Page 72 of Killing Mind

Penn shook his head. Just about the only people who had been helpful were the bank, who had confirmed that no money had been transferred in after Sheila had emptied the account.

Stacey saw his pensive expression.

‘You really want to give Josie Finch something, don’t you?’

He nodded. ‘And yet, I don’t know how anything I have to offer can help. She’s either lost her mother or lost her mother.’

Stacey saw the sadness that crossed his face. She knew the time for his own mother was close but he didn’t mention it, so neither did she.

‘Hey, Penn, if you ever…’

‘Did you just ding?’ he asked, glancing at her phone.

She wasn’t sure but the message she’d got from her colleague was loud and clear.

She picked up her phone and sure enough, a message had popped up in the mail box of her fake profile.

Before pressing on it she noted she’d had no notification to say she’d been allowed into the group.

As soon as she opened the message it was clear the sender was shouting.

It read:

If this is you Eric Leland trying to get in with another fake profile Fuck Off

Stacey read the message again, which had been sent from someone called Penny Hicks.

Oh well, she hadn’t made it into the group but she now had two names for the price of one.

Sixty

As they reached the bottom of the hill two minibuses pulled up to the side of the farmhouse.

‘Who are they?’ Tiff asked, as men and women piled off chatting animatedly with each other.

Everyone smiled and waved in their direction.

‘Some of the guys coming back from work. Everyone here contributes something.’

Tiff noted the vehicles were both just a couple of years old. She wondered who had contributed those.

‘Come on, there’s someone I’d like you to meet,’ Britney said, grabbing her hand and holding it tight. Tiff suddenly had the feeling of being back at junior school about to skip around the playground with her new best friend.

Tiffany tried to take note of where they were going, but the farmhouse was bigger than she’d thought and filled with people coming and going to somewhere.

Tiffany realised they were heading towards the most delicious smell she could imagine.

Her stomach grumbled in appreciation. She’d been about to eat lunch when she’d been summoned to see the DCI.

‘Aah, there you are,’ Britney said, brightly, as an attractive white-haired man headed towards them. She was immediately struck by the light blue eyes that stared straight at her. She was unsure if she saw a hint of suspicion in those eyes before he smiled widely and offered his hand.

‘Jake Black, pleased to meet you.’

‘Tiffany, Tiff,’ she answered, unable to look away.

‘He’s not just Jake Black,’ Britney said. ‘He founded this place and welcomed us all to share in it.’

Jake smiled fondly as he placed a hand on Britney’s shoulder. The girl glanced up at him with unconcealed admiration.