Right now she had no idea when that would be.
TWO
It took Kim around half an hour to empty her inbox of circulars, memos and updates.
After filing anything from Woody, Keats and her team, she had simply pressed ‘delete all’ and watched thousands of messages disappear with the touch of a button.
She was about to start ploughing through the ones she’d ring-fenced when she realised she hadn’t heard one word exchanged in the squad room.
She peered over her computer screen and took a closer look. It was 8.57 on a Tuesday morning and you could hear a pin drop.
Penn finished writing a statement and pushed it across the line towards Stacey where their two facing desks met. He raised his eyebrows apologetically. She shrugged silently in response.
Kim continued to watch as Bryant handed a statement across the dividing aisle to add to Stacey’s growing pile of paperwork.
‘Rightyo, people,’ Burns said, clapping his hands together as though his words alone wouldn’t summon their attention in the deadly silence.
It was 9a.m. precisely.
‘Now we’re up to date on the paperwork, we’ll plan the day.’
Although she was in her own office, the glass panelling and gaps around the door meant she’d hear a newt fart if it was in the next room.
‘Wood, can you take that boy’s name off the board please?’
Kim instantly resented Stacey being referred to by her surname and the boy on the board being referred to by no name at all.
Why were there no photos, details, age, description, lines of enquiry? It was just a name, like it had been put there and forgotten about.
Who was Jamie Mills? she wanted to ask.
‘Sir, is it worth just talking to his parents?’ Stacey asked, picking up the kitchen roll.
‘For what reason? The plods informed the family and we ruled it a suicide. Job done,’ he said, picking up a piece of paper.
Kim saw the wavering determination on the constable’s face. ‘But I just think—’
‘Take it down, Wood,’ he said icily.
Kim saw the firm set of her jaw as she rubbed out his name.
She returned to her seat silently. Kim tried to focus on her emails but couldn’t help listening to the events in the next room.
‘Sticking with you, Wood. We’ve been referred a missing persons case that came in last night. Adult male. Probably nothing but take some details.’
Fob job, as Kim liked to call it. There was no real investigative interest. It was an appeasement task. Make it look like they cared. Take a statement and then no further action.
‘Bryant, there’s an assault that came in during the night. Take a quick look and see if there’s anything there for us.’
‘Will do,’ Bryant answered without looking at him.
Burns didn’t even notice.
‘Penn, check the logs.’
Penn nodded his understanding but said nothing. This was clearly their daily routine.
It took Kim just a few seconds to realise the meaning of checking the logs. None of them ever needed to be reminded to do that job. They all logged on to the reporting system to see which jobs had been funnelled their way, but she was guessing that wasn’t what Burns meant.