‘We know that Jemima was abducted on Saturday and dumped Sunday night, found by us Monday morning. Isobel was taken on Monday and dumped Tuesday night. He’s keeping them one night, so…’
‘Tracy was taken yesterday so will be dumped… tonight?’ Dawson asked.
Kim nodded.
‘So, to clarify, we know that Louise Hickman, Jemima Lowe and Tracy Frost were all present when Graham Studwick was held down and taunted at school.’
She turned to Stacey. ‘Anything on the name Mandy yet?’
Stacey shook her head. ‘There were seven Mandys at Cornheath at that time. I’m working my way through ’em, boss, but so far they’re safe and accounted for.’
‘Okay, now we believe that while he has them he’s treating them like dolls and carrying out a re-enactment of a game he played with his mother… most likely some kind of tea party. He then takes them to Westerley, smashes their faces in and kills them by stuffing their mouths full of dirt.’
‘You think he’d be stupid enough to try and leave Tracy at Westerley?’ Bryant asked.
‘I think he has to leave her at Westerley,’ Kim said. ‘Just like he left Isobel a couple of days after Jemima. And there’s a reason why. I just don’t know what it is yet.’
‘So what’s the plan, boss?’ Dawson asked.
‘We’re gonna be right there waiting for him,’ Kim said.
Her whole team looked at her doubtfully, and she understood their concern. Only an idiot would risk the same location following the police presence on the property.
But following their discussion with Ted, her instinct said that’s what Graham needed to do.
She just hoped for Tracy’s sake she had called it right.
‘Time to go upstairs and…’
Her words trailed away as her phone rang. It was a withheld number, but given the situation she decided to answer it.
‘Stone.’
She stepped away from the mumbling amongst her team.
‘Inspector, it’s Jo… from the hospital.’
Kim’s stomach reacted to the agitation in her voice.
‘Is Isobel okay?’ Kim asked quickly.
The chatter around her stopped and six curious eyes turned her way.
‘Yes, Isobel is fine, but I thought it best to let you know about an incident we had earlier. There was a man who tried to get into the ward to see Isobel. He was refused entry, and he became quite forceful. He was banging and kicking at the doors. We had to call security to move him away from the doors. He was aggressive towards the officers and had to be physically removed from the building.’
Kim felt the hairs on the back of her neck ping.
‘Jo, please tell me you managed to get a description,’ Kim said, holding her breath.
‘I got more than that, Inspector. He was big, burly and bald, and his name was Darren James.’
Kim thanked Jo for her help and ended the call.
She turned to her team. ‘Okay, guys, get yourselves together as quick as you can. We need to get to Westerley immediately.’
They needed to find out why their security guard had tried to force entry into the ward.
Seventy-Nine
Kim didn’t hesitate when she heard the call to enter the office of the detective chief inspector. He stood to the right-hand side of his desk. The brown leather briefcase handle was encased in his hand.
‘Sir, I need all police and forensic activity withdrawn from Westerley,’ Kim said.
He smiled. ‘Stone, what on earth are you talking about?’
‘I need them to stand down from the site.’
Now he frowned. ‘That’s impossible. The ground search is nowhere near complete and after what you said about this Amanda…’
‘Mandy,’ she corrected.
‘Either way, we need to make absolutely sure there is nothing more to be found.’
She nodded her understanding and took two steps closer to the desk. ‘I get that, but I need the area clear for tonight. The search can resume tomorrow.’
He placed the briefcase on the floor and sat back down.
‘Why?’
‘I think our guy will attempt to dump Tracy Frost there tonight.’
Now he laughed and she got worried.
He shook his head. ‘Only a fool would be so bold. Are you thinking this killer has no access to television and newspapers?’
‘Sir, there is a reason he was bold enough to leave Isobel so soon after we found Jemima. We can’t track him any other way.’
‘You have his name?’ Woody said, as though she’d forgotten.
‘Graham Studwick no longer exists. He entered the system aged eleven after murdering his mother and doesn’t appear to have left again. Except we know he has, but as someone else. Knowing his name is a dead end. All we can use is his behaviour so far and up until now the site at Westerley means something to him.’
He sat back in his chair.
‘Sir, I just want to make it as inviting as possible. The location is all we have.’
He nodded his understanding and picked up his pen. ‘Okay, what do you need?’
She’d thought the first part would be easy. She was coming to the part where she expected a fight.
She shook her head. ‘Nothing. I need to do this with as few people as possible. It will just be my team and members of Westerley staff.’
He was shaking his head before she finished the sentence. ‘Not a chance, Stone. Firstly I will not have you endangering your own team to that degree and the staff there are civilians. If anything should happen to any one of those people…’
‘I do understand that, but I need them for their knowledge of the site. I need to cover two or three areas, and I can only do it with their help.’
He rubbed at his chin for a few seconds.
‘Sir, I do believe this is our only chance to stop him and to save the life of Tracy Frost.’
‘You really believe he’ll come back?’
She didn’t hesitate. ‘Yes, I do.’
He sighed heavily. ‘Okay, but I want a team positioned no more than half a mile away and you will maintain radio contact at all times.’
‘I need to—’
‘I can add more restrictions if you say one more word.’
She quickly closed her mouth.
‘If the safety of those people is compromised for even one minute you stand down. Do you understand?’
And fuck Tracy Frost, she thought.
And if anyone had told her a few days ago she’d feel so passionately about ensuring this woman’s safety she would have laughed in their faces. Tracy had unveiled a great deal of herself this week without even realising it.
Like Kim’s own life, the existence Tracy had made for herself didn’t count for much in the opinion of others. They both had a job into which they poured everything they had. Neither of them were married or had children… but whatever Tracy’s life was, it was hers and Kim was determined to bring her back to it.
In her logical mind she knew that wasn’t what her boss had meant. He didn’t want anything to happen to Tracy Frost, but it was always a case of safety by numbers. If one had to be sacrificed to save more then that was the equation you chose.
Only problem was, Kim had never been any good at maths.
Eighty
Oh, Mummy, it’s my very favourite part of the day. I love teatime soooooo much, and I know you did too.
I would choose the dolls to come to our tea parties. I would get them all clean and ready, and you would prepare the food.
Didn’t we have such lovely cakes for tea. You would sometimes try new ones for a treat, but there were some that always stayed the same.
Now and again in the summertime we had jelly and ice cream. We laughed at the wobble as you took it from the fridge. I would touch it with my fingertip to see if it bounced back. And if it did it was ready.
Do you remember when I lied, Mummy? I said it was done, and it wasn’t, but I was impatient for the strawberry flavour that made my mouth water as you opened the fridge door.
You put a spoon into the dish to divide up the portion. Instead of dancing in the bowl when it landed it splodged and splashed all over the counter. I held my breath, so sure you would be angry with me. But you weren’t. You laughed as the mess disappeared beneath a handful of kitchen roll. Of course you laughed. We were playing your favourite game.