Page 19 of Twisted Lies

Kim found it strange there were no other family members on either side, but Leanne had no reason to lie.

‘How old—?’

‘You can come in now,’ Keats said, opening the door to the viewing room.

Leanne stepped inside, and she and Bryant followed.

Keats left by the door on the opposite wall of the room.

Kim would have liked to ask more questions, but it didn’t seem right as they stood in silence awaiting the arrival of the body.

In all honesty, Kim hated this room more than the morgue. Relatives never made it down to the business end of the department, but this clinical, uninviting room was the place they finally had to accept that a loved one was dead.

Maybe that would inject some emotion into the woman standing between her and Bryant, she thought, as Keats’s assistant opened the door to allow the trolley through.

The stark white sheet normally evoked some kind of reaction in relatives, but Kim was surprised to see there was none. She sensed only a growing impatience to get this done.

Keats brought the trolley to rest and then looked across all three of them.

Normally Kim would have asked the family member if they were ready, just to allow them another few seconds to compose themselves. Leanne looked as though she needed no such consideration.

Kim nodded for him to continue.

Keats plucked the top corners of the sheets and gently folded it back to reveal a face that, although not as badly burned as the rest of his body, still showed signs of trauma.

Kim watched Leanne’s facial features closely. There was initial shock at the reddened skin and blisters on the cheeks, but there was no horror or distaste.

‘You lied, didn’t you?’ Leanne asked, turning towards her. There was no accusation, just an observation. ‘You said he didn’t suffer.’

‘Actually, I didn’t answer the question,’ Kim corrected.

‘It’s him,’ Leanne said, turning back to Keats. ‘This is definitely Keith Phipps.’

Keats re-covered the man’s face and moved to open the door to wheel the trolley back.

‘Is that it? Can I go now?’ Leanne asked as the body disappeared.

‘I was hoping we could talk more before—’

‘I have to get back to Diane and collect the boys.’

‘Okay, but we’ll need to speak to Diane in more detail later, once the news has sunk in a bit.’

‘Right, give us until seven to tell the boys and then I think we’ll be able to answer you more fully.’

Seemed reasonable, Kim thought. At least the woman was trying to meet her halfway.

‘Okay, just one thing before you go. Can you think of anyone at all who would want to hurt Keith Phipps?’

‘No, Officer, I absolutely cannot,’ she replied quickly before she turned and walked away, leaving Kim with a niggle in her stomach.

There was no doubt in her mind that the woman had just lied.

Fourteen

‘I ay finding a lot,’ Stacey said, sitting back in her chair.

‘And I’m finding way too much,’ Penn said, also sitting back.