Woody nodded.
‘Is it going any further?’
‘Given your understanding of how you could have addressed it differently, no, but steer a wide berth. He’s a man with not a lot left to lose.’
Kim caught the undertone of Woody’s instruction, which sounded a little bit like a warning.
‘Did he make threats?’ she asked.
Woody shook his head. ‘No, but it’s safe to say you’re no longer on his Christmas card list.’
‘I’ll live,’ she said, rising from the chair.
Woody made no attempt to stop her, meaning their meeting was over. She thanked him for his time and headed out of the office, hoping that all interaction with Burns was now well and truly in her past.
THIRTY-SIX
Bryant took the route to Bridgnorth that Kim favoured when taking the Ninja out for a burn. A sudden longing washed over her. It had been too long since she’d felt that kind of freedom. Maybe once this case was over she’d set aside some time to just pick a road and see where it took her.
This one had already wound through Enville, past The Cat and up through Four Ashes and Six Ashes. They were now passing through Wootton. She was aware that Bryant hadn’t yet spoken to her once, not even to ask about her meeting with Woody.
‘You okay?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, sure. I was just thinking that was some heavy rain we had last night.’
‘Pull over,’ she said as they approached Stanmore. They were only a couple of miles away from the clinic.
He indicated and slowed, pulling into a parking lay-by.
‘What’s up?’ he asked, turning the engine off.
‘Early lunch,’ she said.
‘Guv, it’s not even nine o’clock. And we never do lunch anyway.’
‘And you never make small talk with me about the bloody weather. What’s going on?’
‘It’s nothing. I don’t wanna add—’
‘It’s lunchtime. I’m Kim not guv.’
‘That only applies at your house,’ he replied.
‘Well, come on then, turn the car around if that’ll help you get it out.’
‘Look, it can wait.’
‘Wait for what?’
‘Just time. That’s all.’
Kim saw the muscle jumping in his cheek.
‘Aah, you’re waiting for me to get my strength back, for things to be normal.’
He didn’t reply.
‘Not sure when that’s gonna pan out for you so come on, out with it.’