Page 42 of Silent Scream

‘Earlier today she became convinced that a trainee nurse had been brought in to poison her. She’s quite sprightly for a woman approaching her sixties and she charged the nurse and brought her to the ground.’

‘Is she okay?’

‘She’s fine. We’ve altered her medication slightly to ...’

‘I meant the nurse.’

‘She was a bit scared but she’s okay now. It’s part and parcel of working in this profession.’

Yep, all in the normal day of living with a paranoid schizophrenic.

Kim was eager to end the phone call. ‘Is there anything else?’

‘No, that’s all.’

‘Thank you for the call but I would appreciate it if you made a further note on the file regarding my previous instruction.’

‘Of course, Miss Stone and once again, apologies for my error.’

Kim hit the end button and leaned against the lamp post, banishing all thoughts of her mother from her mind.

She only gave thought to that woman on her terms. And that was once a month at a time and place of her choosing. Within her control.

She left all thoughts of her mother in the street and closed the front door firmly behind her. Kim would not allow her mother’s influence into her place of safety.

She took fresh mugs from the cupboard and poured more coffee for herself and Bryant. He said nothing as she re-entered the garage, as though it was the most natural thing in the world for her to take flight from her own home to accept a phone call.

She resumed her seat on the workbench and placed the petrol tank on her lap. She reached for a wire brush, similar in size and shape to a toothbrush and gently brushed at a small patch of rust on the right hand side. Flecks of brown landed on her jeans.

‘Surely there’s a quicker way of doing that?’

‘Oh, Bryant, only a man would be concerned with the speed.’

An easy silence settled between them as she worked.

‘He’ll keep you on the case, you know,’ Bryant said, quietly.

Kim shook her head. She was not so sure. ‘I don’t know, Bryant. Woody’s right when he says I can’t be trusted. He knows that regardless of any promises I might make there are some times when I just can’t help myself.’

‘And that’s why he’ll keep you on it.’

She looked at him.

‘He knows how you work and yet you’re still around. There is no disciplinary on your file ... which is beyond shocking, if you want the truth. He knows that you get results and that you won’t rest until you solve a case, especially this case.’

Kim said nothing. This case was personal to her and Woody might feel that was detrimental.

‘And there’s one other reason why he won’t remove you from the case.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Because he would be a damn fool to do so – and we both know that Woody is no fool.’

Kim sighed heavily as she put the tank aside. She sincerely hoped her colleague and friend was right.

Twenty-Three

Nicola Adamson rewoundthe news report and watched it again.