Play Dead (D.I. Kim Stone, #4)(101)

She took a few deep breaths and fought the tears away.

She touched the top of the headstone lightly.

‘I love you, and I miss you,’ she whispered softly down to the ground.

A smile fought its way through the tears. After today she would remember only the love and the good times they had shared. They deserved no less.

She sighed heavily as she walked towards her bike. There was just one last thing that remained to be done.

She took out her phone and scrolled down her contact list. She pressed to call and a voice answered on the second ring.

‘Hey, Frost, it’s me. How are you feeling?’

‘Hello, Inspector, how—’

‘That’ll be Stone to you, Frost, if I remember correctly.’

Kim heard a soft chuckle on the other end of the phone.

‘It’s been a strange week to be honest. I feel different, you know?’

‘Yeah, near-death experiences will do that to you. But you’ll be back to yourself in no time.’

‘Really?’

‘Nah, not completely. Shit like that changes us a bit. In your case, hopefully for the better but who—’

‘Hey, there’s no need for that,’ Tracy said with a smile in her voice.

Kim heard her mumble something away from the phone.

‘Sorry?’

‘Nothing, I was just thanking my mum for the seventh cup of tea of the day. Apparently it’ll make me all better.’

‘You sleeping?’ Kim asked.

‘Not so much. Not exactly nightmares but just distorted replays.’

Kim understood. ‘That will pass,’ she offered.

She thought about Tracy’s cold, barren house, devoid of everything except for secrets. The complete absence of life and joy, family and friends.

‘We were looking for you, you know. We were determined to get you back,’ Kim said.

‘I know,’ Tracy whispered, and Kim could hear the full extent of emotion in the woman’s throat in those two short words.

Kim cleared her throat. ‘So when am I to expect this starring role in that article of yours?’ she asked.

‘Ha, Stone, what article? You really gotta stop thinking you’re all that, you know.’

Kim couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped from her lips. But now to the real purpose of the phone call.

‘Okay listen, Frost, and listen good because this will never be repeated. Let the past go. The minute you decided to climb that hill defined the person you are now. Don’t ever forget that – because I won’t.’

The line went quiet for a second before Tracy spoke.

‘Hey, Stone, does this mean we’re friends now?’

Kim laughed out loud. ‘Don’t bloody push it, Frost. I’m sure we’ll be banging heads again soon enough.’

Kim ended the call with Tracy Frost still chuckling in the background. She knew that the woman would be okay. She was a fighter, and she would bounce back.

Damn it, Kim acknowledged with a smile. It looked like they were alike after all.