Page 74 of Silent Scream

‘Jesus.’

‘Don’t feel too sorry for him, Detective. If you’ve got any pity going spare, offer it to his wife.

‘Arthur’s a miserable old man who’s been a victim for as long as I’ve known him. He’s not a cuddly old granddad and he’s just as obnoxious, drunk or sober.’

Kim smiled at the woman’s honesty. By the time she sat back down the last pint was half gone.

‘Yeah, fucking Billy this, Billy that. Everyone bent over backwards for fucking Billy. Just ‘cos he had a spastic daughter.’

Kim felt the growl rise in her throat. Bryant shook his head at her and so she unclenched her fists. It wouldn’t do any good to floor him. He was never going to change.

‘Yeah, let’s all take care of Billy. Let’s give him all the easy jobs and leave all the shit for Arthur. Let’s let Billy work whatever hours he wants and Arthur can have all the rest. We all had fucking problems and if he’d just shoved her in a home we’d have never ...’

Kim leaned forward. Close enough to see the last ounce of clarity dawn in his eyes.

‘Never what, Mr Connop?’ Bryant prompted.

He shook his head and his eyes rolled but his hand eventually found his glass. He raised it to his mouth and finished it.

He held the glass aloft. ‘Another, Maureen?’ he shouted.

‘You’ve had enough, Arthur.’

‘Fucking slag,’ he slurred, banging the glass onto the table.

He stood and wobbled.

‘Arthur, what were you going to say?’

‘Nothing. Piss off and leave me alone. You’re too fucking late.’

Kim followed him out of the building and grabbed his forearm. Her tolerance for this embittered old man had run out.

She spoke loudly as a car ignited close by.

‘Listen, you know that three former staff members have died in the last two weeks. At least two were murdered and unless you tell us what you know you’re probably going to be next.’

He fixed her with a look that belied the level of alcohol raging around his body.

‘Let ‘em come, for fuck’s sake. It’d be a welcome relief.’

He pulled his arm from her grasp and stumbled down the road. He swayed into a parked car and then into a wall, like a pinball.

‘It’s no good, Guv. He’s not gonna tell us anything in this state. Maybe we should visit him later when he’s had a chance to sleep it off.’

Kim nodded and turned. They headed back to the car parked just around the corner.

As Kim reached to open the car door the air was filled with a sickening thud, followed by a high-pitched scream.

‘What the hell? ...’ Bryant shouted.

Unlike Bryant, Kim didn’t need to ask as she turned and started running back down towards the pub.

In her gut, she already knew.

Thirty-Seven

Kim wasbeside the prostate form of Arthur Connop within seconds.