Play Dead (D.I. Kim Stone, #4)(86)

‘Okay, now we believe that while he has them he’s treating them like dolls and carrying out a re-enactment of a game he played with his mother… most likely some kind of tea party. He then takes them to Westerley, smashes their faces in and kills them by stuffing their mouths full of dirt.’

‘You think he’d be stupid enough to try and leave Tracy at Westerley?’ Bryant asked.

‘I think he has to leave her at Westerley,’ Kim said. ‘Just like he left Isobel a couple of days after Jemima. And there’s a reason why. I just don’t know what it is yet.’

‘So what’s the plan, boss?’ Dawson asked.

‘We’re gonna be right there waiting for him,’ Kim said.

Her whole team looked at her doubtfully, and she understood their concern. Only an idiot would risk the same location following the police presence on the property.

But following their discussion with Ted, her instinct said that’s what Graham needed to do.

She just hoped for Tracy’s sake she had called it right.

‘Time to go upstairs and…’

Her words trailed away as her phone rang. It was a withheld number, but given the situation she decided to answer it.

‘Stone.’

She stepped away from the mumbling amongst her team.

‘Inspector, it’s Jo… from the hospital.’

Kim’s stomach reacted to the agitation in her voice.

‘Is Isobel okay?’ Kim asked quickly.

The chatter around her stopped and six curious eyes turned her way.

‘Yes, Isobel is fine, but I thought it best to let you know about an incident we had earlier. There was a man who tried to get into the ward to see Isobel. He was refused entry, and he became quite forceful. He was banging and kicking at the doors. We had to call security to move him away from the doors. He was aggressive towards the officers and had to be physically removed from the building.’

Kim felt the hairs on the back of her neck ping.

‘Jo, please tell me you managed to get a description,’ Kim said, holding her breath.

‘I got more than that, Inspector. He was big, burly and bald, and his name was Darren James.’

Kim thanked Jo for her help and ended the call.

She turned to her team. ‘Okay, guys, get yourselves together as quick as you can. We need to get to Westerley immediately.’

They needed to find out why their security guard had tried to force entry into the ward.





Seventy-Nine





Kim didn’t hesitate when she heard the call to enter the office of the detective chief inspector. He stood to the right-hand side of his desk. The brown leather briefcase handle was encased in his hand.

‘Sir, I need all police and forensic activity withdrawn from Westerley,’ Kim said.

He smiled. ‘Stone, what on earth are you talking about?’

‘I need them to stand down from the site.’

Now he frowned. ‘That’s impossible. The ground search is nowhere near complete and after what you said about this Amanda…’

‘Mandy,’ she corrected.

‘Either way, we need to make absolutely sure there is nothing more to be found.’

She nodded her understanding and took two steps closer to the desk. ‘I get that, but I need the area clear for tonight. The search can resume tomorrow.’

He placed the briefcase on the floor and sat back down.

‘Why?’

‘I think our guy will attempt to dump Tracy Frost there tonight.’

Now he laughed and she got worried.

He shook his head. ‘Only a fool would be so bold. Are you thinking this killer has no access to television and newspapers?’

‘Sir, there is a reason he was bold enough to leave Isobel so soon after we found Jemima. We can’t track him any other way.’

‘You have his name?’ Woody said, as though she’d forgotten.

‘Graham Studwick no longer exists. He entered the system aged eleven after murdering his mother and doesn’t appear to have left again. Except we know he has, but as someone else. Knowing his name is a dead end. All we can use is his behaviour so far and up until now the site at Westerley means something to him.’

He sat back in his chair.

‘Sir, I just want to make it as inviting as possible. The location is all we have.’

He nodded his understanding and picked up his pen. ‘Okay, what do you need?’

She’d thought the first part would be easy. She was coming to the part where she expected a fight.

She shook her head. ‘Nothing. I need to do this with as few people as possible. It will just be my team and members of Westerley staff.’

He was shaking his head before she finished the sentence. ‘Not a chance, Stone. Firstly I will not have you endangering your own team to that degree and the staff there are civilians. If anything should happen to any one of those people…’

‘I do understand that, but I need them for their knowledge of the site. I need to cover two or three areas, and I can only do it with their help.’

He rubbed at his chin for a few seconds.

‘Sir, I do believe this is our only chance to stop him and to save the life of Tracy Frost.’

‘You really believe he’ll come back?’