Child's Play (D.I. Kim Stone #11)(64)

She remained silent and took another bite of her sandwich.

Stacey offered no reaction as she read something on her mobile phone. Her fish and chips appeared to have been rearranged instead of eaten.

‘You okay, Stace?’

‘Yeah, boss,’ she said, switching off her phone. She took a bite of the fish and then pushed away the plate.

Clearly, she was not, Kim noted and resolved to watch her closely.

She took a look around the almost-deserted restaurant. A dark-haired woman in her late thirties sat alone, reading a book with a half-finished dessert bowl on the table in front of her. In between turning the pages her right hand seemed to stroke her right cheek.

The only other customers in the room were a couple poring over paperwork. The woman’s gaze also went occasionally to the lone female too, Kim noted.

‘Stace, is that?…’

‘Yep, that’s the Welmsleys. Jared and Serena, the organisers.’

Kim stood at the exact second that Serena did. It was immediately clear that the woman was skeletal, but that wasn’t what got her attention. It was the look in her eyes as she glanced again at the single female reading a book. Jared Welmsley placed a hand on her forearm, but she shook it off and headed across the room.

Kim sat back down and watched with interest.

The single woman did not look up until Serena Welmsley was right in front of her. No smile passed between them as Serena began to speak. The single woman’s expression appeared controlled, tolerant. She tipped her head slightly as Serena appeared to get more animated, her head bobbing to and fro and her hands moving in front of her.

Kim wished she could hear the conversation as Serena placed both hands on the table and leaned towards the woman whose face had taken on a wariness at the proximity change.

Serena finished speaking and seemed to wait for a response. And the response was that the woman picked up her book and continued reading.

Kim instantly liked her style despite the tension in her jaw as the other woman walked away.

‘What was all that about?’ Bryant asked.

She hadn’t realised he’d been watching too.

‘Not sure, Bryant, but I’d sure like to find out.’

She watched as the Welmsleys drew their heads together and whispered even though there was no one anywhere near them. Even from a distance it was annoying. Furtive glances towards the bookworm told Kim they were still discussing the woman and the one-sided exchange that had just taken place.

After a minute or two they resumed their analysis of the paperwork, and Kim stood again.

Bryant looked up at her.

‘Well, now seems like the perfect time to go and introduce myself.’





Sixty-Nine





‘Detective Inspector Stone,’ Kim said, showing her badge and taking a seat.

‘Pleased to meet you,’ they said, together, offering her a smile that was spooky in its similarity.

Kim knew that there were some couples who had been together so long they even took on each other’s characteristics.

‘I assume you’ve heard about the murders of Belinda Evans, Barry Nixon?—’

‘Terrible business,’ said Serena shaking her head.

‘Terrible,’ Jared answered, looking down.

‘And Freddie Compton, who was found—’

‘Freddie’s dead too?’ Serena asked with wide eyes.

His name had been revealed on the nine o’clock news, but this couple had clearly been too busy with the event to notice.

‘And was he?…’

Her words trailed away as she seemed unable to say the word.

Kim nodded. ‘Yes, he was murdered,’ she confirmed. ‘Did you know any of them well?’

Both nodded but it was Serena who spoke, showing Kim that she was definitely the dominant one in this relationship.

‘We knew them all. Probably Freddie the best and I can’t believe he’s… he’s…’

‘Dead,’ Kim finished for her. Her limited empathy muscle was just not flexing for these two at all.

‘You knew all of them but you’ve only been organising the event for?…’

‘Oh, we’ve never missed a year, Inspector. Not since it started up again in 1995. We were both here that year.’

‘Both?’ she asked.

‘Oh yes, Jared here was a chess champion and I liked to play the violin.’

‘A bit modest, Serena,’ Jared chastised, with a smile. ‘She was world class,’ he said, proudly.

There was a flash of regret in the woman’s eyes as Kim joined the dots.

‘You’re siblings?’ she asked.

‘Twins,’ they answered together.

And close ones at that, Kim thought, as they turned to each other and smiled.

‘Quite the event you run here,’ Kim said.

‘It’s fabulous,’ Serena said, joyfully. ‘A great opportunity to bring exceptional young talents together from around the country.’

‘Highly competitive environment, though?’ Kim asked, cutting short the sales pitch.

‘No more than your usual school sports day, Inspector. Many of our attendees are not physically gifted but still welcome the opportunity to compete.’

Kim had to agree that sounded logical enough and yet there was still something that left a sour taste in her mouth.