Dead Memories (D.I. Kim Stone #10)(33)

‘We were close,’ she explained, trying to get a look around the sergeant.

‘Forget it, they won’t let us any closer than this. Trust me, I’ve got one hero that tried,’ he said nodding towards an officer on the cordon with an angry red graze on his left elbow.

‘Guys’ll throw you out the way if they need to.’

‘So, what did hero do?’

‘Tried to get to the folks inside.’

‘Definitely occupied?’ she asked.

He shrugged. ‘I couldn’t see anything through the flames but the fucking heat…’

‘And your officer tried to get close?’

‘Yeah, he didn’t think. Fire guy tackled him to the ground and said even if they were still alive they probably wouldn’t thank him.’

Although horrific Kim could understand the statement.

A fireman’s first priority upon arrival at a scene was the likelihood of preserving life but they could only do so much and risking the life of other people in the process was never a good idea.

Even if the occupant had been alive he or she may well have suffered such extensive burns that rescuing them would only have fated them to a much longer and more torturous death.

‘Anything we can do?’ Bryant asked.

The sergeant shook his head as a constable approached.

‘Got it, Sarge,’ he said, handing over a piece of paper.

‘Thanks, Ash,’ he said, reading the note.

‘Victim?’ Kim asked.

The sergeant nodded. ‘Car is registered to Bill Phelps. Aged fifty-four and lives in Hagley with fifty-two-year-old wife, Helen.’

He took out his phone and called a number. He waited and waited and then ended the call.

‘And no one appears to be home.’

‘You think they’re both in that car?’ she asked.

‘Looking likely.’

Kim took a step away to regulate her breathing.

‘You used to come here with Keith and Erica?’ Bryant asked, standing so that she could not be seen.

‘Here and Dudley Castle were our favourite places,’ she whispered.

Bryant leaned in to hear her above the noise.

She sighed heavily as she processed all she’d learned in a few short minutes.

A middle-aged couple in a car fire outside what used to be the speedway.

The nausea bubbled in her stomach.

She turned to her colleague.

‘Okay, Bryant, it’s time to talk to the team.’





Forty-Six





Stacey had barely finished the last bite of the lasagne when the text message dinged to her phone.

And she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

If this was the boss wanting to tear another strip off her she was sure it could wait until the morning.

Yeah, she accepted that she’d been bollocked in private but it wasn’t like the rest of the team didn’t know why she’d been hauled into The Bowl anyway.

‘Was she right though, babe?’ Devon asked, removing her empty plate.

She had already recounted the story to her partner.

‘That’s not the point,’ Stacey protested. Jeez, if she ever expected an easy ride with this woman, she could think again.

‘Dee, can you just be on my side?’

Devon chuckled. ‘Of course, if you’re in the right or I’ve had my full frontal lobotomy. Was your boss right? Were you sulking because she’s holding something back from you?’

Stacey sighed. ‘Not what you’d call sulking really…’

‘So, you were sulking but thought you were hiding it?’

‘Oh, come on, Dee, now you’re just—’

‘Three weeks ago, when I booked a meal out for your birthday and took you to The Chateau with romantic lighting, soft music and the best table in the place, it was clear to me that I’d messed up.’

Stacey was surprised. ‘It was a lovely restaurant with—’

‘And you’d have been happier at the Brewers Wharf at the Waterfront because you love their food.’

‘But I didn’t say—’

‘You didn’t need to, babe,’ Devon said, turning to face her in the kitchen. ‘You get a thin line right here,’ she said, touching the corner of her mouth. ‘Gives you away every time.’

Stacey tipped her head. ‘Am I turning into a spoilt bitch?’

Devon smiled and kissed her lightly on the nose.

‘No, my love, you thought you were hiding your feelings to protect mine. It was me that messed up and made a mistake. Maybe your boss is thinking the same thing. Maybe she wants to apologise,’ Devon said, tapping her on the behind. ‘So, you’d best head off and see what she’s got to say.’





Forty-Seven





‘Right,’ Kim said, facing her team. ‘I make no apologies for what I’m about to tell you.’

She avoided looking directly at Stacey for whom the comment was intended.

‘It appears our killer might be making his kills personal to me,’ she said.

Stacey and Penn sat forward, and she felt the shared glance behind her back between Alison and Bryant.

‘It would seem that he is trying to recreate traumatic events from my past. I’m not giving you the gory details but it’s safe to say that significant points like handcuffs, radiator, location and the cracker packet are all relevant.’