Page 69 of Guilty Mothers
‘About what?’ she asked, folding her arms.
‘May we come in?’ Kim asked, trying to let her first impressions take a little time. One of the best lessons she’d learned from Bryant was not to act on her first wave of irritation.
‘Not really. The place is a mess, and I’ve got to get to work.’
As though sensing her incoming second wave of irritation, Bryant stepped forward. ‘We’ll try not to keep you, Ms Bond, but we’d appreciate your help regarding a very serious matter.’
She sighed heavily and stepped aside. Okay, that took more words than if Kim had just knocked her out of the way to gain entry, but it was far less likely to result in a formal complaint. Go, Bryant.
‘Look, I haven’t got long,’ Jenna said, walking through to the kitchen.
‘Maybe you could call work and tell them you might be a bit late,’ Bryant suggested pleasantly. ‘We really do need your help, and we wouldn’t keep you if it wasn’t urgent.’
‘Jesus, fine,’ she said, grabbing her phone.
Bryant sometimes had that effect on people. There was something about him people liked immediately. Her, not so much.
Jenna typed out a quick text message and put her phone down.
‘Thank you, Ms Bond,’ Bryant said.
‘Call me Jenna. You’ve got further through those doors than any man has in years.’
Kim gave him a brief nod to tell him to lead the questioning. It was still a mystery how some people just didn’t warm to her immediately, but you had to make use of the tools you had available.
‘Jenna, I’m not sure if you’ve seen the news, but we’re working a major investigation that appears to be linked to the pageant world.’
‘What? Some little brat got their flipper in a twist?’ she said and then chuckled at her own joke.
Bryant smiled his appreciation. ‘We have two victims. Both mothers of girls involved in events where you did hair and make-up back in your pageant days.’
‘Wh-What?’ she asked, taking a seat. All the amusement had slipped from her face. Her phone dinged a message which she ignored.
‘Our first victim was named Sheryl Hawne. Our second victim was Andrea Shaw.’
She shook her head. ‘Give me the kids’ names. I knew them better.’
‘Sheryl was mum to Katie, and Andrea was mum to Toyah.’
‘Oh…Oooh,’ Jenna said, frowning.
Kim’s mouth wanted to open, but part of the point of letting Bryant lead sometimes was to get the best information. She had to trust that he’d ask the right questions.
‘Two quite different reactions there. Not both were a surprise to you?’
‘I suppose both should be cos, like, we’re talking murder, but I can far easier understand someone being pissed off at Sheryl than Andrea.’
It seemed that now she had placed the girls, memories of the mums were coming back to her.
‘Why’s that?’
‘Oh, well, I don’t really want to say now I know she’s?—’
‘Not being honest won’t help her,’ Bryant reassured her. ‘Nor will it help us find the person responsible.’
Jenna nodded, accepting his permission to be candid.
‘Sheryl was a bitter pill. Very driven, very focussed. Didn’t even seem to enjoy it. Everything was about being the best, getting the best service, getting Katie done first. Lots of the other moms just gave in because it was easier than making her into an enemy. I’m sorry to say she was one of the least-popular moms on the circuit. Katie, bless her, was a sweetheart. Clearly embarrassed at times by her mother, but she wouldn’t say boo to a goose. She’d just hang her head in shame when Sheryl started on her antics.’