Page 55 of Killing Mind

‘I swear… I don’t…’

‘We just want to know more about her time at the Farm.’

‘But I didn’t know her.’

‘Was she happy?’ Kim pushed.

‘Everyone at the farm is happy.’

‘Did she upset anyone?’ Kim asked, firing the questions to unnerve her.

‘I couldn’t say but…’

‘You didn’t know her?’ Bryant said, stepping forward.

Britney said nothing.

‘You used the word “didn’t” know her. Past tense, indicating you know that she’s gone from the Farm or that you know she’s dead, but either way you know who we’re talking about.’

For a moment, she looked stricken.

‘Britney, why won’t you talk to us about Sammy?’

Her gaze dropped to the floor before she mumbled, ‘I’m sorry; I’ve been told I can’t.’

‘By whom?’

The girl just shook her head.

‘You know, Britney, we could always have this chat down at the station,’ Kim threatened. ‘Maybe then you’ll remember more about your old friend, Sammy.’

Britney raised her head and met Kim’s gaze. Her expression was resolute. ‘You can say what you want but I’m not talking and I’m not scared of you.’

No, she wasn’t, Kim realised. But she was certainly scared of someone.

Forty-Five

Penn smoothed back his hair one last time before knocking the door to the home of Josie Finch, the daughter of Sheila Thorpe.

The semi-detached house lay at the arc of a cul-de-sac in Coseley that he hadn’t even known was here.

Lie, the boss had instructed him, until they had something more concrete, but he intended to stay as close to the truth as he could.

He cleared his throat as the door began to open.

He recognised the blonde bob hairstyle from her Facebook photos. She wore less make-up and was dressed in jeans and a shirt.

‘Josie Finch?’ he asked.

She nodded as she appraised him, wondering who or what the hell he was. He got that a lot.

‘DS Penn,’ he said, holding up his ID.

The normal expression of alarm registered on her face.

‘There’s nothing wrong,’ he assured her quickly before she did a quick mental inventory of all family members and their whereabouts. ‘I’d like to chat about your mum if that’s okay.’

He saw a flash of anger but she stood aside and pointed towards the room on the right.