hell long was this just sitting there?’ Kim asked, looking around the room.

‘Since about twelvish,’ Stacey said. ‘I was here when the post was—’

‘And I just glanced over it,’ Penn said interrupting.

There was a part of her that wanted to let loose on both of them. A letter that appeared to be a direct communication from their killer had been sitting on the desk for four hours.

She swallowed down her anger. Chewing them out for ignoring the post may make her feel better, but in truth the post rarely held anything interesting.

‘Is it from him?’ Penn asked as she emailed both photos to Stacey.

‘Print them off,’ she said, moving towards the printer. It sparked into life, and Kim took the top sheet.

She leaned back against the table and read the contents.

DI Stone

You have to stop me from hurting anyone else. I don’t want to do these horrible things. I don’t want to kill anyone, but I have no choice. You have to understand that I have no power to stop. I’m sorry that she’s dead, but I couldn’t stop it. But you have to stop me. You’re the only one who can end this. You have to be the one who listens. Help me before I’m forced to do it again. And I will do it again because I have no choice. I’ve never had a choice.

Noah

Kim then read the letter aloud to the rest of her colleagues. She passed the page to Bryant as she took a look at the envelope. ‘Posted somewhere in Dudley, last collection last night.’

‘After he’d killed Katrina Nock,’ Penn observed.

Kim shrugged. ‘Why would the killer try to communicate with us directly?’