Page 48 of Little Children

‘Can you let us in?’ Kim asked.

The gate began to slide open. She walked through the gap while Bryant waited for the opening process to complete so he could follow with the car.

A woman in her late fifties stepped out of the house dressed in plain black trousers, a sweatshirt and a cleaning smock top.

‘Is he home?’ Kim asked.

She shook her head. ‘He called and asked me to come and close up for him.’

‘Close up?’ Kim asked.

‘I clean for him three times a week, but my usual day is tomorrow. He said he was going on a business trip and that he’d forgotten to tell me.’

He’d forgotten to mention it to them earlier as well.

This wasn’t planned. It was only a few hours since they’d been here, and he’d shown no signs of being about to go away.

‘Did he say how long he’d be gone?’ Kim asked.

She shook her head. ‘Just said to maintain my usual routine,’ she said, showing them a single key with a gate fob attached.

‘Any idea where?’

‘Other business trips have involved Thailand. He has a place there.’

Yes, what self-respecting paedophile of considerable means didn’t have a hideaway in Thailand?

Despite its beauty, the country was one of the top five worst countries for child prostitution, along with Sri Lanka, Brazil, America and Canada.

She’d read that due to the hidden nature of the business, accurate figures were hard to come by, although it was estimated that in Thailand some thirty to forty thousand children were being exploited as prostitutes. Where else would the bastard have a holiday home?

‘And is this rare?’ Kim asked.

‘Not his trips. He goes once, maybe twice every month, but I normally know about it ahead of time.’

So, what had spooked him into leaving so suddenly? Had he suspected they were going to be paying him another visit?

‘How long have you worked for him?’ Kim asked.

Maybe it wouldn’t be a totally wasted journey if this woman could tell them more about Skidmore.

‘Four years.’

‘And you don’t mind…?’

‘Of course I mind, but I’ve got a kid with special needs. This way I don’t have to leave him for twelve hours a day to afford to take care of him.’

Obviously, the man paid well enough for her to put a pause on her principles. Kim couldn’t really judge her. She had bills to pay – and expensive ones by the sound of it.

‘My family don’t know though,’ she admitted, putting her hands in her pockets.

Yeah, it was nothing to shout about either.

But since she’d worked for him for four years, Skidmore had to have some kind of trust in her.

‘Have you ever seen or heard anything that makes you uncomfortable?’ Kim asked.

‘God, no, and if it wasn’t for the sex offenders’ register and those pictures on the wall, you’d never know that…’ She pulled a face. ‘You get my drift.’