Page 81 of Silent Scream

'And even people that were not,' he shot back. 'Even the pastor could not get through to some of these girls.'

‘What about Arthur?’

‘He made a mistake. He would never have harmed anyone.’

‘I understand that, Mr Croft, but we have the body of what appears to be a teenage girl buried in the grounds of Crestwood and one thing I can deduce with absolute certainty is that she didn’t get there by herself.’

He stood still and ran his fingers through his hair; the only physical reaction to her words. His facial expressions were difficult to read beneath the Botox.

‘Mr Croft, did you or anyone you know file objections to Professor Milton’s dig on the land?’

‘Absolutely not. I would have no reason at all to do that.’

She stood and faced him. ‘And finally, the last question I have before I leave you in peace. Where were you on the night of Teresa’s murder?’

His face turned crimson and he pointed towards the door. ‘I would thank you to leave my property immediately. My offer of assistance is revoked and any further questions should be directed through my solicitor.’

Kim moved towards the door. ‘Mr Croft. I am more than ready to leaveyourwife’shome and I’d like to thank you for your time.’

Kim exited through the front door as a silver Range Rover pulled onto the gravel patch. The driver did not take the available space between the two others, indicating that something else was normally parked there.

A slim female stepped out of the vehicle and retrieved a briefcase from the back seat. She wore a black business suit with a pencil skirt that fell just below the knee. The calves were lifted by four-inch heels. Her hair was black and glossy but pulled back into a severe ponytail.

As they passed, Kim couldn’t help but notice that the woman was absolutely stunning. She was rewarded with a tolerant smile and a curt nod.

‘Okay, what the hell doesshesee in him?’ Bryant asked.

Kim shook her head as she got into the car. The door closed behind the married couple. There were still mysteries in the world after all.

Bryant started the car and put it into reverse. ‘Guv, are you ever gonna find a way to play nice?’

‘Of course I am, the very moment I find playmates that I like.’

She sighed as she looked back at the property and for a moment thought about William Payne and his daughter Lucy. Fate most definitely had a flawed perspective.

‘What’re you thinking?’ Bryant asked as the gate slid open to release them.

‘I’m thinking about his reaction to the news of the buried girl.’

‘What about it?’

‘He never even asked if we’d made an identification. He wasn't shocked by anything we told him. The Botox may have numbed his face but it couldn't control his eye movement.’

Kim’s gut had reacted unfavourably to Mr Richard Croft. He knew something, of that she was sure. But she was still chasing that elusive thread, that final piece of hanging cotton that once pulled, would unravel the secrets of Crestwood.

Thirty-Nine

‘What didtheywant?’ Nina Croft asked, placing her briefcase down in the hallway.

‘They were asking about Crestwood,’ Richard answered, as he followed his wife into the kitchen. After fifteen years together there were two things about her that never failed to amaze him.

The first was that she still looked as fantastic as she had the day they’d met. He had fallen head over heels in love with her and unfortunately for him, that had not changed since.

The second was that the icy remoteness had not left her eyes for seven years.

Nina stopped at the floating island in the middle of the vast kitchen. He stood on the other side. She faced him through the Le Creuset kitchenware that had never been used.

‘What did you tell them?’ she demanded.