Kim perched on the edge of the desk and turned to her team.
‘But where’s the motive? Yeah, we know Kelly was thinking of bouncing, but by killing her, Kai loses out on either her income or transfer fee. And Donna was in no danger of bouncing anywhere.’
She stood back and tapped the marker pen against her lips.
‘There’s something here we’re just not spotting,’ Kim said.
‘Too many bloody suspects,’ Dawson said, still looking at the board.
And yet not one that she’d stake her house on.
Kim frowned. ‘This cannot just be about sex. There is something more going on here and Ellie Greaves is at the centre of it. But because Ellie is just a runaway there’s no way I’ll get authorisation for surveillance. And we wouldn’t even know where to start. She’s no longer at Roxanne’s house.’
‘So, if she’s been moved, Templeton could be meeting her tonight?’ Stacey asked.
Stacey had a point.
It was time to go and see Woody.
She stepped away from the table as her mobile phone began to ring.
‘Keats,’ she answered.
‘You were right about her nails,’ he stated, without greeting or preamble.
‘Damn it. Go on,’ she said.
‘Rushed through the request and I have some preliminary results. Her nail bed holds traces of dust and bitumen: a substance used for—’
‘I know what it is, Keats,’ she said. It was a black semi-solid material found in different forms and used most often for roads and roofing.
‘So, Inspector. I don’t think Lauren Goddard jumped from that rooftop. It is safe to say she was pushed.’
SEVENTY-NINE
Kim knocked the door and waited for the low rumble.
‘Got a minute, sir?’ she asked, already closing the door behind her.
‘What do we have, Stone?’ he asked.
‘Not as much as I’d like,’ she said honestly. ‘We’re still considering our Scout leader even though we can only link him forensically to one victim,’ she said. ‘He admits to contact with Lauren Goddard, but definitely nothing with Donna.’
He tipped his head. ‘I’d be hopeful of a positive result but for the reservation in your tone.’
‘I know, I know, but my instinct doesn’t react to him at all.’
‘Although there’s no forensic link to Donna Hill, he did have access to both victims and possibly Lauren as well,’ he said, informing her he had already read the confirmation email from Keats about his findings.
‘What about the male who runs the community centre? Isn’t he linked to all three girls as well?’
‘As is Kai Lord?’ she offered.
She could tell that he was beginning to see her problem.
‘Okay, so what next?’
Kim took a deep breath. ‘Sir, I want to do a sting, tonight.’
‘Stone, are you being serious?’
Kim held up her hand. This was the response she’d expected. A sting was usually an interdepartmental operation forming a diverse task force with clear and concise objectives. Such an operation was subject to stringent planning, risk assessments and authorisation from the superintendent. None of which could be achieved in the two hours she had available.
‘Sir, please hear me out and then give me your refusal. Jeremy Templeton is a ruthless, cold man who preys on young girls. Kai Lord and his associates groom and supply the young girls, and I think Ellie Greaves is the young girl that’s about to be traded.’
He indicated for her to continue.
‘Jeremy Templeton has still not left the area even though he was suitably warned against staying, so he has to be reasonably confident that he’s not going to get caught. I think the transaction is going to happen tonight and I have the opportunity to get two of my main suspects at the same time.’
‘You think Kai Lord will accompany her personally?’
‘Oh yes, my interference the other night cost him a lot of money. He will have jumped through some hoops to get another opportunity, so he’s certainly going to want to make sure it goes to plan tonight.’
‘What’s the plan if you manage to get them?’
‘Bring them in on lesser charges and then rattle them. If either one knows anything about any involvement in murder, they’ll soon give it up.’
‘Shaky plan.’
Kim sat back. He was right but at this stage it was the best she’d got.
He looked at his watch and thought for a moment.
‘This can be done but only if it’s completely off the radar. Your team must understand the risks involved before they agree. Do we understand each other?’
‘Of course, sir,’ she said.
Her team always understood the risks involved.
EIGHTY
‘Listen up, folks. Before we start I have to be clear that we have no official authorisation for this operation at all. You all know that means no radio comms, no backup and no plan B. All communication will be done by mobile phone, and there will be no support team in place. It’s just us lot.’
‘Does Woody know?’ Dawson asked.
‘It’s an unofficial op, Kev. The buck stops with me.’
‘Yes, boss.’
‘Now, none of you need to take part. It’s now six o’clock on a Wednesday night. You’re all officially off shift. If you want to leave feel free to do so. There will be no repercussions, I assure you.’
‘Wife’s at bingo, anyway,’ Bryant offered.
‘It’s been a slow day for me,’ Stacey joked.
‘One more late night ain’t gonna kill me,’ Dawson said, winking at Stacey.
‘Boss, I’m here if you need me,’ Penn said.
Woody’s instructions had been clear. Her own team did understand the risks involved in off-air operations but she couldn’t ask the same from a seconded officer. His assistance on the murder case had been invaluable while Dawson and Stacey worked the child abduction case, but they were back now, and Penn was probably desperate to return to his own team.
She stepped towards the spare desk and offered her hand. ‘Thank you for your help on this case, Penn. I’ll let you know how it all goes but I’m sure Travis is starting to miss you by now.’
He returned her handshake and stood. ‘It’s been awesome working with you guys,’ he said, offering a wave that encompassed them all. And then he was gone.
Suddenly the office felt emptier but strangely normal. She took her place perched on the spare desk.
‘Stace, any info on other addresses for Kai Lord?’ she asked. She’d asked the constable to check before she’d hotfooted it up to Woody.
‘Umm, yeah, boss, I’ve got five other addresses registered to Kai Lord.’
‘Oh, fabulous. Just what we need right now is more choice. Where are they?’
‘Four are in various areas of Birmingham, student accommodation mainly, but the fifth is on the outskirts of Wombourne.’
‘That’s the beginning of the green belt, guv,’ Bryant offered. ‘Nothing but derelict farmhouses.’
‘I’ll take that,’ Dawson said.
Kim nodded.
‘Stace, I want you on Tavistock Road, just to be sure. They have to know we’re onto them by now, so I don’t think they would be stupid enough to use the same location for the pickup but we have to be sure. Stay out of the way and that goes for you too, Kev. Stay in the car and call if you see anything suspicious.’
‘Yes, boss,’ they said together.
‘Bryant, you’re with me.’
Silence was the response.
‘Hey, teacher’s pet,’ Dawson called. ‘You daydreaming?’
Bryant tore his eyes from the ceiling.
‘You know, guv, there’s something been bothering me. We find it strange that Templeton hasn’t left the area yet despite the warning.’
Kim frowned as Dawson groaned.
‘Catch up, Bryant,’ he said, and Kim had to agree.
‘We all feel that what
ever he’s waiting for has got to be better than sex?’
‘Bryant, for goodness’ sake, where have you been for the last…’
His eyes met hers. ‘Where are they all, guv?’
Kim felt anxiety begin to rise in her stomach. She didn’t like the intense expression on her colleague’s face.
He continued. ‘That neighbour of Roxanne’s said she’d fostered more than ten young girls. Well, we know they’re not on the strip ’cos we know most of them, so where did they all go?’
A piece of the puzzle clicked into place when realisation dawned on them all. But only Kim said the words out loud.
‘Kai isn’t taking Ellie Greaves to be raped at all. He’s taking her to be sold.’
EIGHTY-ONE
It was almost eight when Kim started her welfare calls.
Stacey answered on the second ring.
‘You in place, Stace?’
‘Yeah, boss. Pretty quiet here on Tavistock Road, just two girls out tonight, huddled together in the newsagent’s doorway.’
‘Describe them,’ Kim said.
‘One older, blonde hair, bleached, blue coat, black shoes—’
‘Pink handbag?’ Kim asked, fearing the worst.
‘Yep.’
‘That’s Sal,’ Kim said, shaking her head. Damn that woman for being out of the hospital and back to work so quickly.
‘The other one is almost a foot shorter, jeans, trainers, curly blonde hair…’
‘Sounds like Gemma,’ Kim said. ‘Keep an eye on them at all times, Stace. Anything suspicious call me straight away.’
‘Will do, boss.’
Kim ended the call and immediately called Bryant.
‘Can you hear me?’ she asked. She had an earpiece attached to her phone and the microphone nestled on the inside of her helmet pushed against the cheek cushion.
‘Loud and clear, guv.’
Bryant was on hands-free in his car and they had agreed to maintain an open line.
‘Ready?’ she asked.
‘When you are. Got a perfect view of the driveway,’ he answered.
Kim lowered the stand on the bike and placed her feet on the ground.
‘Guv, if we’re right, we really gotta stop this,’ Bryant said, quietly.
‘I know,’ she responded.
Somewhere in this equation was a young girl who had been tricked from her home and manipulated into a world that was completely alien to her. Kim had no idea what awaited Ellie if they failed tonight but what she did know was that she would not be coming back.
Her best-case scenario was getting Ellie to safety while grabbing both Templeton and Lord in the exchange and drilling them both for information on the murders of Kelly Rowe, Donna Hill and Lauren Goddard.
Her instinct did not favour either of them as murderers but one of them knew something and she suspected that someone was Kai Lord. Threats of kidnap and trafficking might help loosen his tongue.
‘Got movement, guv,’ Bryant said, much sooner than she’d expected, confirming her suspicions.
‘It’s Templeton’s BMW, turning left out of the property.’
‘Okay, Bryant, stay on him.’
Kim waited for ten seconds and kicked the bike into life. She moved slowly around the van and squeezed between two parked cars a few spaces down from where Bryant had been parked. Now all she could do was wait and hope that the hunch about a decoy car had been correct.
Kim always remembered that she was not dealing with stupid men. Whatever Templeton and Kai had been up to they had so far remained unidentified.
‘Where are you, Bryant?’
‘Just heading down Harris Road. Can’t see who’s in the driver’s seat but he’s not doing anything out of the ordinary. Observing all the speed limit changes, stopping in plenty of time for traffic lights. Nothing erratic.’
‘Okay, keep talking. Tell me where you are.’
‘Okay, guv. We’re just at the island on the Kidderminster road. He’s taking the dual carriageway. Increased speed but still staying within speed limit.’
‘If he goes straight over at the next island…’
‘Yeah, guv, first exit heads towards Romsley. Third exit goes through Fairfield. Straight over goes to the motorway island.’
Kim was visualising the stretch of road.
‘He’s in left-hand lane so it’s either Romsley or… it’s straight over, guv. I think our guy is heading for the motorway to go home.’
It was looking that way but Kim was not so sure.
‘Okay, guv, he’s indicating to join the motorway. What do you want me to do?’
‘Stay with him, Bryant,’ she said.
She glanced up the road at the uneventful driveway and just hoped, for Ellie’s sake, she’d made the right call.
EIGHTY-TWO
Dawson fiddled with the dial on the radio. Although he was just out of Wombourne the trees had pretty much killed the radio reception. Finally, he gave up. Sick of half sentences, clutches of songs and a lot of crackling he turned it off. The display died bringing the outside darkness into the car.
He’d been parked up on the single-track road for fifteen minutes and nothing had passed him either way.
The silence was complete.
He could hear no traffic and the last street lamp had been left a quarter mile behind.
He’d already driven up ahead to scope out the access/exit points and had ended up at the narrow driveway of a property called The Briars. The wooden gate had been closed. After completing a nine-point manoeuvre to turn the car around he had eased back down the hill to the target property, safe in the knowledge that any exiting vehicles would have to pass him.
The entrance to the property was not gated but the space beyond was dark. Dawson was convinced that this was the ideal place to keep a secret. There was no one to see the comings and goings. There were no neighbours close enough to notice anything suspicious. It was perfect.
But, the guv had told him to stay in the car and that’s what he had to do even though there was a young girl in the clutches of a ruthless, sadistic bastard.
He thought of his own daughter, Charlotte, not even two years old, born to fighting parents who were doing their best to work it all out. He knew that he’d felt love in his life of varying degrees. He’d loved his family, he’d loved his first car. He’d even loved one or two girls in his thirty-one years. But what he hadn’t known was the love he had felt the first time he’d seen his daughter.
And that was the cause of his concern now. What if the boss was wrong? What if Ellie Greaves was somewhere beyond that darkness being subjected to unspeakable acts. What if he’d arrived too late and Templeton was already back there somewhere?
Ellie had a parent too. A mother who was losing her mind to worry.
If the boss was wrong, he could be sitting feet away from what they all feared.
Dawson shook his head and opened the car door.
And that’s when he heard the scream.
EIGHTY-THREE
‘Bryant, where are you now?’ Kim asked.
‘I think we’re pulling into Frankley Services. Shouldn’t need to stretch his legs yet.’
No, he shouldn’t, Kim thought. He’d only driven a few miles up the road.
Kim spotted a set of headlights descending down the target drive. She lowered her head and viewed through the glass of a couple of cars.
‘Bryant, I’ve got movement. A light Mondeo saloon on an 03 plate. What you got?’
‘My guy has parked up at the western edge of the car park. Engine is turned off but no one exited the vehicle.’
Kim watched the Mondeo head to the end of the road, and turn left.
‘Go ask him for directions, Bryant. We need to know who’s in that car.’
She waited at the end of the road for five seconds allowing three cars to insert between herself and the Mondeo.
‘Okay, walking across the car park, guv. Trying to look confused.’
Kim bit back the
quip in her mouth as the Mondeo drove slowly through the heart of Kinver village. One car left the convoy leaving only two vehicles between her and the Mondeo.
‘Stay on the phone,’ she said.
Kim could hear talking in the background. To be fair Bryant could do both confused and affable in equal measure very well.
She heard Bryant thank the man for his help as the Mondeo turned left onto the Bridgnorth road. Damn it, the way back to civilisation was a right turn.
‘Okay, guv. I got the wild goose. This guy is Templeton’s gardener… told… check…’
‘Bryant, you’re cutting out,’ she said, indicating left as the car headed towards Halfpenny Green Airport.
‘Where… you…’
‘Bryant, if you can hear me I’m just entering Bobbington… heading towards the airfield.’
Kim heard the click as the line went dead. Damn it. She had no idea if Bryant had heard her or not.
Right now she was well and truly on her own. And so was he.
Every minute of training she’d ever received told her to pull over and wait. Her own personal safety came first. She must not risk her own life. Problem was, every situation in her training had been fictional, every crime a scenario. This was no hypothetical desktop exercise. Ellie Greaves was not a name made up in a PowerPoint presentation.
And if she wasn’t prepared to risk herself for the sake of a young, innocent girl then what the hell was the point of the training in the first place?
The Mondeo turned left into the darkened airport.
And she turned left too.
EIGHTY-FOUR
Ellie tried to scream against the gag as the car hit a pothole in the road. The impact of the jolt forced her back against the edge of the boot.
Ellie guessed she’d been forced into the boot approximately half an hour earlier. Initially the car had stopped and started often. She’d heard voices, traffic, shouting, even a siren that she had prayed was coming for her. But like all the other sounds it had gradually faded away.
At first the pungent oily smell had threatened to overpower her until she’d realised that it was coming from a rag that was sticking to her cheek. She had managed to use her chin to push it away from her nose and now her face rubbed against a harsh piece of carpet.
Broken Bones: A gripping serial killer thriller (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Series Book 7) Page 26