Page 79 of Little Children (Detective Kim Stone #22)

Seventy-Eight

Kim wasn’t sure how much longer she could tolerate the stench.

Red had helped her gain access to the back of the van, where she’d found a musty dark blanket she could cover herself with. She had pushed herself to the furthest point away from the doors to avoid being detected once they were opened.

Once positioned, she’d realised how her absence would appear to her team, so she’d fired off a quick message to her colleague to assure him all was well. She didn’t need Bryant doing something rash that could jeopardise the only plan she’d been able to come up with.

After sending the message, she lay perfectly still beneath a blanket that was suffocating her. The smell of body odour, blood and urine was making her feel nauseous, but she couldn’t chance peeping her head out.

The silence surrounding the van was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on gravel and something being dragged.

Suddenly the doors were thrown open.

‘You can wait in here until we’re done,’ said a female voice.

Kim dared not breathe as someone was shoved into the van before the door was slammed shut again.

She kept perfectly still for a minute, having learned one important detail. The small amount of light escaping from the venue wasn’t enough to reach all the way inside to where she was lying. It would give her a fighting chance.

The boy who’d been thrown inside had moved to the right-hand side of the van.

She could feel his closeness. If he edged any more to the right, he’d be touching her feet.

She heard what sounded like snuffling, as though the boy had a cold.

It took her a moment to realise it wasn’t a cold. He was trying to choke back tears.

She held her breath, trying to decide the best thing to do. If she remained silent, he could discover her at any time. Not good if the kidnappers were back when that happened.

She had no choice but to take a chance.

‘Lewis?’ she whispered.

He cried out in fright and pushed himself back against the metal of the van as she removed the blanket.

She’d called it right. Huddled against the back doors was the boy who had been on her mind all week. He looked absolutely petrified.

‘It’s okay, Lewis. I’ve been looking for you,’ she said, moving towards him slowly.

She shone her phone at herself, praying he could tell that she was one of the good guys.

‘We’re gonna get you out of here,’ she whispered.

Fear shone from his eyes as he pulled up his knees in front of him and pushed himself further into the corner. Kim was reminded of a beaten and broken dog in an animal shelter.

She moved towards him slowly, using the phone to light her way.

She didn’t care how big and tough he’d once been. He was now a terrified twelve-year-old boy who would be slow to trust any stranger.

She reached out and touched his arm.

He let out a little cry of fear.

‘I swear, Lewis. I’m a police officer, and I’m going to get you home.’

He shook his head. ‘Th…they…don’t…want…’

‘Bobby is gone, sweetheart. Your mum and Kevin love you very much and want you back.’

He stopped shivering as a single tear rolled over his cheek.

Instinctively, Kim reached out and pulled him closer. His frail and beaten body was wracked with sobs as he rested his head against her shoulder. She would have stayed in that position for as long as he needed, but the kidnappers could return at any time.

‘Lewis, I need your help. Is there anything you can tell me about where they keep you?’

He pulled his head away and wiped at his eyes with his hands. ‘It’s a stable. We’re chained up, and they bring us out to go to the toilet and for training.’

Kim pushed the picture of Josh out of her mind.

‘Do you know how long it took to get here?’

‘Thirty, forty minutes,’ he said, shrugging.

In the back of this dark van, there would be little concept of time.

‘Were there any noises you can remember hearing?’

‘A train, slowing down and then speeding up.’

A station, Kim realised, probably within a mile.

There was no way he’d know the times. He probably only knew night and day.

‘How many times each day?’

‘A few. Maybe ten.’

‘And the place?—’

‘They’re coming,’ he said as the sound of footsteps on gravel met her ears. This time there were more. Other voices shouting, cars starting.

She scrabbled to her position at the back of the van and pulled the blanket over her. She prayed that nothing was showing to give her away.

As the door handle was pulled down, Lewis slid into position in front of her. She silently thanked him as his back nestled against her stomach.

If they looked deep into the van, the main thing they would see was Lewis.

‘Get in,’ she heard the woman say. ‘You’re all fucking useless.’

The van rocked from side to side as the other two boys got in.

She sensed that each had gone to either side of the vehicle, while Lewis stayed in front of her, shielding her from their view. She considered speaking to the other boys but couldn’t risk their reactions giving her away.

Under the cover of both her coat and the blanket, she took out her phone. The screen illuminated. She sent a text to Bryant telling him they were off and then held the phone tightly as two people got into the cab of the van.

‘Well, that was a fucking shitshow,’ said the female voice as the engine started. ‘The boss ain’t gonna be pleased.’

‘There was forty grand on Lewis,’ the male voice replied.

‘Three losses in one night. We are in the shit,’ she said.

Kim listened keenly as the van reversed.

The woman sighed heavily. ‘Lewis is done. Hang him up when we get back.’

Kim’s stomach turned, knowing exactly what that meant. The little boy who had cried in her arms was going to be turned into a punching bag.

She closed her eyes and prayed that everyone had followed instructions and were already in place.

She pictured what she knew of the journey and felt the van turn left at the end of the dirt track.

A half mile later, it turned right and headed towards the main road where Bryant should be waiting.

Occasional moans and groans sounded from the boys as the vehicle swung around corners or drove over potholes.

The people in the cab fell into silence, and Kim focussed on trying to keep still and hidden behind Lewis, her phone clutched in her hand.

She guessed they’d been travelling ten to twelve minutes when the male voice spoke again.

‘Hey, see that car behind. It’s been…’

Kim needed nothing further. She lit up her phone and typed two words to her colleague.

The text was simple. It read:

Back off.