Page 82 of Stolen Ones

‘The tyres,’ she said. ‘Take samples from each tyre before you move it.’

The results from any kind of analysis on the car were not going to be immediate.

She took an anxious look at her watch and headed back upstairs.

The clock was ticking.

Forty-Seven

Alex wondered if she’d ever get bored of replaying last night’s conversation over and over in her head.

Just seeing Kim again after so long was almost enough, but being able to witness the beginnings of the rollercoaster she’d set in motion had been just perfect.

Those hours, the months, the years of keeping in touch with Patty had been worth it. She had known if she persevered for long enough, she’d get something she could use.

When she’d started laying the groundwork to ask the question, she’d never realistically expected an answer. The technique had been quite simple. In every letter she would ask Patty questions about her teens, then her early twenties. Any response would then be magnified. If Patty had said she loved to go to the seaside, Alex would reply back with a dozen questions about the seaside. Who did she go with? How did she get there? Eventually she’d mentioned a ‘him’ and the ‘him’ had turned into a first name and then a surname. If she’d had a wish list of information she’d hoped to gain, the identity of Kim’s father would have been right there at the top. She was surprised Patty could remember, but according to Patty, he had been the only one.

Alex tried to imagine the thoughts that might have been going through the inspector’s mind. She would think that Kim would be filled with rage that she, of all people, had been trusted with the information.

If she knew Kim at all, she’d guess that her thoughts would have turned to curiosity. That same need to know that had brought her here. She could imagine all the possibilities that were running around her head. Was he alive? Was he a good person? Had he known about them? Did he have a family? Did she have relatives?

Kim had spent more than thirty years thinking the only blood relative she had left was the woman she hated with every cell of her being. How would she be reacting to the possibility of family, and how best would Alex be able to manipulate those feelings if she chose to?

Knowing Kim, she wanted another little Mikey to replace the one she’d lost, and if that was her motivation to return with a letter recommending her release, all the better.

She pushed the pleasurable thoughts away for now. The conversation would keep her company for hours to come, but right now she had to focus on plan B. And this particular plan she was hatching was going to result in death.

It was just a case of how much.

Forty-Eight

‘Stacey, I’m not kidding. If you can do anything to fray my nerves just a little bit more, I’d appreciate it.’

Stacey said nothing.

‘Stace, it’s three minutes to ten and—’

‘A whole two minutes has gone by since the last time you told me. Of the five potentials, I’ve managed to get four sets of dental records. I’m waiting for the fifth. What more do you want me to do?’

‘There’s an email gonna land in the next few minutes which will force me to go down there…’

Stacey’s email tinged at the exact same second as hers. She put her phone face down on the desk. She knew what hers was going to say.

‘Stace?’

‘Shh…’

‘Stace?’

‘Just give me—’

‘Stace, we don’t have—’

‘It’s a match,’ she cried, throwing pieces of paper in the air.

‘Thank God for that,’ Kim said as a cheer travelled around the room.

Stacey let out a huge sigh of relief and then sobered. ‘Boss, sorry I shushed you.’