Isobel crawled along the darkness of her own mind.
There was no light anywhere. The blackness was trying to consume her.
The warm sensation on her hand had disappeared. Had it ever really been there?
She wasn’t sure where her body had gone. She had the sensation of being only a head. A picture came into her mind of body parts arranged in place but unconnected.
For a moment the darkness was alight with the vision, only for it to be swallowed again.
And yet it hadn’t properly disappeared. The darkness was not as black any more. There was a greyness somewhere in the distance. The vision had left behind a trail of light. A cord for her to reach. A guide out of the dark.
But she didn’t know how to reach it. Her heart began to beat loudly in her chest as she pictured the lifeline disappearing completely and returning her to the infinity of the dark.
Please don’t go, she cried to the grey speck that both tantalised and taunted her at the same time. Take me with you. Don’t leave me.
Suddenly the total emptiness of the darkness was terrifying as she began to wonder what it meant.
The beeping increased and hands were touching her. Maybe they were joining her back together again.
Her heart returned to a normal rate and the speck of grey returned.
She didn’t feel quite so alone while the speck was still there.
Out of the darkness she heard a voice, words that broke through the haze. But she didn’t understand what it meant when it said, ‘One for you and one for me…’
Thirty-Five
Kim glanced at her watch. Her companion was already ten minutes late.
She pushed away the weak coffee that had bought her a seat. The culinary offering was not the reason she’d chosen this place. A greasy shed on a Brierley Hill trading estate was not somewhere she would normally have chosen for a meeting. But Joe’s Diner was out of the way and they would not be seen.
She itched to walk out but damn it, she wanted this meeting more than the person she’d invited.
She watched as a wasp entered through the open window and landed beside the sugar bowl on the next table. She was instantly reminded of Elvis and, in turn, Catherine, who was her reason for being here.
The bell above the door tinged as the door opened.
Tracy Frost made no effort to hide the disdain as her eyes searched for and then rested on Kim.
Her long blonde hair flowed freely and the five-inch heels tottered over to where Kim sat.
Her legs were clad in black tailored trousers and her upper half in a pastel T-shirt with cuffed shoulders. A burgundy bolero was straddled over a handbag that reeked of expense.
She slid into the chair opposite and placed her handbag on her lap.
Kim didn’t blame her. She wouldn’t want her personal belongings touching the floor, or the table for that matter. Her own arm had accidentally brushed the top of the table and had almost stuck to the droplets of grease welded there.
Kim glanced at the cup of liquid that was now lukewarm.
‘Want one?’
Tracy looked at her as though she’d lost her mind. ‘Only if it comes with a tetanus shot.’
The woman at the next table overheard and offered Tracy a filthy look.
And people commented on her lack of social skills. Kim offered the woman an apologetic smile and received an even frostier glare in return.
Tracy didn’t even notice, and if she had she wouldn’t have cared. The woman’s hide was thicker than that of an old aged cow.
‘So what the hell is going on, Inspector? You call and request my attendance at a place that’s harder to find than a virgin in Dudley. When it’s normally all I can get you to do to throw a “Fuck off, Frost” my way.’
The woman at the next table shook her head with disgust. Kim guessed she was from Dudley. If they sat here long enough Kim was sure Tracy could offend everyone in the place.
Kim fought back her smile at Tracy’s observation. It was true. She despised the woman and the way she did her job, but right now she could prove useful.
‘I want to talk to you about this current case,’ Kim said.
‘Now I know you’ve bloody lost it, Stone.’
Kim sat forwards. ‘Look, this case is about to get messy. The public will be crying out for answers over the secrecy of the location. The harder I try and keep this to myself the worse it’s going to get, and the last thing I need right now is bandana-wearing, placard-carrying protestors causing a major distraction.’
‘You want to go on the record?’ Tracy asked disbelievingly.
‘Unnamed source,’ Kim said.
Tracy thought for a second. ‘Okay, but I think you’re up to something.’
Now for a bit of authenticity. ‘Tracy, you know I can’t stand the sight of you. I don’t really hide that fact, and if there was any other local crime reporter you would not be sitting here right now.’
For once, Tracy’s mouth fell open. Yeah, Kim knew this was not the way to get a favour out of someone, but she was dealing with Tracy Frost. Kim enjoyed the bewildered expression for a whole two seconds before continuing.
‘I am using you, Tracy. The story needs to come from a local paper and you’re the only person there is.’
‘Stone, I don’t trust you—’
‘Forget it,’ Kim said, pushing her chair back. ‘I’ll speak to—’
‘No… no… ’ Tracy said, grabbing her wrist.
Kim shook it free. ‘I don’t have time to keep explaining myself to you. Either get your notebook out or I’m off.’
Tracy reached into her bag and took out a shorthand pad with a pen stored in the metal binding.
She used her left hand to wipe at the table before placing her handbag between them.
Kim sat back down.
‘Westerley is a research facility for studying the effects of both insect activity and climate conditions on the human body. It is at least a mile and a half from the closest residential property.
‘There are a total of seven corpses there spread over a two-acre site. The bodies have all been donated by legitimate means.
‘The facility is run by Professor Christopher Wright and he is assisted by Jameel Mohammed. Both have impeccable qualifications and—’
‘I spoke to a woman,’ Tracy interjected.
‘No, you didn’t,’ Kim said.
‘Yes, I did.’
‘No, you didn’t,’ Kim repeated forcefully, wondering when the pantomime horse was going to step out of the wings.
Confusion then understanding registered in Tracy’s eyes two seconds before Kim expected it to.
‘Bloody hell, Stone, I should have known.’
Yes, she really should have.
‘You’re getting the heads-up on the understanding that you mention only the staff members that I’ve named.’
Tracy sat back in her chair, weighing up if it was more beneficial to have the first accurate story or to have every single detail.
‘If someone uncovers something juicy then I’m gonna look like a prize dick.’
Kim knew that to be true. ‘Yes, you are.’
‘I don’t know, Stone, I’m not convinced…’
Now for the clincher, Kim thought, offering a wry expression.
‘I had a meeting with Keats, the pathologist, earlier today. We discussed Bob, at length.’
Tracy sighed heavily. ‘Jesus, that’s unfair.’
Kim shrugged.
Their gazes met and held for a long minute.
‘Okay, enough foreplay,’ Tracy said, turning the page.
Kim was happy to continue.
‘One body identified. Second victim not yet named is still alive but in a comatose state.’
‘Picture?’ Tracy asked.
‘In your dreams,’ Kim responded.
‘Go on,’ Tracy urged her to continue.
‘We are currently exploring all lines of enquiry. We do not feel that the purpose of the site has any connection to the crimes. All personnel have been ruled out of our investigation.’
Tracy frowned. ‘So why’s it being used as a dump site?’
Kim had stopped short of just how much she was prepared to reveal. She had to allow Tracy to feel she was earning this somehow.
Kim hesitated. ‘The exact location of the body was not actually on Westerley property.’ She held up her hands. ‘That’s all I’ve—’
‘Is there any connection between the victims?’ Tracy asked.