Page 66 of Twisted Lies

‘What do you care and how do you even know?’ she asked groggily, and Kim was tempted to explain that Barney cared more than she did.

‘Where are you?’

‘Just got out of a taxi after four hours at Russells Hall.’ Kim heard Frost’s front door close behind her. ‘And if you don’t mind, all I want to—’

‘Did anyone get the licence plate?’

There was a hesitation before she replied. As though weighing something up.

‘No, the bastard just drove off.’

Why the pause before answering?

‘Frost, do you know who it was?’

‘Bloody hell, Stone. I think you need to arrest me and give me access to a lawyer before asking me this many questions.’

‘I’ve asked one question.’

Silence.

‘You do know, don’t you?’

Kim heard a sigh as Frost sat down.

‘Okay, let’s just say I received a very timely call from Nick Morley’s PR firm. But obviously, I can’t prove anything.’

So the articles were causing quite a stir.

‘You were warned off?’

‘Not in so many words, but let’s just say even I can put two and two together and make four.’

‘Are you gonna listen and back off? For your own safety?’ Kim asked. She was not a police officer, and these people were not playing games.

‘Not now I’ve found…’ Her words trailed away as she seemed to regret what she’d said.

‘What have you found?’

‘Nothing that will help the court case, but it does show a pattern of behaviour.’

‘A previous victim?’ Kim asked, feeling a tingle in her stomach.

‘Not one that will ever testify in court, and don’t ask me anything else. I gave her my word I would reveal her identity to no one.’

‘But she could—’

‘Not happening, Stone.’

Kim was fighting down the urge to physically extract the information from the reporter and talk to the woman herself. A first-hand testimony of Nick Morley’s brutality had the power to tip the scales of justice at the second trial.

Frost continued: ‘For what it’s worth, I tried to persuade her to come forward, but she’s too frightened of Nick Morley’s powerful reach. And I can kind of see why.’

Kim heard the weariness that had crept into her tone. She reminded herself that the woman had just been involved in a car accident. She couldn’t help the pang of guilt gnawing at her. The woman had been hurt.

‘Look, Frost, I know I said—’

‘Don’t even flatter yourself that I’m doing this because of your little permission call this morning. I had the articles mapped out for the week before the first one was even written.’