Page 124 of Silent Scream

Bryant came to stand beside her.

‘Get what you wanted?’ she asked.

Bryant nodded and turned to Nina. ‘Your husband is asking for you.’

Nina looked from one to the other, realising she’d been tricked. The colour flooded her face. Nina Croft did not like to lose.

‘You devious little bitch ...’

Kim turned and walked away.

‘Hearts and minds exercise, there, Guv?’

‘BFFs now. What did you get?’

‘Absolutely bugger all.’

Kim stopped walking. ‘Are you joking?’

Bryant shook his head. ‘Nope.’

‘We have a live victim. Our one survivor of a bastard that’s killed at least two people and Croft can give us nothing?’

‘Guv, he can barely get two words out but by a yes and no system I managed to work out that he was standing up, and facing away from the door when the knife was plunged into his back. He fell forward and lost consciousness immediately.’

Kim blew air through her lips. ‘Minutes, Bryant. We must have missed him by bloody minutes. Whoever it was knew they had a small window of opportunity while Marta was out shopping and knew the only way to get in and out undetected.’

It wasdark as they stepped out of the hospital building.

‘Look, I’ve already told Kev. Take the day off tomorrow. On Saturday we’ll try and piece everything together. It’s been one hell of a week.’

For once Bryant didn’t argue.

Kim headed around the side of the hospital to where she’d parked the bike. She turned the corner into the darkness.

As she reached for the helmet which was locked to the wheel her phone began to ring.

Sixty-Three

She hit the call button. The battery flashed red.

‘What's up, Stace?’

‘Guv, I've been trawling back through some old posts on Facebook and I've come across something I think yer should know.’

‘Go on.’

‘About eight months ago one of the girls spotted Tom Curtis at Dudley Zoo with his family. She posted on the board commenting on his weight and wondering what they'd all seen in him back then.

‘A few childish jokes followed about him putting his hot dog in someone's bun and crap like that but then they started mentioning our three girls as well.’

Kim closed her eyes against what she knew was coming.

‘It's clear he was having sex with one of 'em, Guv.’

Kim thought about the pregnant fifteen-year-old. ‘Was Tracy mentioned by name?’

‘No, Guv, that's the thing. Tom Curtis was sleeping withLouise.’