Page 115 of Little Children

‘Slow again,’ Stacey said. ‘This time on the right. Half a mile ahead. Single building at the end of a dirt track.’

There was silence in the car until Bryant pulled to a stop at the next break in the hedge.

Kim got out of the car as Red pulled up behind. A third car pulled up behind him.

Steve Ashworth had managed to stick with them.

Kim was met with a locked field gate. The dirt road was a good half mile long but straight, and appeared to lead to a single building like a cowshed or a barn.

‘You see that?’ Kim asked Red, who had appeared beside her.

‘Lights and cars, lots of them.’

‘Why?’ Kim asked.

‘Exactly,’ he agreed.

Kim felt in her bones that they were in the right place.

‘We need a closer look,’ she said, putting her foot in the first rung of the field gate.

Bryant tried to follow suit.

‘Yeah, not you,’ she said. With the limp he was still sporting, he’d never make it over the gate, never mind the half-mile walk to the building.

Red took her cue and began to climb the gate.

Kim couldn’t help but think that his nice suit wasn’t going to like following her around.

‘Bryant, explain to Steve what’s going on and then don’t let him out of your sight. Everyone else focus on getting these cars hidden before anyone attempts to leave.’

She stepped away from the gate and moved to the left of the dirt track, using the cover of the trees in case anyone was watching from up ahead.

‘I didn’t know, all right,’ Red said, moving quietly behind her.

Instantly, Kim knew he was talking about Roy.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I knew he was a bastard, but I didn’t think he was capable of murder.’

‘I don’t think any of us thought that,’ she said honestly. But a part of her still couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen some signs of the man’s corruption, given how closely they’d worked together.

As Roy’s superior officer, Red was going to have to answer some difficult questions and justify himself to someone far higher up the food chain than her… but right now she needed him and his team on her side.

As they neared the building, Kim could see there was no one standing guard. They obviously felt that secrecy and a padlocked gate was enough security.

A few metres closer and it was clear that the light being cast was coming from inside the building. A gentle hum told her that a portable generator was powering that lighting, some of which was leaking out of slatted boards to illuminate the vehicles.

Closest to the building were two vans, the nearest being the one they’d seen on CCTV.

Her pulse quickened as she realised they were definitely in the right place. Lewis might be in that building, possibly even Noah too.

‘Let’s look around the side,’ Red whispered.

She followed as he led the way. If someone came out right now, they’d be caught.

Bramble and brush had been allowed to grow up the side of the building, and Red’s suit took another hit as he stamped a path through.

Being this close to the building, they could now hear the sounds from within. There were oohs, aahs, cheers and boos, but what struck Kim most was the sound of excitement. The sheer exhilaration of what they were witnessing.