Page 14 of Killing Mind

‘What can I do? He’s going to be released tomorrow and I know it’s going to happen again. He’ll re-offend and another young girl…’

‘Whoa! Easy, Tiger,’ she warned. ‘First of all, you know no such thing. You might suspect it, just like I suspect that Dorothy next door will put her wheelie-bin in front of my garage door again tomorrow, but I can’t kick it over until she actually does it.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘You actually do that?’

She left the question unanswered and continued. ‘Bryant, this is notMinority Report. We can’t assume people are going to commit crimes before they actually do it.’

‘But my gut says…’

‘It doesn’t matter what your gut says. He could send you a signed letter telling you he’s gonna re-offend but you can’t get him back behind bars until he does it.’

Anger sparked in his eyes until he realised that none of this was her fault.

‘He’s served more than twenty-five years. Right?’

Bryant nodded. ‘Almost twenty-six.’

‘We both know that doesn’t compensate for a life but no amount of years will do that. It’s the best the justice system has got and, although you’re not gonna like my opinion, I’m telling you that it’s time to let it go.’ She had tried to soften the last few words. They both knew what it was like with that one case that haunted you. It was as though it left a small scar on your left elbow that you touched for the rest of your life. She knew she was steering him right and she also knew it was the last thing he wanted to hear.

‘And right now, we have another poor girl who needs your attention more.’

‘Yeah, I saw the email,’ he said, pushing his stool away from the counter.

‘You want me to run through…’

‘Nah,’ he said, shaking his head ‘I’ll catch up at the briefing in the morning.’ He tapped the counter twice. ‘I’ll see you then.’

She watched him leave with a distracted pat on the head for Barney.

A strange feeling washed over her as the door closed behind him. It reminded her of walking away from a crime scene with an instinct there was something she’d missed.

Bryant was her friend, he had come to her for advice and she had given it. There was nothing she could have possibly missed. Case closed.

And yet when she glanced at his untouched coffee she got the sense he hadn’t heard a word she’d said.

Fifteen

Bryant had left the house early to be at the Crossley residence by six, to enable him to make the morning briefing at the station by seven.

Despite the boss’s words the night before he’d known he had to do this, and a quick call last night had sought permission to visit at such an ungodly hour. The permission had been given begrudgingly and he’d expected nothing less.

The door to the ground floor flat in Lutley Mill was opened by a man who had not aged well.

Damon Crossley had never been a handsome man. His deep-set eyes and high forehead had given him a hawkish appearance. The sallow jowls were heavier with the additional weight gained over the years. But that scowl on his face hadn’t changed a bit.

‘Yer wanna come in?’

No, he’d got up at 5 a.m. to stand on the bloody doorstep, he almost said, ignoring the hostile tone. It wasn’t Damon he’d come to see.

‘How is she?’ he asked, stepping into the hall.

‘How the fuck you think she is?’

Yes, it was a stupid question. He was guessing Tina Crossley was angry, disappointed, shocked and most likely scared.

‘Straight ahead,’ Damon said, pointing to the small lounge.

Bryant took a breath before entering the room, steeling himself for what he was about to see.