Silent Scream

Eight

For the second time in as many days, Kim walked amongst that air of naïve expectation present at every learning facility.

Bryant headed to the reception desk while she stood to the side. A group of males to her right were laughing at something on a mobile phone. One of the males turned to her. His gaze travelled the length of her body, pausing at her breasts. He tipped his head and smiled.

She mirrored his actions and took in the skinny jeans, V-neck T-shirt and Justin Bieber hairstyle.

She met his gaze and smiled in response. ‘Never gonna happen, sweetpea.’

He immediately turned back into the group, praying that his friends had not witnessed the exchange.

‘There’s something not quite right here,’ Bryant said. ‘Receptionist looked confused when I asked to see the professor. There’s someone coming but I don’t think it’s going to be him.’

Suddenly the groups began parting like the red sea as a woman four foot in heels bustled through. Her form was small but she travelled like a bullet, slowing for nothing. Her keen eyes searched the area and landed on the two of them.

‘Shit, hide,’ Bryant said, as she headed right for them.

‘Detectives?’ she said, offering her hand.

Kim’s nose was assaulted by the aroma of Apple Blossom. Tight greying curls clung closely to her head and her nose supported a pair of glasses that Dame Edna wanted back.

Bryant shook the hand. Kim did not. ‘And you are?’

‘Mrs Pearson, Professor Milton’s assistant.’

Okay, clearly the professor was too busy to see them. If they learned nothing from his assistant they would be forced to insist.

‘May we ask you some questions about a project Professor Milton is working on?’ Bryant asked.

‘Very quickly,’ she answered. There was no offer to go elsewhere to speak more privately. The woman was clearly going to give them only a little time.

‘The professor is interested in an archaeological dig?’

Mrs Pearson nodded. ‘Yes, permission was granted a few days ago.’

‘What exactly is he looking for?’ Bryant asked.

‘Valuable coins, Detective.’

Kim raised an eyebrow. ‘In a field on the outskirts of Rowley Regis?’

Mrs Pearson sighed as though speaking to an errant toddler. ‘You are clearly ignorant of the richness of our immediate locale. Have you never heard of the Staffordshire hoard?’

Kim looked at Bryant. They both shook their heads.

Mrs Pearson made no attempt to hide her disdain. Clearly people outside of academia were philistines.

‘One of the most substantial finds of our time was discovered in a field in Lichfield a few years ago. More than three and a half thousand pieces of gold valued at just over three million pounds. Just recently a hoard of silver denarius coins dating back to 31 BC were discovered in Stoke on Trent.’

Kim was intrigued. ‘Who gets the money?’

‘Well, take the recent find in Bredon Hill, Worcestershire. A man with a metal detector found Roman gold, including coins, and both he and the farmer received over a million and a half.’

‘What makes the professor think there’s something in Rowley?’

Mrs Pearson shrugged. ‘Local legend, myth about a battle that took place in that area.’

‘Did he recently take a call from a woman named Teresa Wyatt?’

The woman thought for a moment. ‘Yes, I think so. She called a few times, insisting on speaking to Professor Milton. I think he called her back late one afternoon.’

Okay, Kim had had enough. There was something here and she was no longer content to speak to the monkey. She needed the organ grinder to recount the content of that conversation.

‘Thank you for your help, Mrs Pearson, but I think regardless of how busy the professor might be we need to speak to him immediately.’

Mrs Pearson looked puzzled then angry. ‘Now I have a question for you, Detective. Don’t you people talk to each other?’

‘Excuse me?’ Bryant asked.

‘Well you’re obviously not from the missing persons unit, otherwise you’d know.’

‘Know what, Mrs Pearson?’

She harrumphed and crossed her arms across her chest. ‘That Professor Milton has not been seen or heard of for more than forty-eight hours.’