Page 117 of Killing Mind

‘He’s already there,’ Kim said, as Bryant parked in front of the café. Kane had secured a seat by the window. Despite this he sat with his back to the outside view.

Kim couldn’t help the half-smile as she noted three cups on the table before him.

‘Mr Drummond,’ she said, sitting.

‘Let’s not show off, Inspector. We’ve already established that you know my real name and I think Kane will do fine.’

‘Anything else you’d like to reveal about yourself?’

‘No.’

She shrugged. ‘It’s okay. My DC is very talented. She’ll have everything including your shoe size and favourite colour by the end of the day.’

‘Eleven and black,’ he said, without humour.

‘Fabulous. That should save her some time.’

Kim wondered how it was possible that even now, on their third meeting, that she detected neither positive nor negative vibes from this man. He was direct, curt and obnoxious but those qualities alone did not make him a murderer. Thankfully for her. But she picked up no empathy either. Everything he said was factual, like a bullet-point list, with no emotion behind it.

‘I have a question for you, Kane. Just the one this time.’

‘Go ahead,’ he said, glancing to his left. Two middle-aged women shared a pot of tea.

‘Where is Sophie Brown?’

No reaction. He shrugged. ‘Unity Farm, I should think.’

‘Apparently not.’

‘How would you know? There are over a hundred people in there.’

‘And one of them is ours,’ Kim said, taking a sip of her drink.

Surprise turned to shock to disbelief to horror, and finally to anger. At last there was proof of emotion.

‘You’re kidding? Please tell me you’re joking,’ he said, leaning forward. His gaze was intense as he waited for her answer.

Kim shook her head. ‘It was the only way to—’

‘Fuck’s sake,’ he spat. ‘At least tell me this person has some experience of cults and their practices; at the very least that they were briefed fully about the dangers of…’

‘She’s a police officer, of course we briefed her,’ Kim snapped, defensively. No emotion for days and then everything at once at the mention of an undercover officer. What was that about? she wondered.

‘Except you didn’t even know yourself. You didn’t even believe it was a cult.’

‘We’ve been in touch. She’s fine.’

Kane shook his head. ‘Do you have any idea of the level of danger you’ve put…’

‘You wouldn’t happen to be trying to deflect attention from the question you were asked here to answer, would you?’ she asked, bristling at his tone. ‘So, I’ll ask it again in case you’ve forgotten. What have you done with Sophie Brown?’

The shutter had closed once more on his emotions.

‘What makes you think I’ve done anything with her?’

‘You said so yourself the other day. Your last words to me hinted that you already had her.’

‘And if I recall I also explained that if I did have her, the people paying me would be the first to know.’