You got into my car with trust. You accepted the meal I offered easily. You got back into my car with the promise of a bed for the night, somewhere to get your head together, excuse the pun.
I began to anticipate your fear once you realised that I was the one you’d been running from.
I parked the car and turned to you, my true feelings for your actions showing on my face and you finally understood.
A slight sad nod of acceptance.
You had given up. You had no fight.
I understand that your life had been hard, that you had been a victim. Maybe you had suffered like me as you’d bounced around the care system. But you did something unforgiveable. You went back to the bastard who was abusing your child. You were her mother. And you had to die.
And now I know why your death did not satisfy me. You did nothing to fight me back. There was no effort at self-preservation. You had no fear. You no longer cared for your life and were not fearful of losing it. Your gaze was devoid of all emotion as you stared up at me. You welcomed the end.
‘Do it and make it quick,’ you said.
I told you I would linger and make you suffer. You shrugged your shoulders. Even that didn’t bring forth a response. You wanted death too much to be scared. You knew that however long I took your end was in your sight.
I put my hands around your throat and pressed hard. Still no fear. Your eyes begged me to do it. You welcomed it.
I slapped you. I screamed in your face and still you lay there defeated.
‘I’ll get your daughter,’ I threatened. ‘Fight for your life or I’ll find her and kill her.’
A sad smile spread over your face. ‘You won’t find her,’ you said. ‘And you won’t hurt her.’
How did you know that? I was about to take your life and somehow you knew that.
But now I’m angry. You robbed me, my Queen. I wanted your fear. I wanted to see the terror in your eyes so you would feel as Mia had.
I promise myself that from the next one I will get the fear.
Chapter Sixty-Three
With Hayley’s full name Stacey felt as though she was being spoilt.
Within minutes of the boss’s call she’d managed to cobble together a brief history of the woman’s life. Nothing yet that would help track down nine-year-old Mia, which was the information the boss wanted. Pronto.
Hayley Smart was born in 1987 and placed into the care system at two months old by her sixteen-year-old mother. Stacey had seen no evidence to suggest that the relationship had ever been rekindled.
There followed a succession of foster homes and children’s homes until she left the system at the same age her own mother had left her there.
Stacey couldn’t help the sadness that engulfed her as she learned more about the woman.
Having grown up as an only child with both parents and part of the wider Nigerian community in and around Dudley, she had felt nothing but love and security. Even at school when her colour had brought her first brushes with cruelty and isolation she had known she would return to the loving, reassuring embrace of her family.
As she read about Hayley Smart she found herself wishing for the happy ending. In films and TV dramas, no matter what the hardship, most folks got their happy ending. She kept hoping that each foster home would be the last, that the girl had finally found somewhere to feel safe and loved.
But now she’d met her end and there’d been nothing happy about it at all.
Hayley had first come to the attention of the police at the age of seventeen for shoplifting. The charges hadn’t stopped there and for the next few years she’d been brought in a total of seven times on crimes ranging from petty assault to burglary, resulting in some decent stretches of prison time.
Stacey kicked herself for not searching their own system with nothing more than a first name and the birthmark, though she wasn’t sure how effective the search would have been or if the boss would have felt it a good use of her time. This week was turning into the biggest learning curve of her life, she thought, as she continued to read.
For a couple of years Hayley had disappeared from the radar and a simple calculation told Stacey it was when she first had her daughter. And the crimes were back down to petty theft.
Personally, Stacey had never been a believer in victimless crime. Someone, somewhere always suffered or felt the repercussions whether it be through violence, fear, loss or a stock-take that didn’t add up at the end of the day. Someone lost something.
But she did believe in survivor crime. Desperate people carrying out criminal acts to get by. They weren’t trying to hurt anyone or take more than they needed, they were simply trying to survive.
And that’s what Hayley appeared to have been trying to do.
Once she had a child only three short prison sentences had occurred, the last one being less than a year ago.
Stacey noted that on each of those three occasions her address given was completely different. Had this woman never had a proper home?
The boss had told her the priority was finding where the woman had lived. Little Mia could be there all alone. They had to find her. Was she safe? Had she been with Hayley at the time of the murder? Did the murderer still have her? And the worst question of all. Was she still alive?
She pushed the thoughts away, noting all three addresses listed on Hayley’s record.
Stacey prayed Mia was safe and sound at one of them.
Chapter Sixty-Four
The ringing of her phone took just a couple more minutes than she’d expected.
‘Stone, turn the car around and head back to the scene. Now,’ Woody instructed.
‘For what, sir? We’re miles away from Wren’s Nest now.’
That wasn’t a lie but she was careful not to state exactly where they were or this conversation would be taking place in person, and with a missing nine-year-old girl she wasn’t going to waste the time.
‘You know full well why. That phone needs to go to the lab.’
‘Sir, I beg to differ. I have a person sitting…’
‘Stone, are you arguing with me?’ he asked as Bryant parked the car.
She got out and started walking as she continued to talk. ‘I firmly believe that my detective constable will be able to access anything of value,’ she said, taking the steps two at a time.
Woody continued arguing as she entered the squad room and placed a finger to her lips.
Stacey was just hanging up the phone.
Kim handed her the evidence bag.
She looked at it and smiled widely before scribbling something on a sheet of paper and pushing it towards her.
Kim read it, took it and nodded her understanding before heading back out of the office.
‘But, sir,’ she said, heading back down the stairs, ‘if that phone goes to the lab it will sit in a queue of jobs which may or may not get actioned in the next few days. Our killer appears to be on some kind of rampage and right now every second counts,’ she said, getting into the car. She handed Bryant the piece of paper and pointed at the last item.
He nodded and started the car.
‘Sir, I can assure you that the chain of evidence will be preserved and that no prosecution will be compromised.’
‘Stone, you’re dealing with a very young, inexperience…’ His words trailed away for a second. ‘Stone, is that you driving off the station car park?’
She said nothing.
‘You’ve already handed it to her, haven’t you?’
‘Err… kind of,’ she admitted.
‘Debrief, my office. Six o’clock,’ he barked, before ending the call.
Chapter Sixty-Five
‘Bloody hell, guv, I heard him shout from here,’ Bryant said. ‘So, I guess we’d best not be late back for tea.’
‘You’re right there. By which time I’m hoping we’ve found Mia whose safety comes way before my bollocking. And it gives me a few hours to practice my sorry face.’
Bryant laughed out loud,
surprising her. She hadn’t been joking.
‘I’m assuming these are Hayley’s last known addresses and that she was pretty known to us.’
‘Appears that way,’ Kim said, glancing at the note that said the bottom address was only one month old. If Mia was going to be alone waiting for her mother’s return, surely that’s where she would be.
In one way Kim hoped they were going to find a little girl there safe and sound, and in another way, she hoped the girl was already safe. She’d called it into the station before they’d left the crime scene and she knew that officers were already out looking. Nothing in this case was moving forward until they knew what had happened to Hayley’s child. Kim just prayed she had not been with her mother when the murderer had caught her. If so she could only hope that the murderer valued a child’s life higher than he’d valued Hayley’s.
It took only a few minutes to reach the council house in Colley Gate a couple of miles out of Halesowen town centre, and Kim found herself itching to jump out of the car while it was still moving, run up to the house, break a window and see if Mia was in there.
‘That’s the one,’ Bryant said, nodding towards an end terrace with a wrap-around garden.
Kim’s stomach dropped a little as she saw that the property was empty. Windowless curtains revealed the dark space of emptiness beyond. Some kind of notice had been taped to the front door.
‘Damn,’ Kim said, heading up the path of the house next door.
She knocked hard to penetrate the loud rock music being played.
No answer.
She moved along to the front window and banged even harder. Her frustration at one dead end after another. And yes she expected everyone to know there was a child missing.
The music died suddenly, and the door was thrust open by a man she had to look up to.
‘Police,’ she informed him immediately.
The aggression dropped from his face.
‘It weren’t that loud and next door’s empty anyway.’
‘You sure about that?’ Kim asked.
He nodded. ‘Been gone for weeks.’
Kim felt the irritation building within her. She knew that Mia was not in there and this was the most recent address she had. She had to hope this man could tell her something that would help locate the child.
‘Did you know Hayley well?’
A slow smile spread across his face. ‘Tried to, if you know what I mean.’
‘Yeah, I think I get you,’ Kim answered, trying not to react to the filthy look on his face.
‘When did she move out?’ Kim asked. This address was barely a month old.
He shrugged. ‘Not sure she really did.’
She looked to the property. Maybe she’d been wrong. ‘You mean…’
‘Nah, she’s gone all right but she didn’t take a lot with her. Saw the council removing it all. Tried to get what I could but council wouldn’t let me. Tight bastards. Probably having it themselves for—’
‘What kind of stuff?’ Kim asked. She didn’t have this kind of time to waste.
‘Furniture, kitchen stuff, kid’s stuff, toys. Wasn’t interested in the clothes, of course.’
‘She left her clothes?’ Kim clarified.
He nodded vigorously as though he was now enjoying being helpful.
‘That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Looked like she didn’t take a bloody thing.’
‘Okay, thanks,’ Kim said, walking away with a frown and two questions on her mind.
What had driven Hayley to flee without her possessions and where the hell was her child?
Chapter Sixty-Six
Stacey smiled widely as she finally cracked the code into Hayley’s mobile phone. She had needed to visit some rather questionable websites to do it, which she’d done on her own phone, but she was in.
‘Yessss,’ she said, punching the air and then bringing her arm back down quickly as a figure appeared in the doorway.
Stacey felt the heat flood her cheeks but the uniformed officer was too busy looking around, as though checking he was in the right place.
‘CID, mate,’ she said, although there was a brass plate stating as much on the door.
A frisson of pride had surged through her as she’d said it.
‘PC Chalmers,’ he said, stepping over the threshold and into the squad room as though it was a fresh new world or alternate universe.
He looked at the photos on the wall. He swallowed and looked away.
Stacey guessed he was early twenties. His blonde hair appeared to be held down with some sort of lotion.
‘And may I help you?’ she asked, hoping to prompt him into his reason for coming.
‘Saw the briefing. The one about the little girl.’
‘Mia Smart?’ she asked, hopefully.
He nodded and the phone records on her desk were momentarily forgotten.
‘You know the little girl?’
He shook his head.
Her hopes began to plummet.
‘So, you’re here…’
‘I don’t know her but I can definitely tell you where she is.’
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Kim felt the relief flood through her as Stacey spoke.
‘So, you’re saying that Hayley voluntarily gave Mia up to the state temporarily when going to prison that last time?’
‘Apparently, she has no one she could leave the child with. Mia was handed over three times altogether.’
‘But she’s been out of prison for a month. Why didn’t she get Mia back?’ Kim asked.
‘Not sure how easy it is to keep putting your child in and out of care, boss,’ Stacey said. ‘Maybe Child Services weren’t letting her go quite so easily until Hayley could prove she was back on her feet.’
‘And this police officer?’
‘Was there when Mia was taken to a foster home. Some concern for her safety so the Social Worker requested an escort.’
‘So, you have…’
‘The address of the foster home right here.’
‘Stacey, bloody good…’
‘To be fair, boss, the officer came to me but I’m hoping to have something more for yer later.’
Intelligent and self-effacing. Kim liked that. Kim ended the call and checked her watch.
She waited for her phone to ding receipt of the text message giving her Mia’s foster parents’ address.
She read it out to Bryant before scrolling through her contact list.
He picked up on the second ring.
‘Dawson, what you got?’
‘Boss, I’m just looking into this thing about the location of Lester Jackson’s body. About the nails used at the first crime scene. They…’
‘Were old nails, made of wrought iron and most likely came from a place like Redland Hall?’
Silence.
She continued. ‘Said the report that came through from the lab about an hour ago.’
She let that sink in for a minute.
‘Let other people do their jobs and stop trying to get the gold star. I don’t give ’em out. You found any more links between Luke Fenton and the other victims?’
‘Nothing yet, boss, but I’m still on it.’
Kim wondered how hard he was working on the job that she’d tasked him with versus the lead he had found on his own.
‘Drop everything and get to the morgue for four. It’s Hayley’s post-mortem and we’re not going to make it.’
She hung up the phone before he had chance to argue.
‘You sure you want to do this?’ Bryant asked. ‘I’m not sure DCI Woodward would… Jeez, that’s hard to say.’
‘Yeah, in my head he’s now Woody. I’m pretty sure I’ve got a bollocking coming at six anyway and I’m all for a buy one get one free.’
Silence fell between them.
‘Guv, was that a joke?’
She thought about his earlier attempt at humour.
‘You know, Bryant, if we’re going to spend much more time in this c
ar together we are gonna have to learn each other’s humour. And to answer your question, yes, it is a good idea to try and speak to Mia because we could learn an awful lot by talking to that nine-year-old girl.’
‘And her foster parent will allow it, do you think?’
Kim was genuinely surprised. ‘To help us catch a murderer, I’d think so.’
‘Hmm… you don’t have children, do you, guv?’
‘I’m not sure what that…’
‘Never mind,’ he said, pulling off the main road onto the Caledonia housing estate in Brierley Hill. He followed the road around until he came to a small cul-de-sac of semi-detached houses.
‘It’s the one with the dormer,’ he said, pulling up in front of the drive.
A Ford Fiesta was parked to the far left of the tarmac showing that another car shared the drive.
Kim thought about the address they’d just come from and what they’d learned about Hayley so far. The last thing Mia had experienced in her life was stability and routine. And now her mother was dead. For this poor kid, the hits just kept on coming.
The door opened before they’d even knocked.
A small, unobtrusive camera was fitted to the corner of the house. A recent addition by the looks of a small pile of plaster on the ground.
The woman holding the door was around five foot four with freckles and a mass of red curls that were being left to do as they pleased.
Kim held up her identification and introduced them both.
‘May we come in?’
The woman’s face remained creased in suspicion and she didn’t move an inch.
‘Mrs Roberts, it’s regarding Mia, and her mother.’
Still the woman hesitated but she moved aside.
Kim stepped into a hallway that was littered with coats, scarves, wellington boots. Three different sizes, she noted and a lot of pink.
‘Please come through,’ she said, leading them to a conservatory at the back of the house.
A cup of coffee sat beside an open crossword puzzle book.
‘A little time to myself before fetching the girls.’
First Blood: A completely gripping mystery thriller (A Detective Kim Stone Novel) Page 15