Page 133 of Silent Scream

He knelt beside the body of William, the blade resting above his carotid artery.

‘Oh, I think not, my dear. There is only you that would get close to suspecting me. I saw it in your face the other day. Even if you didn’t know it yourself. I knew it wouldn’t be long until you put it together.’

‘You murdered three innocent girls?’

‘I’d hardly call them innocent.’

Kim knew she would have to delay him for as long as possible. No one knew where she was. He was right that no one was coming to help her. Her one chance for escape lay unconscious, six feet away.

But she had to keep him talking. While he was talking, she was breathing.

Kim cursed herself for not putting it together quicker. Something Nicola had said had not rung true. Tracy Morgan would not have said she was going to get money from the father of the child. She would have used the term ‘baby’s dad’ or the man’s name. She had meant she was going to get money from The Father.

‘Tracy’s child was yours?’

‘Of course it was mine. The stupid little bitch thought she could blackmail me. She even wanted to keep the child and make a new life for herself.’

‘Did you rape her?’

‘Let’s just say she played hard to get.’

Every cell of her being ached to take that knife and drive it deep between his eyes.

‘You evil bastard. How the hell could you do that?’

‘Because she was a nothing, Detective. Like many of the others, she had no one. There was no purpose to her life.’

‘Why didn’t she report you?’

Kim already knew the reason before the sentence was out of her mouth.

‘Because it’s what she felt she deserved. Deep down inside herself she also knew she was a nothing. Her life ? or lack of it ? affected no one. Her presence affected nothing. No one cried, no one grieved. She was worthless.’

Kim’s own rage began to build. She understood that feeling. Knowing that the only people in your life were being paid to be there ate away at you. The feeling of worthlessness, once absorbed, never went away. Daily, events would occur to reinforce that belief.

‘So, Tracy was first?’ Kim asked. She had to keep him on track while she worked out how to get herself free.

‘Yes, Tracy was first. Her little cronies would have been fine if they hadn’t been so persistent. They would keep insisting that Tracy had not run away.’

‘But you buried her alive,’ Kim said, incredulously.

Wilks shrugged, but Kim saw something pass through his eyes.

‘You couldn't kill her yourself?’ she asked, with surprise. ‘It wasn't intentional to bury her alive. You were going to kill her but you couldn't do it. Oh my God, you actually felt something for that girl.’

‘Don't be ridiculous,’ he barked. ‘I felt nothing for her. I simply gave her vodka so she’d be easier to handle. I had already decided on my course of action.’

Kim felt the bile rise in her throat. A vision swam before her eyes of Tracy Morgan; intoxicated, pliable. It would have proven too tempting for the evil bastard to resist.

‘You raped her again, didn’t you?’

She saw his smile. ‘See, Detective. I knew I was right about you. You certainly know how to use that head of yours.’

‘But you’re a man of God?’

‘And He knows me better than anyone and yet He has afforded me these opportunities. If He felt I was wrong in any way He would have stopped me.

‘The other two didn’t believe she’d run away. Everyone else did. The rumour was out there that she was pregnant so everyone just felt she’d either run away with the father of the child or gone somewhere to get it taken care of.’