Bryant nodded his agreement.
‘Thing is, the stabbing wasn’t enough. He remained calm enough to stand there and watch her die. He had to see it happen.’
‘Guv, how can you possibly…?’
‘See there,’ she said, pointing to two semi-circle gaps in the pool of blood. ‘The blood should have continued flowing. It went either side and in between, but there was something in the middle to interrupt it.’
‘His shoes.’
‘And her blood had stopped flowing by the time he moved,’ she said.
Only one question mattered.
What had Ashley Reynolds done that someone thought she deserved this?
Four
It was almost ten when Bryant dropped her off at the station. She knew without doubt that Woody would be waiting for an explanation and it was better to get it over with now. It looked like she was going to have her hands full tomorrow.
She didn’t even bother checking with Jack on the desk if the boss was there, just as Woody had not bothered to make contact with her. He knew she would return to the station when she was done with the preliminaries.
En route to his office, she nodded politely at the people who offered congratulations on the award.
Always aware of the manners Bryant had instilled in her, she now knew it was unnecessary to glare at people who were trying to be nice. Even if she didn’t welcome it.
Once upstairs, she knocked before entering her boss’s office as usual. He called back, and she stepped inside.
She saw immediately that he hadn’t removed his jacket, so this was going to be a short conversation. Her suspicion was confirmed by the absence of a chair on her side of his desk.
‘Sir, I’m sorry I?—’
‘Stone, have you ever knowingly lied to me?’ he interrupted.
‘Not that I’m aware of.’
‘Then don’t start now because you’re not sorry at all.’
‘I am sorry to have put you in an embarrassing situation,’ she said honestly.
Her only reason in attending the ceremony was out of respect for her boss. Well, that and the fact he’d threatened to fire her if she didn’t go.
‘Stone, even I know that nothing comes between you and a crime scene.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘I assume there was an actual crime scene.’
Did people really think she could collude with Keats to produce a body just to get her out of an awards ceremony?
‘Yes, sir, there was a crime scene,’ she answered, deciding not to push her luck given his mood tonight.
He tapped his fingers and said nothing.
She continued. ‘Thirty-four-year-old female, single stab wound, well placed, no witnesses and no CCTV.’
‘Should have it wrapped up by tomorrow lunchtime, eh?’ he asked.
Kim was surprised at his jovial tone. She had been expecting much worse.
‘Seems to me Keats only has your number in his phone.’
‘He tried Bryant,’ she protested.
