Page 53 of Silent Scream

To the right, there was very little sound. A nurse wheeled around a trolley dispensing medication. No one looked in their direction.

The woman from behind the glass stepped out of the office. She had donned a badge just above her left breast that read ‘Cath’.

‘How can I help you?’

‘We’d like to talk to one of your residents; Mary Andrews.’

Cath’s hand went to her throat. ‘Are you family members?’

‘Detectives,’ Bryant answered. He continued talking but the woman’s reaction brought a sick feeling to Kim’s stomach. They were too late.

‘I’m sorry, but Mary Andrews died ten days ago.’

Before any of this started, Kim thought – or perhaps it had been the start of it all.

‘Thank you,’ Bryant said. ‘We’ll contact the medical examiner.’

‘For what?’ Cath asked.

‘Clues to her death,’ Bryant explained but Kim had already turned away. She pushed on the door but it was locked.

‘There was no post mortem carried out on Mary Andrews. She was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer so it was hardly any great surprise when she died. There was no reason to subject her family to the process so she was released to Hickton’s.’

Kim didn’t need to ask. Everyone knew the funeral directors in Cradley Heath. They’d been burying the locals since 1909.

‘Did Mary Andrews have any visitors that day?’

‘We have fifty-six residents in this facility, you’ll pardon me if I don’t recall.’

Kim heard the hostility and ignored it.

‘Do you mind ifwecheck the visitor’s book?’

Cath considered for a second and then nodded. She pressed a green button that released the doors and Kim stepped back into the foyer.

Kim started turning back the pages while Bryant held open the door with his foot.

‘Sir, you’ll have to let the door close behind you or an alarm will sound.’

Suitably chastised, Bryant stepped back into the foyer.

‘What’s wrong with you anyway, got something against old folks?’ Kim asked, noting the set expression on Bryant’s face.

‘Nah, it’s just depressing.’

‘What?’ Kim asked, turning back another couple of pages.

‘Knowing this is the last stop. When you’re out in the big wide world anything is still possible but once you move into a place like this you know there’s only one way you’re gonna move out.’

‘Hmmm ... cheery thought. Here it is,’ she said, stabbing the page. ‘Twelve fifteen on the tenth. Visitor signed themselves in to see Mary Andrews with a name that is completely illegible.’

Bryant pointed to the top right corner of the foyer.

Kim turned and knocked on the glass window. Cath scowled at her. Kim pointed to the entry doors. The buzzer sounded.

‘We need to view your CCTV.’

Cath looked as though she was about to object then just humphed loudly. ‘This way.’