Never mind. OK, see ya later.
Cool beans. Later.
He smiled at the thought of an evening with his brother. Maybe he’d challenge Jasper to an Xbox championship complete with takeaway pizza.
He turned back to the mountain of work on his desk and hoped his colleague wasn’t gone too long.
FORTY-SEVEN
It was almost four when they arrived back at the house in Much Wenlock, and Kim still had no idea how she was going to broach this line of questioning without revealing how she’d come by the confidential information.
‘Just tell the truth,’ Bryant said, reading her discomfort. ‘It’s been known to work now and again.’
‘Novel concept but I’ll give it a thought,’ Kim said, getting out of the car.
She headed down the path and knocked on the door. The small Renault on the drive told her someone was home.
The door opened and Kim guessed they were looking at Stephanie Lakehurst. The girl was dressed in black leggings and an oversize jumper that fell off one shoulder. Her black hair was styled with an Elvis-type quiff. She had one single piercing in her nose.
‘Stephanie?’ Kim asked, holding up her ID.
Bryant did the same.
‘May we come in?’ Kim asked.
‘Without a confirmation phone call to the nick, I don’t think so.’
‘Feel free.’
She frowned. ‘Actually, I’ll just give my cousin Sergeant Poole a shout at Halesowen.’
‘Sergeant Poole works out of Dudley but nice try.’ Kim already liked her style.
‘Okay, not sure why you’re here, but you’re making the doorstep look untidy so you’d best come in.’
‘Lovely house. Yours?’ Kim asked, stepping into a clean, tidy hallway with animal pastel prints on the wall.
‘Will be when the folks cark it,’ she said, leading them into the lounge. A huge comfy-looking sofa curved and dominated the room around a big screen TV.
‘Sorry, my attempt at humour and my way of saying I’m an only child.’
They all stood in the lounge.
‘Before I ask you to sit, am I in any shit? You ain’t getting comfy if I’m in trouble.’
‘You done anything wrong?’ Kim shot back.
‘Hardly likely to admit it, am I?’ she asked, taking a seat and indicating for them to do the same.
No sooner had Stephanie pulled up her legs than a Chihuahua appeared from nowhere, jumped up and nestled in the crook of Stephanie’s arm.
‘It’s okay, Tyson,’ she said, stroking the dog’s head. ‘I’ll give you the signal if I need you to attack.’
‘Tyson?’ Bryant questioned.
‘Why not?’ Stephanie asked. ‘Ain’t no stereotyping going on in this house.’
Kim smiled as the dog seemed to look up at her owner in agreement. ‘Stephanie, we understand you spent some time at a facility called Change in Bridgnorth.’