Page 71 of First Blood

She pushed the thoughts away, noting all three addresses listed on Hayley’s record.

Stacey prayed Mia was safe and sound at one of them.

Chapter Sixty-Four

The ringing of her phone took just a couple more minutes than she’d expected.

‘Stone, turn the car around and head back to the scene. Now,’ Woody instructed.

‘For what, sir? We’re miles away from Wren’s Nest now.’

That wasn’t a lie but she was careful not to state exactly where they were or this conversation would be taking place in person, and with a missing nine-year-old girl she wasn’t going to waste the time.

‘You know full well why. That phone needs to go to the lab.’

‘Sir, I beg to differ. I have a person sitting…’

‘Stone, are you arguing with me?’ he asked as Bryant parked the car.

She got out and started walking as she continued to talk. ‘I firmly believe that my detective constable will be able to access anything of value,’ she said, taking the steps two at a time.

Woody continued arguing as she entered the squad room and placed a finger to her lips.

Stacey was just hanging up the phone.

Kim handed her the evidence bag.

She looked at it and smiled widely before scribbling something on a sheet of paper and pushing it towards her.

Kim read it, took it and nodded her understanding before heading back out of the office.

‘But, sir,’ she said, heading back down the stairs, ‘if that phone goes to the lab it will sit in a queue of jobs which may or may not get actioned in the next few days. Our killer appears to be on some kind of rampage and right now every second counts,’ she said, getting into the car. She handed Bryant the piece of paper and pointed at the last item.

He nodded and started the car.

‘Sir, I can assure you that the chain of evidence will be preserved and that no prosecution will be compromised.’

‘Stone, you’re dealing with a very young, inexperience…’ His words trailed away for a second. ‘Stone, is that you driving off the station car park?’

She said nothing.

‘You’ve already handed it to her, haven’t you?’

‘Err… kind of,’ she admitted.

‘Debrief, my office. Six o’clock,’ he barked, before ending the call.

Chapter Sixty-Five

‘Bloody hell, guv, I heard him shout from here,’ Bryant said. ‘So, I guess we’d best not be late back for tea.’

‘You’re right there. By which time I’m hoping we’ve found Mia whose safety comes way before my bollocking. And it gives me a few hours to practice my sorry face.’

Bryant laughed out loud, surprising her. She hadn’t been joking.

‘I’m assuming these are Hayley’s last known addresses and that she was pretty known to us.’

‘Appears that way,’ Kim said, glancing at the note that said the bottom address was only one month old. If Mia was going to be alone waiting for her mother’s return, surely that’s where she would be.