Play Dead (D.I. Kim Stone, #4)(48)

‘Owner projection?’ she asked.

He shrugged and began to walk. She wasn’t prepared to let him off the hook quite so easily.

‘In this exact spot, at this time?’

‘Just a coincidence,’ he said and smirked.

Yeah and its name was Bryant. She had allowed him to tag along on one of her night-time walks but she wouldn’t bloody do it again.

‘It’s a really nice view from the top,’ she said, nodding towards a well-trodden path.

He watched as a male with two Dobermans headed in that direction. ‘Seems it might be a bit crowded that way. I think I’ll head over here.’

So her choice was to bundle Barney back in the car and take him home or to the local park.

Hang on, why the hell was she even considering it? This was her walk, not Daniel’s. He lived in Dundee and was no threat to her well-being.

She tugged gently on Barney’s lead and strode past the dawdling pair.

‘So how’s the case going?’ he asked, keeping step with her.

‘Slowly,’ she responded.

‘Any suspects?’ he asked.

‘Perhaps.’

‘Oh come on, Kim. I’m sure we can talk about our work without clashing. Ask me something about mine.’

‘When do you have to get back to it?’ she joked.

He chuckled. ‘Predictable, even for you. But to answer you, I’m due back at the weekend. I have two lectures booked for early next week.’

‘So what brought you down here?’ she asked. It looked like she was stuck with him and talk about work was safe enough.

‘The professor wrote to us asking for some advice on the timings of bone decay in sandy soil.’

‘And you couldn’t have sent an email?’

He shrugged. ‘It was worth a visit. I find myself drawn to the Black Country. There’s something dark and moody that brings me back.’

‘Yeah, it’s called smog and grime,’ she retorted.

‘You do realise just how deeply you’re overcompensating, right?’ he asked, ducking below a veil of gnats.

‘For what?’ she asked, tugging Barney away from a stinger.

‘For finding me attractive.’

‘Ha, you wish,’ she said and then offered him a bemused expression. ‘Do you think everyone who doesn’t like you really wants to sleep with you?’

He lifted one eyebrow.

She continued. ‘Because I gotta tell you, Dawson’s not that keen on you either.’

He snapped his fingers. ‘Damn, and I had high hopes for him as well.’

Kim smiled at the humour that was so much like her own.

‘You’re like the playground bully,’ he said.

‘Hey now, just a—’

‘Calm down. I’m giving you an example. It’s like you go out of your way to show people you despise me but it’s really an effort to prove it to yourself.’

‘Oh please,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘I’m sorry if you feel I’ve pulled on your pigtails or stolen your conkers but you couldn’t be more wrong.’

‘Really?’

‘Is it really inconceivable to you that I don’t find you attractive? In fact I think you’re annoying and aloof.’

Daniel surprised her by throwing back his head and laughing.

‘Aloof? You dare to call me aloof?’

Kim stopped walking and he did too. It was time to put him straight once and for all.

‘Daniel, I respect you as a colleague. I know that you’re dedicated and passionate—’

‘Thanks but I already have a CV. What I want is for you to finally take notice and admit there’s a spark between us.’

She faced him squarely. ‘Not even an ember, Doctor Bate.’

He took a step towards her. His eyes danced with the challenge.

‘Want to test the theory and see?’

No, she bloody well did not.

‘You take one more step, Daniel—’

Her words were cut off as both their phones began to ring.





Forty





Kim was back at Westerley within ten minutes of receiving the call.

She parked the Golf at the top of the site and made sure the car was ventilated for the dog.

She’d lost Daniel about three miles behind.

The four floodlights at the bottom of the site guided her way, although Cher still lay somewhere between her and them. The strategically placed wet-floor signs did not glow in the dark.

Dawson met her about halfway. ‘They’ve uncovered flesh now,’ he said without any greeting.

His phone call had informed her that less than three feet down they had discovered some remnants of clothing.

‘What does Doctor A say?’ she asked.

‘Dunno, half of what she says is a mystery to me. I think she swears in many languages.’

Kim approached what she now knew to be a grave. The forensic archaeologist was kneeling about two feet down with a soft brush in her hand. One of her assistants was using a small trowel to remove samples of the soil. To the right two others were sifting soil already removed.

Keats was watching intently with two of his aides. Harry appeared to have left the scene for now, but Kim knew he’d be back. The rest of the site would need to be checked.