Play Dead (D.I. Kim Stone, #4)(25)

He shook his head slowly.

‘Ah, friends with benefits,’ Bryant said.

‘Something like that,’ he said, without removing his gaze from hers.

Simon leaned forwards and took a pack of cigarettes from the table. He lit a match and the smell of sulphur filled the air. He continued to hold the match as the flame burned along the shaft, staring right at her as the flame met with his fingertips and died.

Kim struggled not to laugh. Overt sexuality had never been her bag. Now if he’d taken the match and extinguished it in his naked arse that would have been a party trick worth seeing.

He threw the match into the ashtray on the table.

‘You do know Jemima was murdered?’ Kim clarified. It was kind of hard to tell.

‘I’m not stupid, Sergeant,’ he drawled as a flash of irritation appeared in a gaze that someone else might have called smouldering.

‘I didn’t say you were, Mr Roach. And it’s Inspector. You just appear to have dealt with your grief very quickly.’

The irritation fell away and the smirk returned.

‘Let’s not play with each other, Inspector. I’m not exclusive, okay? I’m not your monogamous type. There are far too many beautiful women in the world.’

His gaze fell to her breasts.

‘Did Jemima know this?’ Kim asked.

He shrugged before flicking his ash. ‘Not sure if I remember mentioning it specifically, but if she didn’t know, she should have. I mean, look at me,’ he said, glancing down to his crotch. Kim didn’t follow his gaze. ‘It wouldn’t be fair to limit all this to one person.’

‘So you never actually told her you were sleeping with other women?’ Kim asked, eager to see any kind of remorse.

He shook his head. ‘Works better as a break-up line and we weren’t quite there yet.’

‘How about Rach – does she know she’s not the only recipient of your charms?’

A soft chuckle escaped from his lips. ‘I like that, Inspector. And, no, we haven’t had that conversation yet.’

Kim was imagining the tip of her biker boot grinding his testicles like a discarded cigarette end. She couldn’t help wondering what a date with this charmer might entail. She would guess it wasn’t candles, music and flowers.

‘How did you and Jemima meet?’ Kim asked.

‘Oh, you know. I saw her around.’

‘Where?’ Kim pushed.

His expression held a distinct lack of interest in trying to remember. ‘Honestly couldn’t tell you, Inspector.’

Kim realised it wasn’t worth pursuing. He wasn’t being difficult. He just didn’t give a shit.

‘When was the last time you saw Jemima?’ she asked.

‘Friday night. She was getting on my nerves. Quiet and sulky. Said she thought someone was following her. I cut the night short and met my mates for a game of snooker. It was obvious I wasn’t gonna get anything from her.’

‘You took her home?’ Bryant asked.

Kim hadn’t needed the answer to that one.

Simon shook his head. ‘No, just told her I wasn’t feeling so good and was heading home.’

Kim ignored his childish grin and focussed on the only thing he’d said of interest.

‘Did she say anything else? Any hint about who might be following her?’

‘Sorry, Inspector, but I was already thinking about last orders.’

She could see from his expression that there was nothing else.

‘Where were you on Saturday?’ she asked.

He tipped his head. ‘Oh, Inspector, you can’t believe I had anything to do with it. Honestly, I couldn’t even be bothered.’ He looked down at his crotch proudly. ‘I’m just your average kind of guy.’

Kim offered no reaction. ‘So you were…?’

‘Here, in bed.’

‘Can Rach verify that?’ she asked.

He smiled. ‘No. Unusually I was alone. It was a rare—’

‘Thank you, Mr Roach,’ she said, standing abruptly. ‘If there’s anything further we’ll be in touch.’

Quite frankly, she couldn’t bear another second in his company.

‘You’d best get someone back here to fix this door,’ he moaned from behind her.

Oh yeah, it would jump right to the top of her priorities list, Kim thought as she stepped outside and almost gulped in the cleansing fresh air.

Bryant stepped past her and headed towards the car. Kim turned to follow him. Simon filled the doorway in all his naked glory.

Kim stepped back towards the repulsive creep. Her skin started to recoil at each inch she closed.

She spoke loudly, confident that her voice would carry. ‘By the way, given your sexual activity, I would strenuously recommend you get yourself checked for sexually transmitted diseases. We are awaiting those results from your last partner.’

His shocked silence gave her just long enough to hear the sound of movement from the bedroom behind him.

Result.

Simon Roach opened his mouth to speak but Kim beat him to it.

‘And for the record, whoever said you were average…’ she cast her gaze downwards ‘… was just being kind.’

She offered him a sad smile and turned away.

‘Honestly his name should be cock for a number of reasons,’ Kim said, getting into the car.