Page 31 of Killing Mind

Kim shook her head in disbelief. There were no cults in the area.

‘I can see you don’t believe me but you wanted the truth and here it is. Sammy was caught by a recruiter when she was at her most vulnerable. After Callum called it off once and for all she was courted and flattered and we saw her less and less. The more we tried to hold onto, her the harder she pulled away, until she stopped coming home completely. No conversation, no explanation, she just faded away.’

‘To where?’ Kim asked, trying to keep the doubt out of her voice.

‘Unity Farm in Wolverley. That’s what the place is called but it’s not really a farm. It’s a commune for people who want to step out of real life. Over time they’re brainwashed until they can no longer think for themselves and everything they do is for the good of the group.’

Kim frowned. ‘But she was out of it. Did she come back?’

‘Y… yes, she ran away. We didn’t ask her too many questions because we were just pleased to have her back.’

Kim was trying to get that information to gel in her mind as Bryant re-entered the room with a tea tray. Mrs Brown did not follow him in.

There was something in Mr Brown’s explanation that was not making sense to her. If Sammy had joined some kind of group and had been influenced enough to leave her family, what would have prompted her to suddenly leave.

‘Surely Samantha must have offered some kind of explanation when she returned,’ Kim said as her phone vibrated an incoming call in her pocket. She ignored it.

‘She just said the group wasn’t what they had pretended to be,’ he answered.

‘Was she any more forthcoming with her sister?’ Kim asked.

He coloured and shook his head. ‘I’ve told you they weren’t close. Sophie can’t tell you anything about her sister.’

Kim knew that the man was lying to prevent her talking to the girl. But why, what exactly did Sophie have to hide? Kim wondered as her phone pinged a text message.

‘I’m sorry, excuse me,’ she said, taking out her phone. Someone wanted her attention badly.

The text was from Mitch and said simply

Need you back at the lake. NOW

She held the curse on the other side of her lips. She really needed to pump Myles Brown for more information, but Mitch was the lead techie at a crime scene.

She stood up, and saw the relief instantly rest on his features.

‘I’m sorry we have to go but we will need to speak to you further.’

He nodded his understanding and walked them to the door.

‘Oh, Mr Brown,’ she said, stepping outside, ‘was Sammy a vegan?’

He shook his head. ‘She wasn’t a massive meat eater but she couldn’t have survived without a bacon sandwich now and again.’

‘Was she on any kind of health kick?’ she tried again. Maybe she was detoxing.

He shook his head impatiently as though this level of triviality was beneath his time. She thanked him and allowed him to close the door.

‘Get anything from the wife?’ she asked Bryant, as they headed towards the car.

‘Not a bean. Wouldn’t answer a thing. Made the tea in silence and then headed upstairs to prepare the bedroom for Sophie, who is due back any time soon.’

Kim seriously hoped so. She wanted to speak to this girl now more than ever.

As he left the driveway at speed Bryant almost collided with a vehicle turning in; a white Range Rover being driven by a burly man who appeared to be dressed all in black.

Kim recalled the description Penn had been given by Samantha’s neighbour but had no chance to get the registration number before it disappeared around the bend.

Damn it, she couldn’t hang about. She was needed back at the crime scene.