Page 96 of 36 Hours

‘Another rape?’ she asked.

‘Not really, but it’s linked to the puzzle websites,’ Stacey answered, hoping she wasn’t going to put two and two together.

The woman laughed. ‘You think it’s to do with the guy that’s got you lot running around the Black Country?’

Damn, this woman could do her maths. Stacey felt the heat flood her cheeks and wondered if they were ever going to live this down.

Her lack of response was answer enough.

‘I hope this isn’t your best lead because we couldn’t even prove that she was following any kind of trail. If it was there, the trail was removed fast and the website shut down completely once we started asking questions.’

‘Do you doubt that she was raped?’ Stacey asked.

‘Of course not. I believe that one hundred per cent, but she was in the middle of a field and couldn’t give us any kind of description.’

‘So nothing was done?’ Stacey asked.

‘Everything that could be done was done, but you know how it is with these cases. Our chances of finding the person who did this are slim to none.’

Stacey hated having to admit that she was probably right.

‘Okay, thanks for the?—’

‘Listen, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but you’re getting enough shit right now. We didn’t get any matches, but we do have DNA.’

Stacey thanked her and, after getting Melissa’s address, ended the call deflated, having learned virtually nothing. What was the point of DNA if you had no suspect to match it to?

SEVENTY-FOUR

10.40A.M.

There was a part of Kim that couldn’t wait to wipe the smirk off Ryan Douglas’s face when she presented him with the warrant. The paperwork covered all records, but what she really wanted were those membership names. There had to be a record of the real name logged against the Jester674 username.

Despite her pleas for assistance, he had remained indifferent to the seriousness of the investigation. That demonstrated an arrogance that she rarely saw.

Unlike the previous day, he answered the door to his offices looking very much the boss and owner of the business. He wasn’t wearing a tie, but his crisp white shirt with one button open and his well-cut black trousers still exuded authority and confidence. Too much confidence. And she wasn’t keen on the easy smile he was wearing either.

‘Inspector, how lovely to see you,’ he said, guiding her past a stack of archive boxes. ‘I expected you much sooner.’

She said nothing as he continued through the office, where every desk was now occupied.

He showed them into a small meeting room and closed the door behind them.

‘You haven’t caught him yet then?’

Kim ignored the question and slid the warrant across the table.

He didn’t even look at it.

‘I see you made the news,’ he said, placing his right foot on his left knee as though they were discussing the weather.

‘Yeah, a horrific murder tends to do that.’

‘Tragic,’ he said, examining his nails.

Bryant cleared his throat to bring her back. He knew full well that it was taking all her self-control not to launch across the desk and throttle Ryan.

‘Not so tragic for you. Your subscription applications have increased by how many per cent?’