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  ‘Jesus,’ Stacey said, shaking her head.

  ‘Prognosis isn’t great but his mother and brother are by his side, which is fine by me,’ she answered. Short of locking them away until they knew what they were dealing with, the hospital was a safe place to be. Another constable had taken over the babysitting and had been advised to keep a respectful distance. She knew a third shift wouldn’t be authorised, so they had to come up with something today or the two of them would be left vulnerable.

  ‘You think they’re in danger?’ Penn asked.

  ‘I think we have to explore the possibility of a vendetta against the whole family because of Gordon Cordell’s murder and the brutality of the crime. This was not a functional kill.’

  ‘Could be any one of them, boss,’ Penn continued. ‘Maybe just started with the dad but it could be something to do with the sons.’

  He had a point. Daddy Cordell might have been first because he was the easiest or closest.

  ‘Get into it, Penn,’ she said, realising they couldn’t just assume it was Cordell senior because he was an unlikeable bastard. Luke Cordell appeared to have been cut from the same cloth, but about Saul she had no information at all.

  ‘Anything back on the shoe print?’ she asked.

  Penn shook his head. ‘Still going through the database and sent all the main manufacturers reminders last night. I’m hoping for something later today.’

  She nodded. There was nothing they could do on the fibres until Mitch had more detail to offer them.

  ‘How about the sexual harassment complaints?’

  ‘I’ve established that not one of the women who made a complaint still work at the clinic. All ex- employees and all seemingly good character.’

  ‘Dead end, then?’ she asked, feeling the doubt that so many genuine complaints had been forthcoming at the same time.

  ‘Not sure, boss,’ Penn said, mirroring her reservations. ‘May be a bit too tidy. I’d like to give it another shot to make sure.’

  She nodded her agreement.

  ‘You still think the Spades are behind Cordell’s murder, guv?’ Bryant asked her.

  She shook her head. ‘Not any more.’

  ‘Why not?’ he asked.

  ‘Basically, because I’m still alive,’ she said. ‘Woody assures me he passed on the message, and he’s received no backlash or instruction for me to stop, so I’m pretty sure they have nothing to hide on this one.’

  She turned back to Penn. ‘I’d still like to know if those sexual harassment complaints are genuine.’

  ‘Got it, boss.’

  She turned to the constable who was looking increasingly uneasy.

  ‘CCTV, Stace?’

  ‘Oops, sorry, Stacey, I borrowed your notes earlier,’ Penn said, reaching across and pushing a single piece of paper towards her.

  Stacey’s eyes fell to the desk.

  ‘Err… umm… traffic cameras on Mucklow Hill are out of order. Nothing showing from the petrol station. B&Q at the island have a PTZ facing that’s been vandalised. Camera at Shenstone Island showed 196 cars going past in the time frame. The hardware shop opposite the park has turned his camera on the yard to uncover petty theft. The three cameras from the town centre are—’

  ‘Stace, I don’t need your work record,’ Kim said, frowning. Stacey didn’t do blow-by-blow accounts. ‘Is there anything of interest?’

  The constable finished reading her notes and shook her head.

  ‘Okay, work with Penn for now. Bryant and I will be going back to the hospital to find out more about Cordell. I’d like to speak to some of the folks that worked with him.’

  Kim caught an accusing glance from Stacey to Penn. She had no clue why but she had an idea how to find out. Stacey was not a secret keeper.

  ‘Bryant, get some names of people we can speak to.’

  ‘Okay, guv.’

  Kim headed into The Bowl and pretended to shuffle some papers on her desk until she heard the polite cough she’d hoped for.

  ‘Boss, can I have a word?’ Stacey asked.

  Kim nodded towards the door.

  Stacey closed it and sat down.

  ‘Gotta tell the truth, boss. Penn just covered for me in there. I didn’t do the CCTV checking. He did and then tried to get me off the hook.’

  Which is why it had sounded as though Stacey was reading the information from a list instead of retrieving it from her own brain.

  ‘What’s going on, Stace?’ Kim asked.

  ‘I was gonna come in early boss and catch up, but then you called an early briefing so I didn’t get chance.’

  ‘But why didn’t you do the CCTV checks yourself?’ Kim asked with concern.

  ‘Boss, while you were gone, my time at Sedgley was spent doing mainly grunt work but just before I came back I took a report on something and it kinda stuck to me.’

  ‘What kind of something?’ Kim asked, folding her arms.

  ‘Missing girl, Jessie… Jessica Ryan, fifteen years old. Possible runaway. No one really gave a shit cos she’s a few days away from hitting her sixteenth birthday and she’s pulled this kind of caper twice before.’

  ‘Okay,’ Kim said, waiting for more. Police resources dictated that priorities had to be made. A hard fact of life but a fact all the same. And a fact that Stacey knew well in the face of a murder investigation.

  ‘I just didn’t want to abandon her,’ Stacey said. ‘And now, I’ve found out that she’s on a lot of medication and could be at risk if she doesn’t take her stuff. There was violence involved with her stepfather, and her best friend is as cagey as anything. Doesn’t feel right to me,’ she said.

  ‘You want to carry on working it despite the fact it’s not ours?’ Kim asked.

  ‘I do, boss. I wanna know what’s happened to this girl.’

  Kim was suddenly revisited by Woody’s words, like the shadowy ghost of Christmas past. You’ve got to bring her on, it said, before she sighed it away.

  ‘Okay, Stace, follow it and see where it goes, but working on the Cordell case comes first, and I want to know exactly where you are and what you’re doing at all times. Got it?’

  The last time Stacey had investigated alone she had almost lost her life at the hands of a bunch of vicious, despicable racist bastards.

  Stacey beamed. ‘Thank you, boss,’ she said, heading out the door.

  Kim looked after her, knowing she’d done the right thing in giving Stacey the green light to go this one alone.

  So, why the hell did she feel so shitty?

  Thirty-Two

  ‘There was no need to do that,’ Stacey said, once the boss and Bryant had left the room.

  Penn shrugged but said nothing as he continued to tap away on his computer.

  ‘I don’t need anyone to do my job for me,’ she said, resenting the fact he’d thought she needed help. And that she’d actually be grateful it had come from him. This was her office and her team. Not his.

  ‘Cool,’ he said, reading something on his computer.

  ‘So, don’t expect me to thank you or anything,’ she growled.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ he said, without looking at her.

  ‘You had no place—’

  ‘Sorry, I thought I heard you say thank you. My mistake.’

  ‘Look, Penn, I’m not sure how things worked in your last team but here we don’t lie to the boss. Me and Kev…’

  ‘I’m not Kev,’ he said, quietly but firmly.

  ‘Too bloody right you’re not,’ she snapped, feeling the rage of that one single truth clutching at her stomach. ‘And actually, that’s what I’m going to call you from now on “Not Kev”.’

  ‘Cool,’ he said, again. ‘Now, I’ve got an idea for getting to the bottom of this sexual harassment thing but I’m gonna need your help.’

  Stacey felt her jaws lock together at the calm, neutral tone of his voice, as though she’d never spoken. His complete lack of reaction was becoming pretty annoying.

  She’d had no choice bu
t to come clean with the boss. Every minute she’d spent on the case the previous day without her boss’s permission or knowledge had eaten away at everything she valued in being part of this team. She’d expected impatience, anger, disapproval and a refusal to allow her to take the case forward. Instead the boss had listened, understood and sanctioned. With conditions.

  And one of those conditions was that work on the case of the murder of Gordon Cordell came before anything else. Even her growing disgust at the man sitting opposite.

  ‘Okay, you’ve got me for the next ten minutes. Use it well.’

  Thirty-Three

  ‘You do know there’s a bit of a problem developing back there?’ Bryant asked as they headed towards the car.

  The early morning mist through which she’d driven to work had now been burned away by a watery sun.

  ‘It’ll sort itself out,’ she replied.

  ‘You sure?’ he pushed.

  ‘What do you expect, Bryant? How do you expect m… her to feel? Stacey and Dawson were a great team and they were better friends than even they knew.’

  ‘It’s not Penn’s fault,’ he offered. ‘And you might need to step in is all I’m saying. Penn might not take too well to being treated—’

  ‘Bryant, I get that it’s been a while but name your worst time joining a new team.’

  He thought. ‘Probably having my locker door glued shut as a PC. Got in all kinds of shit for breaking it open.’

  ‘Good for you if that was your worst,’ she replied. ‘When I joined CID I walked around for half a day with a sign on my back saying “tea bitch”. Now do you see any glued lockers or malicious signs?’

  ‘We both know it can take many forms, guv,’ he said, seriously, but Kim wasn’t in the mood to listen and was prepared to drive home her point.

  ‘You’ve just spent a few weeks at Brierley Hill. They bake you a cake? Crack open the welcome bunting? Take you for a pint down the local after a shift?’

  Bryant took a deep breath. ‘That was a temporary secondment due to—’

  ‘And so is this,’ she said, firmly. ‘One case and then he’s gone.’

  ‘Even so,’ Bryant persisted. ‘You know Stacey is being more than a little stand-offish with him, and it’s almost like you’re deliberately allowing it. My dad used to say “why have a dog and bark yourself” which is what you’re—’

  ‘Bryant, I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

  ‘You really want something on her record about bullying and—’

  ‘Don’t you dare use that word in connection with Stacey,’ she raged. ‘You know that girl as well as I do and she is not a bully. Not even close. For fuck’s sake, she’s a black, bisexual female in the police force. You really want to talk to her about bullying?’

  Bryant refused to back down. ‘Firstly, that would give her no excuse to pay it forward; secondly, I’m not saying she’s a bully. I am saying isolation lives in the same family and you may have to manage the situation before it gets out of hand.’

  ‘Oh how I love when you tell me how to manage my team,’ she growled. ‘You really think I’m gonna let anyone get bullied right in front of my eyes, even if they’re temporary? I can see that Stacey is being cool towards Penn but I can’t make her like him. Providing she remains polite and professional I’ll let them sort it out themselves.’

  ‘If this case goes on longer than…’

  ‘Bryant,’ she said, turning to face him as he put the key into the ignition. ‘You’re an anecdote man. You have a never-ending supply and one to suit every occasion. So, here’s one for you.’

  He turned off the engine and looked her way.

  ‘When I was ten years old at Fairview there were four of us in one room. Two sets of bunk beds. The two girls opposite were best mates, Zoe and Liz, both fourteen and in Fairview since they were nippers. Neither of them was going anywhere. Talked all night about the flat they were going to get together when they were old enough.

  ‘One day Zoe’s aunt came and got her after agreeing to give it a try. Bye, Bye, Zoe. Two days later a seven-year-old kid was given the bottom bunk beneath Liz. Obviously, Liz made her life a misery, nicking what few things she liked and breaking what she didn’t. One time she spooned a whole tin of sardines onto the girl’s mattress. We had the smell for weeks.’

  ‘So, what did you do?’ Bryant asked.

  ‘Absolutely nothing,’ she said. ‘The kid had to find her own breaking point, the limit at which she’d fight her own corner. Sticking up for her and fighting her battles wouldn’t have helped her in the long run. She had to do it for herself.’

  ‘And did she?’ Bryant said, starting the car.

  Kim shrugged and glanced up at the window realising that she had outright lied in her story about Liz and Zoe.

  Because that wasn’t what she’d done at all.

  Thirty-Four

  ‘So, let me get this straight?’ Stacey asked, incredulously. ‘You want me to ring one of the sexual harassment victims, pretend I’m a victim and get her to open up to me?’

  ‘Yes,’ he said, simply. ‘I’d do it myself if I could.’

  ‘And if she works out that I never even worked at Oakwood?’

  ‘Why would she? If we choose the one that’s been away longest she won’t have a clue of the names behind the other complaints. Just don’t use your real name.’

  She’d heard better plans and, to be fair, she’d heard worse. And it was probably something she would have done herself.

  ‘Okay, give me the number,’ she said. ‘And what’s her name?’

  ‘Cheryl Hawkins.’

  Stacey keyed in the number as Penn read it off to her.

  The phone was answered after the second ring.

  ‘Hello, is that Cheryl?’ Stacey asked.

  ‘It is,’ the female voice said, warily.

  ‘Hi Cheryl, my name is Stacey Penn and I’m sorry to bother you but I overheard your name and…’ she paused for drama. ‘I’m one of Cordell’s victims too and—’

  ‘How did you get this number?’ she asked, sharply.

  ‘I just want to talk to someone about what happened. I mean I’m having trouble with—’

  ‘Look, whoever you are just leave me the hell alone.’

  The line went dead in her ear.

  ‘Well, that worked,’ she grumbled.

  Penn raised one eyebrow. ‘Didn’t realise when I asked for your help it meant we were gonna get married but—’

  ‘What now?’ she asked.

  ‘Well, there’s the honeymoon to book…’

  ‘Grow up,’ she snapped.

  ‘Try another,’ he said. ‘We’ve got a few to go at. We only want to know if they’re genuine complaints. It only takes one.’

  ‘Okay, next,’ she said.

  ‘Pippa Round,’ he said, and then read out the number.

  This one answered immediately.

  The hello was rushed against a wall of background noise.

  ‘Hi Pippa, sorry to call, you don’t know me. My name is Stacey and I worked at Oakland too.’

  ‘So?’ she said, impatiently.

  ‘I worked closely with Doctor Cordell a few months ago. I’m another one of his victims.’

  ‘And?’

  Jesus she’d caught a real conversationalist here. This was going nowhere.

  ‘I just… I’m not sure what we do?’ she said, trying to think of something to say.

  ‘About what?’

  ‘Well, I mean the man’s dead and—’

  ‘Listen, if you’ll take my advice you’ll do what the rest of us are doing,’ she hissed.

  ‘What?’ Stacey asked. ‘What should I do?’

  ‘Spend the money and keep your mouth shut like everyone else.’

  The line went dead in Stacey’s hand.

  ‘Well, Notkev, I think we just got our answer.’

  Thirty-Five

  Kim spotted a familiar face amongst the early morning bustle of Russells Hall Hospit
al.

  ‘Hey, Terry,’ she said to the volunteer in the red tee shirt. ‘Where might I find the office of the Operational Medical Director, Vanessa Wilson?’

  He started pointing and explaining and then stopped and smiled. ‘It’ll be far easier if I just take you.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she said, falling into step beside him.

  ‘How’s the leg?’ he asked, pleasantly.

  ‘Bearing up,’ she answered. ‘And thank you for your kindness the other day.’

  ‘You’re welcome, that’s what we’re here for. Assisting visitors and the odd errand now and again.’

  ‘Did you know Doctor Cordell?’ she asked, imagining that the talk around the place was of little else. Kim understood this was a large community of workers, numbering in the thousands but she was guessing every other conversation in the entire place centred around the murder.

  ‘Not really. That’s to say I knew of him. Saw him pass through, saw him when I dropped off files or post to his office a few times, but I’ve only been here a few weeks,’ he said, turning a corner away from the main corridor.

  She glanced at him questioningly. She guessed him to be mid-thirties, shaved head, slightly overweight but appearing to be fit and healthy. Most volunteers seemed much older.

  ‘Forced period of unemployment, officer. I’m a jobseeker and apparently it looks good on your CV if you’ve done voluntary work. Shows willing.’

  ‘Fair play to you,’ she said.

  He stopped walking. ‘Down there, second on the left,’ he said, pointing down the corridor.

  Kim thanked him and headed towards the office, realising they had completely left behind the hubbub of the hospital.

  ‘Not gonna get bothered down here too much, eh?’ Bryant said as she knocked on the door.

  * * *

  ‘Come in,’ Vanessa Wilson called out.

  Despite her surprise at their impromptu visit she beckoned them in and then pointed to the phone at her ear.