Chapter 65

Kim was still thinking about the photos she'd seen of Katie when Bryant pulled up in front of the dress shop in Bewdley.

‘If we're right, it explains why Sheryl never took Katie to nationals,' Bryant said, revealing that it had been on his mind too.

‘Yep, she'd have been avoiding any national press,' Kim said, wondering how deeply that must have niggled Sheryl, being unable to step into the spotlight for fear of being discovered.

She'd passed the info on to Stacey, and at this point there was no more she could do. She had a murderer to catch, and she couldn't help wondering if she was about to have a second conversation with him.

The expression on the face of Kelvin Hobbs was guarded when they walked through the door. With good reason.

‘Officers,' he said.

She noted that today his sewing machine was empty.

‘You don't appear to have been totally honest with us, Mr Hobbs,' she offered as a greeting.

‘About what?' he asked like a man with more than one secret, who didn't want to fess up to the wrong one.

‘Well, let's start with your reasons for leaving the pageant circuit. We understand that you didn't have a lot of choice.'

‘Who told you that?'

‘Doesn't matter.'

‘It was Jenna, wasn't it?'

‘Was she lying?'

He waited a good ten seconds before answering. ‘I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do what they said.'

‘So why didn't you stand up for yourself?' Bryant asked.

‘Because Sheryl hit me where it hurt. My sexuality.'

‘Go on,' Kim urged.

‘It's fair to say I've never had any interest in little girls, not even when I was a little boy. I'm gay and have struggled with it my whole life. Actually, saying the words out loud is something I've only mastered in the last five years.'

‘But why has it been such a…?'

‘Don't,' he said, holding up his hand. ‘Public acceptance makes no difference to my own struggle. I could have defended myself against Sheryl's witch hunt, but that would have meant saying those words, and I was nowhere near ready. Even if I had been prepared to publicly utter the truth, the outraged cries would have changed from "he's a pervert" to "oh, he's just a different kind of pervert". Sheryl and her gang hit my weak spot. I couldn't fight back so I chose to leave.'

‘Must have been hard.'

‘I loved my work, and I loved those girls, even the difficult ones. They were all little princesses in my gowns. But it wasn't meant to be. I adjusted.'

‘And now you've lost this as well, which is something else you failed to mention.'

‘You're just a ray of fucking sunshine, aren't you?' he snapped as his jaw tensed. He appeared to be operating on a short fuse.

‘But it is true, isn't it?' she pushed. ‘You are losing your business and your home?'

‘Yes, Inspector, I am. Thank you for the reminder of all my failures in one conversation, so now you've kicked a man when he's already down, please feel free to let yourself out.'

‘Not quite, Mr Hobbs. I would imagine that the little group who ousted you have been on your mind recently.'

‘Oh no you don't. I can see what you're trying to do and it's not going to work,' he said, pointing towards the door.

‘You have to admit that it's a bit of a coincidence that a group of women who negatively affected your life to a huge degree are winding up dead at the same time your life is falling apart.'

‘Inspector, do you get paid extra for being this rude?'

‘I wish,' she answered.

‘Maybe I would find it strange if I'd been the only person in the crosshairs of that group, but I was simply one of many.'

‘Who else?'

‘Oh, now you want my help?'

‘Yes, if you'd like me to cross you off my list and go harass someone else.'

‘Haven't you asked yourself why someone who had a lucrative career in hair and make-up is now beautifying the dead? You really think that's an aspirational career choice?'

‘Is there something you want to share with us?'

He shook his head. ‘Not a chance. I'm not like Jenna. It's not my story to tell. But I'm pretty sure it's a story that you're going to want to hear.'