Page 68 of Killing Mind

Kim felt there was something more she needed to say, but didn’t know what it was.

‘Speak later,’ Tiff said, heading across the road.

Kim watched silently as she fell into step behind a group of four boys. Changed into jeans and trainers and with a backpack borrowed from a colleague, she really didn’t look out of place.

‘You okay, guv?’ Bryant asked, following her gaze.

‘Yeah, yeah, she fits right in,’ Kim said, as she went out of view.

Ever since she’d witnessed Tiff’s attempt at crying a feeling of unease had started to build in her stomach. What had seemed like a good idea at the time was rapidly losing its appeal. It had seemed so simple, get her in there, do a little digging and leave, but as they’d briefed her Kim had begun to realise they had no idea what kind of people they were dealing with. Tiffany had never been undercover before. Officers undertook extensive training before embarking on this level of deceit.

‘She’ll be fine,’ Bryant said, starting the car. ‘It’s just a few hours.’

‘I’d forgotten how bloody young and naïve she…’

‘Guv, she’s many things. She’s also a fully trained police officer.’

Kim nodded. Easy to forget sometimes.

‘It’s only a few hours. She’ll be back later and we really need to get to the lake.’

‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Kim said, as he pulled away from the kerb.

Kim glanced back once more to the spot where Tiffany had disappeared into the crowd and realised what had been on the tip of her tongue.

She had wanted to tell the girl to stay safe.

Fifty-Six

Tiffany spotted the girl Britney as soon as she turned the corner. She was speaking animatedly to three girls having a smoke, looking bored and trying to edge away.

Tiff looked around and saw a great spot on a wall not too far away from the red-haired girl.

The boss had told her not to cry but to look upset instead. She didn’t have much experience with crying because it wasn’t something she chose to do. She never had.

The boss had also given her a cover story of a bad boyfriend break-up, but Tiff had chosen her own. She knew she wasn’t good at outright lying. Her brain just didn’t work that way. Her plan was to stay as close to the truth as she could.

She lowered her head and remembered the conversation she’d had with her mother before she’d left for work.

Tiff knew that still living at home at her age was uncommon. She was a police officer and could easily afford a small place of her own. She didn’t stay for financial reasons.

As the youngest of five children, Tiff had been born when all four of her brothers had needed their parents’ attention more than her. Three weeks after her fourth birthday her father had been killed in a motorway accident leaving even less attention to go around.

Largely ignored by her brothers she had invented her own world where everyone was happy and she convinced herself that her day would come. One by one her brothers had left home to start their own lives and the day had finally come that she had her mum all to herself.

It was not the picture she’d dreamed of. Her mum still spent the majority of her time running around after ‘her boys’; going to their houses to clean, to accept deliveries, pick up shopping, tend their gardens, anything to make their lives easier. A year ago, her mum had downsized to a three bed end terrace. Perfect for the two of them, or so she’d thought until this morning.

‘Ryan’s coming home,’ her mother said.

Hardly a shocker, Tiff thought. She’d heard the conversations. He’d been caught cheating and his wife had thrown him out.

‘So, you’ll have to move into the box room,’ she’d continued.

‘Why do I have to move?’ Tiff asked, surely as the incumbent child she should be able to stay where she was. Ryan had spent a couple of nights in a hotel hoping Sasha would relent. She hadn’t and he was clearly missing his home comforts.

‘Because boys need more room,’ was the answer that explained everything.

The reasoning had taken her back to her whole childhood. Move over so the boys can sit down. What are you upset for, it’s only a doll? Put that down, it’s for the boys.