Page 42 of Killing Mind

‘No personal relationships between family members.’

‘Family?’

He nodded. ‘Of course. That’s what we are and physical relationships bring too many negative emotions and complications into the mix.’

‘But surely you can’t control that,’ Kim said. Put a group of people together and sexual tension would appear somewhere.

‘It’s not about control. The people who are here want to follow our way of life. Many have been hurt beyond repair by abusive relationships.’

‘Including Samantha?’ Kim asked, still not convinced that feelings could be governed and controlled quite so easily as making them into a rule to be followed.

‘It is my understanding that Samantha had been recently hurt by someone before joining us.’

‘And that convinced her to give up her complete way of life?’ Kim queried. ‘One bad relationship?’

‘Inspector, some people don’t even realise what’s missing in their lives until they find it. Sammy came here broken. She had no hope. She was depressed and had been abandoned by all her friends. Even her parents didn’t understand the depth of pain she was feeling. With our help she blossomed into a warm, kind, enthusiastic…’

‘But however well you put her back together and mended her broken heart you were asking her to give up the chance of finding love by keeping her here,’ Kim stated.

‘Now hang on,’ he said, holding up his hands and leaning back in his seat. ‘First of all, no one who joins us is forced to stay any longer than they want to. Unity Farm is not a prison and everyone is free to leave any time they want. Samantha found something here that was right for her right now. That’s not to say she wouldn’t have changed her mind eventually when she felt…’

‘But she did,’ Kim said, confused. ‘She did change her mind and left this place a few months ago.’

Jake regarded her for a moment. ‘Let me explain something, Inspector. Samantha had become a different person to the one who had arrived. Living a simpler life without some of the pressures of outside life enabled her to open up and discover the person she really was. Over time she became involved in many parts of Farm life. She enjoyed time in the garden, in the kitchen and had just signed up other members to form an art class. She wanted to teach. But more importantly her best friend here was due into hospital for minor surgery the day after Sammy disappeared and Sammy was due to go with her.’

‘So, what are you saying?’ Kim asked, to be clear.

‘That Samantha had no wish to leave us. She was, without a doubt, taken by force.’

Thirty-Five

‘And that’s all he’d say?’ Woody asked as Kim relayed the conversation she’d had with Jake Black.

Kim nodded. ‘Wouldn’t say by whom or what made him so sure, just that Sammy wouldn’t have left of her own accord. To be honest, he kind of dried up a little bit after that and offered to return us to our car.’

‘Your thoughts on Unity Farm?’ he asked.

‘Place appears to be nice enough, everyone I saw seemed happy, a bit quiet but content. A lot of money has gone into the place. I’m not sure whose money as he evaded the financial set-up pretty well.’

‘Any suspects for the murders?’

Kim shook her head.

‘Then leave it alone for now. We don’t want to appear to be harassing a group of people who have chosen to live an alternative lifestyle.’

And that’s why he was in charge, she reasoned.

‘I’ll need to speak to Myles Brown again, sir and I may have to roll my sleeves up just a little bit. I know he’s not telling me everything.’

‘Okay, but don’t roll them up too far,’ he warned. ‘And keep Bryant with you at all times.’

Bryant had dropped her off at the entrance and then shot off, and the rest of her team were waiting to be sent home too. She chose not to share that information.

She continued. ‘Myles Brown claims Samantha left of her own accord and Jake Black says she didn’t.’ She shook her head. ‘But that’s not why I requested the meeting.’

He eyed her suspiciously.

She took a breath, ‘Sir, we need to drag the lake at Himley Park.’