Silent Scream

Forty-Four

‘What a bloody day,’ Bryant said, parking the car at the rear of the station. They were the first words spoken since leaving the site. ‘Dawson was pretty quiet up there.’

‘Are you surprised?’

Dawson had been unable to take his eyes from the small container until the bones were loaded into the larger box, beside the bones of the mother.

‘Get off home, Bryant. I’ll go see Woody and then I’ll be heading home myself.’

It was just after seven and they were entering the thirteenth hour of the sixth working day. Bryant would keep at it right beside her. But he had a family. She did not.

Her last burst of energy was used as she mounted the steps to the third floor. She knocked and waited.

As Woody called for her to enter she marvelled at the level of controlled rage that could be contained in two syllables.

The stress ball was already in his hand when she took a seat.

‘You wanted to see me, Sir?’

‘Three hours ago, when I called, would have been more appropriate,’ he growled.

Kim looked to his right hand and swore she could hear the stress ball crying out for mercy.

‘There were developments at the site that required ...’

‘Stone, you were involved in a traumatic incident.’

‘Bryant’s driving isn’t that bad,’ she quipped weakly. It had been a long day.

‘Shut up. You’re fully aware of the procedure and the need for your return to the station for a debrief and a welfare check.’

‘I was fine, ask Bryant ...’

‘You’ll excuse me if I choose not to waste my time with that.’ He sat back and switched the stress ball to the left hand. Damn, she wasn’t out of the woods yet.

‘I have an obligation, a duty of care, which you make damn near impossible for me to exercise. You have to be offered support and counselling.’

Kim rolled her eyes. ‘When I need someone to tell me how I should be feeling I’ll be sure to let you know.’

‘That you don’t feel anything may well be the problem, Stone.’

‘It’s not a problem for me, Sir.’

He leaned forward, his eyes boring into her. ‘Not right at this moment but eventually all the negativity will affect you and your ability to function.’

Kim doubted that. It was the way she always handled things. The bad things were packed away in boxes and sealed shut. The key was in never opening the boxes and her only question was why more people didn’t do that.

The old adage stated that time healed everything. And she had mastered the art of manipulating time. In real time she had failed to save the life of Arthur Connop only seven hours earlier but the activity crammed into those intervening hours distanced the memory. In her mind, the incident could have happened last week. Therefore, the event was much further back in her past than Woody believed.

‘Sir, thank you for your concern but I really am fine. I accept that I can’t save everyone and I don’t beat myself up when people die.’

Woody held up his hand. ‘Stone, enough. My decision is made. Once this case is over you will seek counselling or you will face suspension.’

‘But ...’

He shook his head. ‘If not, the bad inside will destroy you.’

What she held inside was of no concern to her. It was locked up and contained. Her only fear was in letting it out. To release it would most certainly signal her destruction.

She sighed heavily. That was a fight for another day.

‘There will be no further discussion on the matter but before you go, there’s something else.’

Fabulous, she thought.

‘I’ve received a call from the superintendent who has received a call from the chief superintendent who both want you removed from this case.’ He sat back. ‘So, tell me who the hell you pissed off today.’

There was no point lying to him. Clearly someone’s feathers had been well and truly ruffled.

‘Sir, I could give you a list but it wouldn’t be exhaustive. However, the only person I’m aware of having angered that badly would be Richard Croft but I can’t imagine he has that kind of influence.’

There was a brief pause as their eyes met. ‘His wife,’ they said, together.

‘What did you say to him?’

She shrugged. ‘Many things,’ she answered, thinking Croft’s wife must love him very much after all.

‘Witness or suspect?’

She pulled a face. ‘Bit of both.’

‘Dammit, Stone. When will you learn that there is an element of politics when policing at this level?’

‘No, Sir, there is an element of politics in policing at your level. Mine is still about uncovering the truth.’

Woody glowered at her. Kim hadn’t quite meant it the way it had sounded. She relied on the fact that he would know that and chose not to open her mouth to change feet.

She stuck out her chin. ‘So, are you gonna follow instructions and remove me?’

‘Stone, I do not need goading from you to make use of a perfectly healthy spine. They have already been advised that you will continue to head the case.’

Kim smiled. She should have known.

‘The councillor clearly has something to hide or he wouldn’t have set his guard dog loose.’

For the first time in days, he offered her the promise of a smile. ‘So, I guess I’d better unchain mine.’

‘Yes, Sir,’ Kim said, with a smile.