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‘You have got to be fucking kidding me,’ Kim said, feeling the court order burning a hole in her inside pocket.
Elliot Reed broke free from the crowd and headed her way.
‘Anyone inside?’ she asked as Bryant caught up with her.
‘God no. I got here to open up at just after nine. I wasn’t even out of the car when I saw the smoke coming out of the place. Neighbour smelled it and called the fire service.’
‘I have a warrant,’ she told him.
He shrugged. ‘You’re welcome to whatever’s left after these guys have finished.’
Anything not burned would most likely be waterlogged, and the joy of sorting through that lot would only come once the fire investigator had determined the cause.
‘We did have a crappy heater that threw out the odd spark now and again,’ Elliot offered, wiping his palm over his head.
‘Who’d have been in there putting the fire on?’
He shrugged. ‘Just guessing.’
‘Where’s Gordon?’
‘I dunno. We only do the occasional shift together.’
‘But you’ve got a number for him.’
‘Sure,’ he said, taking out his phone. ‘You want it?’
‘No. I want you to call him and ask him where he is.’
‘Okey-dokey,’ he said, pushing his curly black hair out of his eyes.
He looked back at the burning building as he waited for the call to connect.
‘Strange. Straight to voicemail. Hang on, I’ll try again and leave a message.’
‘Never mind,’ Kim said. ‘What do you know about him?’
‘Lives over on Hollytree. One of the tall ones. Let me think,’ he said, scrunching up his face. ‘Shakespeare House.’
‘Doesn’t exist,’ Kim snapped.
The three tower blocks were named after famous writers, but Shakespeare wasn’t one of them.
‘What do you know about his past?’
Elliot shrugged again. ‘We don’t talk about stuff like that. I don’t think he had a very happy childhood. Spent time in a kids’ home, I think.’
‘Kids’ home or youth offenders institute?’
‘Dunno. Could have been either. I think he was bullied wherever he was.’
Kim realised she was going to get as much information out of Elliot as she was from this conveniently burning building.
Regretfully she turned and headed back to the car.
‘Ah, right on cue,’ Kim said as she almost collided with Tracy Frost.
‘Why, you want more help?’
