Sherlock.’
‘Added to the fact that your mileage is the same as when we parked up last night.’
‘What the hell are you, a walking tachograph?’
‘No, I’m a detective. I notice things.’
‘Well, focus your efforts on this case and leave me the hell alone.’
He was right, of course, which narked her all the more.
‘I think you need a reason to go home at night.’
‘Bryant …’ she warned. It was true that he could push her further than anyone else could. But not that far.
She continued the drive in silence, right up until a laboured sigh escaped from her partner’s lips.
‘What is it, Bryant?’
He sighed. ‘I’m not sure how we’re gonna convey any sincere sympathy to Harris’s mother when we get there.’
Kim frowned. ‘Why do you say that?’
Bryant continued to stare out of the window. ‘Well, isn’t it obvious?’
‘Not to me.’
‘With what he did to that girl …’
Bryant stopped speaking as she hit the brakes and turned left onto a pub car park.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Okay, get it out now.’
He looked away. ‘I didn’t say anything in front of the others but my daughter is a similar age as that girl was when he raped her.’
‘I get that but we don’t have the luxury of investigating murders of the righteous alone.’
He looked at her. ‘But how can we offer the same level of passion for that piece of shit?’
Kim did not like the direction of this conversation. ‘Because it’s your job, Bryant. You did not sign any agreement stating that you would only protect the rights of the people you feel are worthy. It’s the law itself we uphold and that law applies to everyone.’
His eyes searched hers. ‘But can you really, knowing what you know, commit yourself without prejudice?’
She didn’t flinch. ‘Yes, I can. And I fully expect the same from you.’
He bit the skin on one of his knuckles.
The air was charged between them. There were few times she’d had to pull Bryant into line and it wasn’t an easy thing for her to do. But their friendship could stand it. She hoped.
She stared ahead, her voice low. ‘Bryant, I expect nothing less than total professionalism when we go into that house. If you can’t give me that then I would suggest you remain in the car.’
She knew that was harsh but she would not tolerate any display of his personal feelings about the victim.
He didn’t hesitate. ‘Of course.’
The fact that she would take the necessary action if he defied her instruction was known to both of them. Friendship or not.
She put the car into gear and pulled away.
Sensibly he remained silent until they reached the island at the bottom of Thorns Road. On both sides were family dwellings that she guessed to be two bedrooms, each with a driveway just long enough to hold a family-sized car.
Bryant told her to stop in front of number twenty-three.
The house sat approximately fifty feet from the end of the alley where Harris was murdered.
Bryant slammed the car door. ‘Jesus, another fifteen seconds and he’d have been home.’
The front garden was in the process of being slabbed. Mounds of grass had been crudely dug out, leaving a tufty, pock-marked surface. A box porch jutted from the front of the property, which was straight if Kim tilted her head slightly to the left. Every window was suffocated by net curtains and a small glass pane upstairs had a crack in the lower left-hand corner.
Bryant used his knuckle to rap three short taps to the door. It was opened by a female family liaison officer dressed in sweatshirt and jeans.
‘She’s quite frail, hasn’t stopped crying yet.’
Kim squeezed past her and entered the lounge. Stairs led out of the room to the upper level. Brown and orange swirls covered every surface except the beige velour corner suite that dominated the room.
The dog that had sat beside the body sauntered towards her wagging its tail. His collar of white fur still held dried brown spatters of his owner’s
‘Added to the fact that your mileage is the same as when we parked up last night.’
‘What the hell are you, a walking tachograph?’
‘No, I’m a detective. I notice things.’
‘Well, focus your efforts on this case and leave me the hell alone.’
He was right, of course, which narked her all the more.
‘I think you need a reason to go home at night.’
‘Bryant …’ she warned. It was true that he could push her further than anyone else could. But not that far.
She continued the drive in silence, right up until a laboured sigh escaped from her partner’s lips.
‘What is it, Bryant?’
He sighed. ‘I’m not sure how we’re gonna convey any sincere sympathy to Harris’s mother when we get there.’
Kim frowned. ‘Why do you say that?’
Bryant continued to stare out of the window. ‘Well, isn’t it obvious?’
‘Not to me.’
‘With what he did to that girl …’
Bryant stopped speaking as she hit the brakes and turned left onto a pub car park.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Okay, get it out now.’
He looked away. ‘I didn’t say anything in front of the others but my daughter is a similar age as that girl was when he raped her.’
‘I get that but we don’t have the luxury of investigating murders of the righteous alone.’
He looked at her. ‘But how can we offer the same level of passion for that piece of shit?’
Kim did not like the direction of this conversation. ‘Because it’s your job, Bryant. You did not sign any agreement stating that you would only protect the rights of the people you feel are worthy. It’s the law itself we uphold and that law applies to everyone.’
His eyes searched hers. ‘But can you really, knowing what you know, commit yourself without prejudice?’
She didn’t flinch. ‘Yes, I can. And I fully expect the same from you.’
He bit the skin on one of his knuckles.
The air was charged between them. There were few times she’d had to pull Bryant into line and it wasn’t an easy thing for her to do. But their friendship could stand it. She hoped.
She stared ahead, her voice low. ‘Bryant, I expect nothing less than total professionalism when we go into that house. If you can’t give me that then I would suggest you remain in the car.’
She knew that was harsh but she would not tolerate any display of his personal feelings about the victim.
He didn’t hesitate. ‘Of course.’
The fact that she would take the necessary action if he defied her instruction was known to both of them. Friendship or not.
She put the car into gear and pulled away.
Sensibly he remained silent until they reached the island at the bottom of Thorns Road. On both sides were family dwellings that she guessed to be two bedrooms, each with a driveway just long enough to hold a family-sized car.
Bryant told her to stop in front of number twenty-three.
The house sat approximately fifty feet from the end of the alley where Harris was murdered.
Bryant slammed the car door. ‘Jesus, another fifteen seconds and he’d have been home.’
The front garden was in the process of being slabbed. Mounds of grass had been crudely dug out, leaving a tufty, pock-marked surface. A box porch jutted from the front of the property, which was straight if Kim tilted her head slightly to the left. Every window was suffocated by net curtains and a small glass pane upstairs had a crack in the lower left-hand corner.
Bryant used his knuckle to rap three short taps to the door. It was opened by a female family liaison officer dressed in sweatshirt and jeans.
‘She’s quite frail, hasn’t stopped crying yet.’
Kim squeezed past her and entered the lounge. Stairs led out of the room to the upper level. Brown and orange swirls covered every surface except the beige velour corner suite that dominated the room.
The dog that had sat beside the body sauntered towards her wagging its tail. His collar of white fur still held dried brown spatters of his owner’s
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