‘Mr Butler, I am arresting you for the?—’
‘No, you’re not,’ Bryant said, holding his phone in front of her face.
‘Oh shit,’ she said and rushed out of the room.
Fifty-Nine
Kim had three missed calls from Keats, each with less than a minute in between.
It was his text message to Bryant that had sent her flying out the door. It just gave a location. She’d put Butler back on ice in the cells and would continue with him once she was back.
Efforts to call Keats for a bit more information had gone to voicemail. She was about to express her frustration when her phone lit up in her hand.
‘Aww shit,’ Kim said before putting the call on speaker. ‘Stone.’
‘Inspector, it’s Gloria Lincoln from child services.’
Kim already knew that, but her mind was working on overdrive. Penn had updated her on the Chances, and she supposed that was why she was getting a call.
‘Hey, Gloria. How are you?’
Bryant glanced her way. She only ever made small talk when she was playing for time.
‘I’m well, thank you. I’m ringing to arrange collection of Ava.’
‘Oh, have there been developments?’ Kim asked, feeling her heart sink. It could only be one of two things. Either a place had opened up at the notorious Lebworth, or Gloria had visited the Chances and been swayed by their performance. Kim wasn’t sure which scenario scared her more.
‘We’ve assessed her relatives and, in the short term, they’d be a good fit for her.’
‘She doesn’t know them,’ Kim protested.
‘Nor would she know anyone at Lebworth, Inspector, but we’d never place a child in a facility when there are family members who are willing and able to care for them.’
‘Do they have the space?’
‘It’ll be a squeeze, but it’s seven to a room in Lebworth so…’
‘I can’t do it right now,’ Kim said. ‘My colleague has taken her to Alton Towers, you know, to take her mind off stuff. It’s already late, and she’ll be tired when they get back. No point in all that upheaval tonight.’
‘Inspector, this is highly irregular.’
‘Well, the whole thing is, isn’t it? She’s safe where she is for one more night, and I will personally drop her off tomorrow.’
Kim crossed her fingers, hoping the woman wouldn’t insist on a changeover whatever time it was.
‘I suppose it is a bit late. Still, I want your assurance that Ava will be with us tomorrow morning.’
‘Thanks, Gloria. Gotta go,’ Kim said, ending the call.
She wasn’t sure if she was just delaying the inevitable, but she did know that once Ava was with the Chance family, Daniel’s odds of getting her back were about zero. Yes, she’d played for time, and she didn’t know what she’d do with that time… but that was a later problem.
Right now, she needed to focus on whatever Keats had called her out for.
‘Bloody hell,’ Bryant said as they turned into the road on the edge of the Wren’s Nest Estate in Dudley.
It was after teatime, and it looked as though everyone in the local area had turned out to view the spectacle.
It was ironic, Kim thought as she got out of the car, that by now these locals probably knew more about the incident than she did.
