‘Get your fucking hands off me,’ she said, shaking her arm from his grip. ‘And I dare you to touch me again.’
She could see his discomfort growing. ‘Marm, please…’
‘I don’t even know you,’ she said, taking a step back.
He took out his ID. ‘Sergeant Tovey, officer with the tactical driving unit, and we have instructions to return you…by force if necessary,’ he said, reaching for her elbow again.
‘Guv, you’d best just go,’ Bryant said as she dodged the officer’s grip.
‘Thanks for your support,’ she snapped, although she wasn’t sure what exactly she expected him to do.
‘Marm, DCI Woodward warned us you wouldn’t come quietly, but he did say he would explain everything once we get you back.’
Explain what? her mind screamed as he reached for her for the third time.
‘Don’t even think about it,’ she warned.
The second officer appeared to be doing little more than admire the scenery.
She sighed heavily.
‘Okay, I’ll come but don’t touch me again.’ She turned to her team. ‘Guys…’
‘We’ll be right behind,’ Bryant answered. ‘Once we’ve packed everything up. We’ll see you back at the station.’
Kim began walking towards the squad car, trying to make sense of the situation. Why hadn’t Woody just called her phone? She would have got the message eventually. If it was a new case that needed their attention, why not contact Jock and tell him to send them back immediately? What possible situation could warrant this type of urgency?
She slid into the back seat of the squad car as the talker took the driver’s seat.
The silent one took a last look around the area before getting into the front passenger seat.
He nodded and the talker started the car.
She hadn’t really taken much notice of the second officer. He hadn’t spoken or interacted with her in any way. She took a good look now and saw what Bryant had already noted.
The silent officer was armed.
TWO
‘Sir, would you like to tell me what the hell is going on?’ Kim asked before her new minders had even closed the door behind them.
It had taken less than an hour to blue light her back from the Welsh countryside into the heart of the Black Country.
After her seventh attempt at gleaning a clue from her companions had been met with stony silence, she’d given up and counted down the miles until she could ask for herself. They had taken Woody’s instruction seriously and deposited her in her boss’s office.
‘Sit down, Stone.’
‘Sir, we have this same conversation every time and I’ve told you I prefer—’
‘I said sit.’
She hesitated for just a second. Better to get it over with so she could make a start on whatever it was she’d been summoned back to do.
‘You know one of them was armed,’ she said, nodding towards the door.
‘At my request.’
‘You gave instruction to shoot me if I didn’t get in the car?’