Page 43 of Stolen Ones

‘Don’t think so but she never lived with them again. I’ll keep digging.’

‘What the hell is going on?’ Kim asked to no one in particular.

‘Got an address here, boss. Currently lives just outside Wrexham,’ Stacey said.

Kim looked to Penn. ‘Reckon your old banger will get you that far?’

Penn laughed. ‘I’ve told you. She’s reliable.’

If not tidy, Kim thought, remembering the debris she’d had to move from the passenger seat one time Bryant had been otherwise engaged.

He stood. ‘Stace…’

‘Already texted to your phone.’

Penn grabbed his jacket and headed out.

Kim finished her coffee.

‘Stace, I want to know every project that Steven Harte has worked on with Butler Building Limited and take a look at the employees and business finances as well. These two have a history and I want to know how far back it goes.’

Bryant knitted his hands together and placed them behind his head. ‘I’ll just kick back and…’

‘You wish, Bryant. You’re coming in there with me.’

After the morning they’d had so far, there were more than a few questions that Kim wanted to put to Steven Harte.

Twenty-Four

‘Hello, Mr Harte, thank you for coming in to speak to us again,’ Kim said, sitting down.

‘My aim is only to help, Inspector,’ he said, sitting up in his seat.

‘Of course,’ she said, reaching into her back pocket. She slid a £20 note across the table towards him. ‘That should cover Penn’s supper for last night. He gets expenses.’

He held up his hand in refusal.

She pushed it further. ‘Mr Harte, I must insist.’

She was not prepared to face bribery slurs in any potential trial. His defence could make a meal out of that one. Literally.

‘Understood, Inspector, but I don’t like the feeling of going backwards. I’m sure we agreed yesterday that you would call me Steven.’

‘Okay, Steven, why are you here and what do you want?’

‘I want nothing more than to assist you with your enquiries.’

‘Okay, where is Grace Lennard?’

He smiled and sat back in his chair. ‘I’m sure Grace Lennard is fine, wherever she is. We have many other things to talk about.’

Kim felt Bryant bristle beside her. Like her, he didn’t appreciate Harte’s attempts to control the direction of the narrative but they had agreed outside that she would lead the questioning.

‘Where is Melody Jones?’

‘Did you speak to her family?’

‘We did and I’m intrigued to know why you sent us in that direction. Did you want to cause even more hurt? Don’t you think they’ve suffered enough?’