Page 83 of Stolen Ones

‘It’s okay. Print me the details of our victim.’

She picked up her phone and opened the email from Keats which stated exactly what she’d expected. The body at Hawne Park wasn’t Melody Jones.

She typed an email response to Keats.

Thank you for this report. We have identified the victim and will send along details shortly.

We appreciate your assistance.

She waited for just a moment as Stacey collated the details. Keats’s response was short.

Good to know.

She sent a silent thank you to the cranky pathologist who only ever took the side of the victim. Without that call last night, she would now be on her way to let Steven Harte go.

She took the piece of paper from the printer. ‘Bryant, you ready to…?’

‘Take someone else, guv,’ he said, without taking his eyes from the keyboard. ‘There’s something here I want to check out.’

‘Okay,’ she said, nodding towards Stacey, ‘Come on, hero of the hour – you’re with me.’

Forty-Nine

Kim and Stacey headed down to the interview suite in silence. Never far from Kim’s mind was the image of Grace Lennard. They were approaching forty-eight hours and Kim had to wonder about the girl’s access to food, water and fresh air. She ignored the voice that said there was a chance these needs were no longer a problem for the little girl.

She pushed the thoughts away as she entered interview room one.

Harte and his lawyer appeared to be sitting in silence.

Stacey closed the door behind them.

Kim took a seat, switched on the tape and introduced herself.

‘And with me is Detective Constable Stacey Wood.’

She paused.

‘Mr Harte, we have received notification that the remains found at Hawne Park do not belong to Melody Jones. On that note, you are no longer being held in connection with the abduction and murder of Melody Jones.’

A faint look of triumph passed over the face of Kate Swift, but Harte’s expression showed no surprise.

‘We have identified the body as six-year-old Lexi Walters, who was abducted from Leasowes Park on the seventeenth of August 1998. I am therefore now arresting you for the kidnap and murder of Lexi Walters. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

She paused and took a second of pleasure in the surprise that he quickly tried to hide.

There was no doubt that he’d expected them to find the body, but she suspected he hadn’t thought they would identify her so soon.

Both of them waited for her to say more.

She pushed back her chair. ‘I’m sure that gives you two more to talk about, so we’ll give you some time.’

Now she had to go and inform Lexi’s parents that they could finally bring their little girl home.

Fifty

Kim left Woody’s office and headed back to the squad room. She had taken the opportunity to update her boss after her conversation with Harte and his lawyer.

‘And Keats just happened to ring you to tell you that there was a delay in sending you the email confirming that the remains didn’t belong to Melody Jones?’ Woody had asked.