Page 39 of Deadly Cry

As Woody finished the appeal and was clearly summing up, Kim could see the rage building in the face of theDudley Starreporter at being continually ignored, despite the fact Woody had advised accordingly at the outset.

‘One last question,’ she shouted up as Woody finished thanking the press for their attendance. Kim’s stomach did a roll. Tracey’s eyes were hard and cold and fixed only on Woody. ‘Is it true that the killer had already communicated directly with?—’

‘Again, thank you all for your time and let’s bring Archie home quickly,’ he said, turning away. Only because she knew the man did she understand that the tension in his shoulders was due to the curveball from Frost.

Damn it, Kim thought. Frost had very nearly derailed the press conference and taken the attention away from a missing boy to something being withheld, and how the hell did Frost know about the letter?

She used every ounce of the willpower she possessed to keep her face in neutral as she followed her boss into the station. Once away from the glare of the press, he turned to face her, his expression thunderous, and she understood why. If they didn’t shut her up, that would become the story instead of a missing child.

‘What the f… bloody hell was that about? How does she know about the letter?’

Kim took a step back from a level of rage rarely shown by the man. It was the closest she’d known him to use foul language.

‘Sir, I have no idea how she could have known.’

‘Well, Stone, you’d better find out whose police career just died on local television,’ he growled, storming up the stairs.

‘On it, sir,’ she called after him before turning and heading back out of the station. There was no way she was going to allow her boss to be blindsided by a local reporter because her nose was out of joint. Kim fully intended to put that nose right back where it belonged.

Instead of heading towards Frost, who was now beside her Audi TT, she moved to the side of the building out of sight and took out her phone.

The call was answered immediately. ‘What?’

‘Frost, round the back, now,’ she barked.

It would do no good for the other press personnel to see her confronting Frost openly, giving credence to her question.

Kim heard the high heels tottering on the slabs before the woman came into view. The woman’s ponytail of long blonde hair whooshed behind her as she moved with uncharacteristic speed.

‘What the fuck were you doing back there?’ Kim growled.

‘My job, Stone,’ she barked back.

‘At the expense of finding a little boy?’

‘Getting a bit fed up of getting used,’ she said, crossing her arms.

Kim narrowed her gaze. ‘Since when has it been a two-way street, Frost? Name the date we were supposed to consider the delicate feelings of the press while trying to bring criminals—’

‘Yeah, that’s the bloody problem. We get information when it suits you lot to just dangle a carrot, when there’s somethingyouwant but not when we need stuff.’

‘Not our problem. More importantly, you could be putting a little boy at risk if you mention anything about communication in your report. If anything happens to Archie, I swear—’

‘Oh, give me a break, Stone. I was pissed at your boss for cutting me off for trying to do my job.’ She paused and tapped her chin. ‘You should know that some people are more accommodating than your lot and are happy to share, but rest assured no mention of it will go in my report.’

In spite of her boss’s request, Kim swallowed down the urge to demand Frost’s source. There was no way she could just come right out and ask where the reporter had got her information. To do so would be to confirm that she was on to something and they’d never hear the end of it. She’d explore other avenues to find the leak given the hint that Frost had just unknowingly given her.

‘Then you were misinformed, Frost.’

‘Oh, so that’s how we’re going to—’

‘Good chat,’ Kim said, walking away. Frost had confirmed that no mention of the communication would be made in her report and that’s what she’d been after.

‘Stone, you should know by now that I make a much better friend than enemy.’

‘So do I, Frost, so do I,’ she said as her phone began to ring.

Thirty-Four