Kim was still wondering why a social services case involving Helen Daynes had been sealed almost thirty years ago when they drove into the multistorey car park at Merry Hill shopping centre.
‘Around the time she was first diagnosed with depression,’ Bryant had noted as they’d left the building.
She agreed that the two had to be linked to each other, but were they linked to her murder? Much as she wanted to keep digging on Helen, she had to focus on other members of the family.
‘I don’t like this,’ Leanne said, looking around the car park as Bryant headed towards the car wash. Shoppers were busily going in and out of the shopping complex.
‘Get over it,’ Kim said, glancing at the camera that was focussed on the valeting business.
Kim immediately spied the young man matching the photo she’d been sent by Stacey.
His good-looking face was formed in concentration as he buffed the bonnet of a Ford Kuga with a giant orange mitten on his hand.
He glanced their way as they got out of the car and headed towards him.
‘Warren Cox?’ she asked, holding up her ID.
He nodded as he looked from her to the two people standing behind her. ‘Is this about Rozzie?’
‘Yes. Is there somewhere we can talk?’
He looked around and then back at the car. ‘Wanna get in?’
It wasn’t the weirdest place she’d interviewed someone.
She opened the front passenger door.
‘Guys, really?’ she asked as Bryant and Leanne opened the rear doors. The idea of the two of them sitting behind her in an enclosed space while she asked a teenage boy a few questions was quite frankly ludicrous.
They closed the back doors and stepped aside.
Instantly she was overcome by the citrus aroma from the cleaning spray with a whiff of pine from the tree hanging on the mirror.
‘I understand you knew Rozzie quite well.’
He nodded.
‘How long?’ she prompted.
‘Since junior school.’
Kim hadn’t realised they went back quite that far.
‘You knew the family well?’
He shrugged. ‘I suppose.’
Rozzie hadn’t hung around with him for his conversational skills. Blood and stone came to mind. Open questions were not going to work with him.
‘Did you get on with her family?’
‘Is she really dead?’ he asked, surprising her.
‘Yes,’ Kim answered.
‘Shot?’
‘Mr Cox, can you answer the—’