Silent Scream

Twenty-Nine

Kim travelled the distance faster on foot than Bryant in the car. She passed Doctor Bate and Keats loading boxes into a van.

The doctor turned to face her. ‘You know, Detective Inspector, at this rate I may have to consider a restraining order.’

‘How’s piss off grab ya?’ she asked, without stopping.

‘Yeah, you were right,’ he said to Keats.

She had no idea what Keats had been right about and at this precise moment she couldn’t be less interested.

She aimed for the group of people forty feet west of the first tent. The location behind the equipment storage tent meant their activity was obstructed from the view of the press. She thanked the lord for small mercies.

‘What’s going on?’

Cerys drew her to one side. ‘Gareth was checking the rest of the area just to be sure. He got to this point and the magnetometer detected a second anomaly.’

‘Jesus Christ,’ Kim said, running her hand through her hair. ‘Is there something else it could be?’

Cerys shrugged. ‘There’s always that chance but we won’t know until we start digging. In the meantime there’s something else I’d like you to see.’

Kim followed Cerys into the utility tent. Fold-out tables had been erected and held small Tupperware boxes. A couple were empty but most were filled with varying amounts of soil.

‘We have some small metal fragments that I need to explore further but I thought this might interest you.’

Cerys reached for one of the smaller Tupperware boxes that held fine dirt and what looked like Maltesers.

‘What are they?’

Cerys took one out and held it at Kim's eye line.

It was a perfect pink circle with yellow dots.

Kim tipped her head. ‘A bead?’

Cerys nodded.

‘How many?’

‘Seven, so far.’

‘Bracelet?’

Cerys shrugged and smiled. ‘That’s your job, Detective. Of course, there’s always the possibility that they are totally separate contexts.’

‘Separate what?’

Cerys closed her eyes for a second. ‘Remember what I told you about the wall?'

Yes, Kim recalled something about events happening in layers. ‘So, you’re saying the beads could be completely unrelated to the body?’

‘Perhaps.’

‘When can I have photographs?’

‘Everything taken today will be with you first thing in the morning.’

Kim nodded and headed out of the tent. Yellow paint had been sprayed around the area the machine had indicated.

She turned as Cerys came to stand beside her. ‘Why is no one digging yet?’

‘It’s almost three. We have half an hour of daylight left. Not enough time.’

‘Are you kidding? You’re just going to leave her down there?’

Cerys turned to her, surprised. ‘Firstly, we're not yet sure it isn't a dead dog,’ Cerys said using Kim’s own example of the previous day. ‘And secondly, if there is another body down there it would be foolhardy to assign a sex when the first one ...’

‘What is it with you scientists? Is there a special class at university called the extraction of free thinking?’

‘If we start disturbing the soil now, knowing we're not able to complete it, we run the risk of exposing the site to the elements. Valuable evidence may be lost.’

Kim shook her head. ‘You’re all the same, like little android clones who rely on ...’

‘I can assure you that we are not all the same. Yesterday, we did it your way but today, we do it mine.’

Kim glowered at her.

Cerys folded her arms. ‘I understand your impatience, Detective. In fact I’ve seen it first-hand, but I will not be bullied into making mistakes. In addition, my team left their homes at four this morning to be here. A team needs rest.’

Cerys began to walk away, but returned. ‘I promise, she’s safe for one more night.’

‘Thank you ... Cerys.’

‘You’re welcome ... Kim.’

She headed over to Bryant and Dawson and pulled them to one side. ‘Okay, guys, they’re winding down here for the day. This is gonna break wide open tomorrow if we find another body down there.

‘Go home and get some rest while you can. From tomorrow this is going to be non-stop so be sure to let family members know that your shift rota is a distant memory.’

‘No problem, Guv,’ Dawson offered brightly. His eyes were dark and a little bloodshot but he was learning his lesson.

‘Okay, Bryant?’

‘As ever, Guv.’

‘Right, briefing at seven. Someone let Stacey know.’

As Kim walked away from them both she quietly seethed inside. Waiting was not an activity she did well.