Page 79 of Little Children

‘Bloody hell, Stace. Okay, no problem. We’ll head back to you now.’

He ended the call before she had a chance to respond. The conversation had brought Moss back to the top of the stairs.

‘Gotta get back, mate,’ Bryant said, shrugging. ‘Stacey’s got something she needs us to see.’

He saw the indecision cross Moss’s face.

‘I can call her back and send her to Red if you want,’ he bluffed.

‘Fuck it,’ he said, heading back down the stairs and out of the front door.

Pippa frowned again, but this time her expression held a glimmer of curiosity.

He’d known in the car he didn’t have the stomach to allow Moss to abuse Pippa again, even if allowing the act would give him the proof that he needed. A simple text to his colleague had ensured he’d be able to interrupt the whole thing.

Somehow, and he didn’t yet know how, he would make sure that Roy Moss never had the chance to abuse her again.

Fifty

Although the gym looked small from the outside, it opened to an expansive area that encompassed a boxing ring, equipment area, and a partition that led to a badminton court and a dance studio.

They were approached immediately by a man wearing a red tee shirt that sported the name of the gym on the left-hand breast.

Kim held up her identification.

‘That was bloody quick,’ he said, offering a smile. When she said nothing, he continued, ‘I assume you’re here about the smashed wing mirror out front. I’m Warren. I spoke to the woman who?—’

‘Not exactly why we’re here, Warren. How long have you worked here?’ she asked.

‘Almost seven years. How can I help?’

‘Remember the young boy who went missing?’

The memory didn’t come easily to him, but eventually he nodded. ‘Jake… err…’

‘Josh Lucas,’ she reminded him.

‘Yeah, yeah, I remember him. Nice kid.’

‘Were you on duty that night?’

Warren glanced over at the door as it opened and nodded a greeting to two teenagers with duffel bags.

‘Wanna step over here?’ he asked, pointing them to two worn leather sofas on the edge of the boxing ring.

As they sat down, a couple of guys in their early twenties got into the ring.

‘Yeah, I was on duty. There was a small fire in a bin out back. Fire alarm went off. Everyone headed outside, and Josh went home. That’s it.’

‘Well, that’s not it, is it, Warren, because Josh never made it home. You were probably one of the last people to see him.’

‘I wasn’t really paying attention. I was trying to make sure everyone was safe.’

‘From the fire, which was caused by…?’

‘Oh, just a small bin fire in the kitchen. A bowl of water sorted it out.’

‘And the cause?’ she asked.