‘Good point,’ she said, turning in her seat. ‘Leanne, the floor is all yours. Brief away.’
‘Okay, well, basically as you’re the people that spend most time with the target, you’re all at risk now. From what I understand, he’ll use anything he can to get to the target, and if he has to grab one of you to force her out of the woodwork, he will. You all need to take precautionary measures until he’s caught.’
‘Such as?’ Penn asked.
‘Change your journey routes to and from work. Try to make sure you’re not alone at any time. Don’t visit unfamiliar places. Make sure your homes are secure and that you’re aware of any changes to your surroundings. Don’t answer your doors if you’re not expecting any visitors, and if you suspect anything at all is amiss, call it in immediately.’
Kim was forced to acknowledge, if only to herself, that Leanne seemed to know what she was talking about.
‘Should I tell anyone in my street?’ Kim asked.
‘Don’t tell anyone anything until I’ve done a full home assessment – but you should inform family and friends to call if they’re planning to visit.’
Kim turned to Bryant. ‘You planning on visiting?’
‘Nope.’
‘Done,’ she said as Bryant began to slow the car down. The five miles from Halesowen to Pedmore had passed in a matter of minutes.
Bryant pulled into a driveway that still wasn’t full despite the ambulance, fire engine, squad cars and forensic vans. Beyond a row of elaborate topiary structures was a mock Georgian property with a three-car garage to the right.
They all exited the car, and Kim jumped when she found Leanne standing right behind her.
‘Really?’ she asked, waving her hands around the area. There were more uniforms than a passing-out parade, not to mention her own team members.
‘Where you go I go,’ Leanne said simply.
‘Okay, but be prepared to see what real police officers do.’
Kim couldn’t help the barb before it came out of her mouth. It still rankled that as a fellow police officer she’d done nothing to help one of their previous investigations.
‘Ah, here she is,’ Keats said, stepping out of the tent that had been erected at the front door. ‘Along with what looks like half of CID.’
‘Safety in numbers,’ she said.
‘And who is your friend?’ he asked, looking at Leanne.
‘Not important,’ she answered.
‘Did you bring her back from the idyllic Welsh countryside?’ he asked. ‘Where you couldn’t even stay quiet when bound and gagged.’
‘How the hell do you know about…?’
‘I have friends in high places, Inspector.’
‘Claiming a direct line to God is a little fatuous, Keats, even for you.’
‘Jock is an old friend of—’
‘Good for you,’ Kim said. Enough time had been wasted. ‘Now what do we have?’
‘Report of smoke coming from the residence at 7a.m. this morning.’
‘Keats, it’s 6p.m. on a Sunday evening. Why am I only hearing about it now?’
‘Only cleared for entry an hour ago, which is when we found them.’
Kim looked up at the property. Two storeys and two dormer windows. A family home.