Deadly Cry (DI Kim Stone #13) - Angela Marsons Page 0,77

of the house, choosing to ignore the fact he was following Bryant. The man did not take a hint.

Robyn sat outside on one half of a wooden companion set, with a single mug on the triangle piece that linked the two seats. The oversize cardigan appeared to swamp her slight frame, which was clad in the same clothes as the night before. Her long brown hair had been tied into a haphazard ponytail.

Kim was suddenly struck by the lonely figure who might be thinking that she would never share that seat with her wife again. Her gaze was fixed on the small playhouse at the end of the garden.

‘We knew he was too big for it,’ Robyn said softly as Kim approached. ‘But we didn’t have the heart to throw it away. We can’t throw anything away. You see, there’s a memory in everything. I have every piece of Archie’s clothing. Sounds crazy I know, but I remember something different for every single item. Just one small thing that stops me from being able to part with it.’

Kim lowered herself onto the seat beside the woman, who finally turned. Kim’s breath caught in her chest. Never had she seen a woman more haunted and bereft of emotion. It was as though every feeling had been sucked out of her.

‘I don’t want to be here, you know,’ she said, turning away again.

‘Robyn, I need—’

‘Please, let me gather myself for a moment, Inspector. I’m speaking because I’m terrified of what’s going to come out of your mouth if I stop, and I’m trying to prepare myself.’

‘I understand that…’

‘No, you don’t,’ she said with authority but without anger. ‘Everything I love in this world has been taken away from me; my wife is dead, my son is…’

‘Well, strictly speaking, he’s not your son, is he?’ Robert asked from the kitchen doorway. ‘Well, not biologically anyway.’

‘Piss off, Rob,’ she snapped.

‘I’m just trying to help.’

‘How does that help?’ Robyn asked. ‘You think I love him any less because I didn’t give birth to him?’

‘Well, technically…’

‘How about technically you fuck off,’ she spat, rising from the chair and turning.

Bryant, who was standing closer to the brother, looked to her for guidance. Should he step in or not? Kim shook her head. She would have liked to have responded to his insensitive and cruel comments herself, but by her own admission, Robyn had rarely stuck up for herself, allowing Louise to be the reactive one in the marriage. Robyn needed to do this for her own piece of mind.

‘You never liked her, and you hated our life together. You’ve never taken our marriage seriously or treated Archie like your nephew. Look at your face; you’re not even sorry she’s dead.’

The tension that burned between the two was palpable, causing Kim to wonder why he was here at all. They obviously weren’t close.

Kim wondered if Robyn could hear her thoughts as she continued.

‘Why did you come? Just to talk about your perfect wife and your two perfect daughters? Did you come to gloat because I’m miserable and hurting?’

The rage burned in Robyn’s eyes, but Kim was surprised to see amusement in the expression of her brother.

‘You always wanted to be better than me. All our lives you’ve competed for attention. You always wanted to win at something. Well, here you go. I have nothing, but just so you know, your wife is a bitch and your daughters are brats.’

‘You evil cow,’ he said as his face reddened. ‘You couldn’t get a man, so you settled for a woman, and now you’re pissed off with me because my life is great and yours is—’

‘Mr Harvey, I think it’s time for you to leave,’ Bryant said, taking a step forward.

The man hesitated for a few seconds before storming back into the house.

‘I’m sorry you had to witness that,’ Robyn said, collapsing back into her seat. ‘As I explained last night, we’ve never got along. We used to pretend for our parents, but there’s no need for that any more. Both gone,’ she explained.

The woman expelled a deep breath and braced herself.

‘Go on, Inspector, I’m ready for whatever you’ve got to tell me.’

‘Robyn, I’m here to tell you not to give up hope. We firmly believe Archie is still alive.’

Seventy-Eight

Kate applied a second coating of lipstick before popping the cosmetic into her handbag. She wanted to look her best later.

She was due to collect Tyra in half an hour to commence what would be their last day of the book tour.