Page 66 of Little Children (Detective Kim Stone #22)
Sixty-Five
Kim parted ways with Bryant at the bottom of the stairs. He headed back to the squad room while she headed up to see the chief. In hindsight, she should have checked in and updated the DCI on their current progress, but the reporting lines between herself and Red up the chain were a little blurred.
Even though her head was swimming with suspicions and theories, she still didn’t have enough to make anything substantial stick against any of the officers, and she was no closer to identifying the member or members of the team who had made a complaint.
This was probably going to be a short conversation.
‘Come in,’ DCI Walker called out when Kim knocked the door.
‘Good to have you back,’ the chief said as Kim closed the door behind her.
‘Yeah, sorry I didn’t brief you on my return,’ Kim said.
Walker pointed to the seat, indicating Kim should sit. ‘It’s okay. I assumed that if you had anything of consequence to share with me, you’d have made the time.’
‘We’re making progress, marm.’
‘Care to offer me an update now?’
‘We’ve confirmed that both boys were abducted and very likely by the same group. We also believe?—’
‘You can skip that part,’ Walker said, holding up her hand. ‘DI Butler has been keeping me up to date on Noah and Lewis, and it sounds like great work from both teams.’
Kim wasn’t sure of the accuracy of that statement, but she wasn’t here to offer a performance evaluation on the working practices of the Blackpool team. If so, she could have written a novel.
‘And the other area of your secondment?’ Walker asked, tipping her head.
‘There are issues within the team, marm,’ Kim said. They knew that Carly Walsh had used unacceptable force on a suspect. They knew that DI Butler had been inappropriate with a woman who was now dead, and they knew Roy Moss was breaking just about every rule in the book.
She also knew they had no proof to offer that the chief could do anything with.
‘Would you like to share your findings with me?’
‘Not right now, marm, because I can’t give you anything you can use. But I hope to have something soon.’
It looked as though the chief wanted to push further, but she knew that Kim spoke the truth. Accusation and allegations without evidence were like poison darts.
‘And the informant?’ Walker asked, raising the third reason they’d been asked to assist.
Regretfully, Kim shook her head. ‘We haven’t identified any obvious source.’
Walker nodded her understanding.
‘As a believer of gut reactions, I’m interested in your instinct, Inspector. Do you feel that the complaints came from within the team? Do you feel that any of my officers are in danger?’
Kim thought long and hard before shaking her head. ‘I’ve seen nothing to suggest it.’
‘Okay. Thank you for your observations. On that note, I think it’s time for your team to take your leave and return to your own case.’
Kim didn’t hide her surprise. ‘But we’re making progress on both the investigation and the internal concerns.’
Walker offered her a smile. ‘Unfortunately, I think your presence here is causing a distraction. I still have two missing boys and now a rape–murder case. I need my whole team completely focussed on these active investigations.’
Kim heard what wasn’t being said. ‘Red wants us gone, doesn’t he?’
The chief had the grace to leave the question unanswered, but Kim knew she was right. Red knew they were getting close, and he wanted them gone.
Kim considered divulging everything they knew or suspected about the team.
That their detective inspector had acted inappropriately with the victim of a crime who had been raped and murdered after divulging this information to herself and Bryant. No complainant or witness to substantiate the story.
That one of their detective sergeants had taken sickening photos of female victims at crime scenes and pressured a woman into having sex, not to mention the possibility of planting evidence to frame someone for murder. No complainant or witness to substantiate the story.
That someone within the team was deliberately obstructing the investigation into the missing boys.
Problem was they had absolutely no proof.
There was a chance that the chief wouldn’t believe her; and even if she did and started an investigation, there was a risk they’d put the tipster in immediate danger.
And Kim wouldn’t be able to protect them if she had been sent on her way. If only she had a little more time.
‘Marm, I’m sure we can continue to assist with trying to find Lewis and?—’
‘I think your contribution has been substantial. Please don’t think I’m not grateful for all you’ve done to move the investigation forward. I just need my team’s focus solely on the cases on their desks.’
Kim understood the decision. She was sure Woody would have done the same in this position, but she really felt that given a little more time, they could have given her evidence about one completely bent copper and maybe even identified the informant.
She wondered if that was something they could continue to investigate remotely.
She owed it one last shot.
‘Marm, I really think we?—’
‘Please understand that your input has been invaluable, and DCI Woodward is lucky to have you, but I need my team free and clear of distraction.’
Kim admired the panache with which she was being told to leave, not once but twice.
Regardless of how much she wanted to continue to work the missing boys case, she wouldn’t make the chief say it a third time.
She resolved to meet with Woody the minute they were back and enlist his help to continue working the cases.
She thanked the woman for her time and headed back to her team, wondering if they were going to be as pissed off as she was.