Page 29 of Silent Scream

She glanced to the west and shook her head. How comforting for kids that had been abandoned, abused and neglected to look out of their windows onto a field for the dead.

There were times when the insensitivity of the system appalled her. It was a building that had become vacant and that was all that had mattered.

She sighed and blew a silent kiss to Mikey’s grave, which now lay behind a curtain of mist, sealing them off from the rest of the world two hundred feet in each direction.

A Volvo estate pulled onto a dirt patch at the top of the site.

Kim walked over as Professor Milton and two men exited the vehicle.

‘Detective, good to see you again.’

Kim saw a remarkable change in the demeanour of the professor since the previous day. His cheeks were rosy and his eyes bright. His gait was sprightly and purposeful. If that was after one night in the care of Mrs Pearson, she might consider booking in herself.

He turned to his companions as Bryant materialised beside her. ‘This is Darren Brown and Carl Newton. They’re volunteers that were scheduled to assist on my dig. They’ll be operating the equipment.’

Kim felt obliged to come clean with the professor after the trouble he had taken.

‘You know this is a hunch, Professor? There may be nothing down there.’

His eyes were serious and his voice low. ‘But what if there is, Detective? I’ve been trying to excavate this land for two years and someone has done their level best to stop me. I’d like to know why.’

Kim was satisfied that he understood.

A Vauxhall Astra pulled in beside the professor’s car. A portly male in his fifties got out of the car, followed by a tall, red-headed woman Kim guessed to be in her late twenties.

‘David, thank you for coming,’ Kim said.

‘I don’t recall there being a great deal of choice, Detective,’ he said with a half-smile.

‘Professor Milton, please meet Doctor Matthews.’

The two men shook hands.

Kim had met Doctor David Matthews at the University of Glamorgan which, together with Cardiff University and South Wales police, formed a unique organisation in the UK called the Universities Police Science Institute. It was dedicated to research and training in police-related matters.

Doctor Matthews was an advisor for the Glamorgan Centre for Police Sciences and had been instrumental in setting up the Crime Scene Investigation House at the university.

Kim had attended a seminar there two years earlier and had offered a couple of suggestions for improvement to the scenario training based on her own crime scene experience, which had resulted in her staying on for the weekend.

‘May I introduce Cerys Hughes. She is a fully qualified archaeologist and has just completed a degree in forensic science.’

Kim nodded in her direction.

‘Okay, it’s important you both understand that we have no authority here as yet. My boss is working on the red tape so nothing can be disturbed until the paperwork is in order. If you suspect the presence of anything at all, let me know.’

David Matthews stepped forward. ‘You have three hours of our time for these shenanigans and if nothing is detected by then we will be on our way.’

Kim nodded. Three hours of his time for two days of hers. Yep, that seemed fair.

He continued. ‘Cerys and I will cut a small feature at the top of the land to begin analysing the soil.’

Kim nodded towards Cerys. The fiery red hair was cut in a sleek bob that rested just below a square jaw line. Her pale blue eyes were piercing. Not naturally beautiful, she had a face that was intriguing, that drew attention.

The woman acknowledged her without smiling and followed David as he walked towards the top edge of the site.

A white Escort van took the last space on the dirt patch.

A woman opened the rear doors. A steaming urn and foil wrapped packages were inside.