Page 15 of Guilty Mothers
‘Same in here,’ he observed.
No fridge magnets, no silly ornaments and no keepsakes. It was more understandable in a small space where there was less inclination to clutter, but it just compounded what they’d already seen.
‘Maybe the bedroom?’ Bryant suggested, stepping across the hallway.
The situation was exactly the same there. A double bed was made with a tartan quilt set. Only one bedside cabinet with a lamp and an alarm clock on it. The wardrobes and drawers revealed tasteful, stylish clothes with little variation. After checking them all, Kim deduced there was not one sequin in sight.
‘You don’t find it strange that she took nothing of her achievements from her childhood home? Not one crown or sash or award?’
Bryant shrugged. ‘I got a certificate for winning first place in the egg and spoon race when I was eight, but I didn’t take it when I left home.’
‘First of all, why do you insist on telling me these things knowing I’m gonna use them against you? And secondly, can you really compare your bean bag race?—?’
‘Egg and spoon,’ he clarified, like it mattered.
‘Tragic that you felt the need to correct me, but what I’m saying is that unlike yours her achievements were notable. You wouldn’t want to take any reminders of that with you? It’s a part of who you are.’
And right now, Kim was struggling to get any idea of who Katie Hawne was. Her home was attractive and stylish, but it wasn’t personal.
‘Back to the kitchen,’ she said, marching across the hall. ‘I want to find the drawer.’
‘Oh yeah, we all have one,’ Bryant said.
Kim’s ‘it’ drawer contained screws, tape, scissors, a broken old doorbell, bulldog clips and all kinds of other things that she had no intention of using but hadn’t yet thrown away.
She started opening drawers as Bryant headed for the cupboards.
‘Ah, got it,’ Kim said, although it wasn’t overly impressive.
It was half empty except for a couple of recent utility bills.
Underneath was a business card. Kim picked it up and frowned, turning it over. The only information on it readGirls’ Club, above a phone number.
‘Bryant,’ she said, passing it to her colleague.
He shrugged and handed it back. ‘Maybe it’s a group that offers advice on how to make a meal out of three ingredients,’ he said, looking in the fridge.
She took the card back and put it in her pocket.
‘Not everyone has a wife they don’t deserve who fills the cupboards and freezer.’
‘Guv, I’m not talking forgot to go to the shops and fill up. I’m talking nothing to cobble together for a snack.’
Kim double-checked. He was right. She didn’t eat that much herself, but she always had the ingredients to throw a quick meal together.
Kim recalled the image of Katie’s protruding collarbone, even more pronounced in the ballgown, and wondered if they were dealing with a bigger issue than an aversion to cooking.
‘Okay, there’s nothing more to see here,’ she said, heading towards the exit.
She crossed the hall and knocked on the landlord’s door.
He answered almost immediately.
‘Okay, we’re done. You can lock up, and don’t reopen to anyone who isn’t carrying a badge.’
He opened his mouth.
‘We’ll keep you in the loop, but just do as we ask for now.’