Dead Memories (D.I. Kim Stone #10)(80)

‘Good work, Stace,’ Kim said, even though there was little there to help them. It did help to confirm what Gennard had said about the man being illiterate.

‘Inevitably,’ Penn continued, ‘he drifted into petty crime and did his first stint in prison aged nineteen. At times tried to reach out to his grandmother, who refused to see him.’

‘Jesus,’ Bryant said. ‘Great bloody life he’s had.’

‘And yet none of this dictates he’ll become a violent individual,’ Alison interjected. ‘In fact, in many cases such experiences would have instilled in him a need to belong, to be a part of something bigger where he blended. People who stand out physically don’t always want that singular attention. They’ve been isolated for their differences all their lives.’

‘You’re saying that’s why he joined the hate club?’ Kim asked.

Alison shrugged. ‘Could be and could also explain his refusal to go straight. Prison life would have been familiar to him. Along with the punishment there is an element of being taken care of, meals prepared and available, somewhere to sleep, a routine.’

‘Bloody hell, Alison, Winson Green is no weekend spa,’ she said.

‘Tell that to the guy sleeping in Gregg’s shop doorway when it’s minus two degrees. See if he wants the bed and the meal. What I’m trying to explain is that we have certain needs as children: protection, boundaries, safety, love, encouragement, nurturing and if we don’t get them we continue to look. A kid who got no pats on the back is likely to develop into a people pleaser.’

Kim couldn’t quite marry the conflicting images of John Duggar.

Penn cut in. ‘A few years ago, he met Billie Styles on one of his trying to go straight phases. They got together and—’

‘Hang on,’ Kim said. ‘The two of them were a couple?’

‘Not recently. He didn’t change his ways and she got fed up of visiting him in prison and binned him. Only he didn’t go quietly.’

‘He’s been harassing her?’ Bryant asked.

Penn nodded.

‘Guys, this isn’t making any sense,’ Kim said. ‘He has no record for violence and people have died horrific deaths. We agree that the killer has to hate me passionately and yet Duggar has absolutely no—’

‘Aww, shit, boss I think I just found something.’

They all waited as Stacey began to read. That she was licking her lower lip as she did so, gave Kim cause for concern.

‘Six years ago, boss,’ Stacey said quietly. ‘House fire on Sutton Road. Two kids were saved by two detectives who heard the radio call.’

Kim nodded. She remembered the incident well. Travis had grabbed the boy and she had carried the girl.

‘By the time we got them out the fire service were there. Wouldn’t let anyone back in.’

‘The mother died,’ Stacey said.

Kim swallowed and nodded. She had crawled under the bed in the master bedroom. They hadn’t known.

‘Her name was—’

‘Abigail Turner,’ Kim offered, having no trouble recalling the woman’s name.

‘But before that she was called Abigail Duggar, so regardless of what John Duggar said, indirectly, I suppose, you really did kill his sister.’





One Hundred Four





It was almost seven when Kim realised it was time to throw the team out of her house.

She likely would have continued working for a while longer but Stacey’s neck stretches and Penn’s not-so-secret glances at his watch told her the working day had already been long enough.

The speed with which bags and jackets were gathered confirmed it was time to call it a night.

‘Except you, Alison,’ she said, as the woman walked a wide berth around Barney.

She caught the glance that passed between the behaviourist and Stacey before Bryant ushered them out of the front door.

‘Relative still sick?’ Kim asked as Alison retook her seat.

‘Yeah, that’s it,’ Alison replied vaguely.

Kim knew that Alison was lying and her lies had somehow involved her detective constable.

‘You wanna share what’s going on with you and Stacey?’

Alison shook her head. ‘It’s nothing. She’s just been helping me with something.’

Kim folded her arms. ‘Connected to this case?’

‘No.’

Kim realised she was getting nothing more than that and resolved to call Stacey later.

‘You wanted something from me?’ Alison prompted.

Kim dropped her arms and hid her smile. Directness was a quality she both liked and admired.

‘Your opinion,’ Kim answered.

Alison laughed out loud. ‘You’re joking, right? You’ve spent the whole week decidedly not wanting, or ignoring, my opinion.’

Kim rolled her eyes. ‘Give me a break, woman. It’s been a tough week and right now I want to know what your opinion is before I ignore it.’

She offered a smile to demonstrate she was joking. In her case it wasn’t always clear.

‘What’s your gut saying about John Duggar and this new information?’

Alison raised one eyebrow. ‘My gut is not what inspires my professional opinion. I tend to use my education and my degree in—’