Page 104 of Killing Mind

Stacey nodded but looked dubious. ‘This second incident broke the group up and the property was sold. Jake Black then disappeared for just a few months until Unity Farm was born.’

‘Bloody hell, Stace. Good work. Pick that up again first thing,’ she said.

This new information prompted even more questions about Jake Black. If his previous cult had been religion based why had he changed to wellness for Unity Farm? Did he truly care about anything as much as he cared about being adored?

Kim took a few minutes to update them on her conversation with Kane.

‘He seems to know his stuff,’ Stacey observed. ‘Everything I’ve learned over the last couple of days confirms what he’s saying. Penny Hicks seemed absolutely terrified to talk to me or go into detail about anything to do with the Farm, and when I tried to press her, she just disappeared. And then there’s that girl who just threw herself out the window.’

Kim was no longer as shocked by these things after what she’d learned from Kane. It was fair to say that none of them had had any understanding of the lasting effects of places like Unity Farm.

‘Permission to speak freely, boss?’ Stacey asked.

Kim raised one eyebrow. Stacey knew she had permission to say whatever she liked. This was the constable’s way of warning her that she probably wasn’t going to like it.

‘It’s Tiff. I mean, I’m just worried…’

‘I saw her today, Stace. She’s fine,’ Kim reassured. ‘I’ll text her later, though, just to make sure.’

‘Thanks, boss.’

‘So, tomorrow we have a concerted effort on identifying our man in the lake, digging on Kane Devlin and delving deeper into the previous cult. Penn, I still want to know where that money went, but for now we call it a night.’

‘Cheers, boss,’ Penn said, pushing back his chair.

Stacey did the same.

* * *

Kim waited for Penn to leave the room before she folded her arms.

‘So, wedding plans going well, Stace?’

‘Yeah, boss,’ she said, without enthusiasm as she put her phone into her satchel.

This was not a woman enjoying making preparations for the happiest day of her life.

‘So, how much weight you lost in the last month?’ she asked.

‘Two and a half pounds,’ Stacey answered, miserably.

‘Why?’

‘I dunno. I just can’t seem…’

‘No. Why are you even trying?’

‘I just want everything to be perfect.’

‘What was your weight when Devon asked you to marry her?’

‘Two and a half pounds heavier,’ Stacey said with a wry smile.

‘It’s not about your weight, Stace. Devon loves you as you are and you know it.’

She glanced at Penn’s desk. A space once occupied by DS Kevin Dawson.

‘You know, a very good friend of yours once told me that you’d never feel good enough for Devon, and he was right. I think he told you the same thing.’