Kim dismounted the Ninja and removed her helmet.

The entrance to Drake Hall Prison had changed very little since her last visit. The grey metal gate adjoined the tall grid fencing designed to contain the prisoners within. But Kim knew evil managed to seep through the gaps.

The courtesy call she’d placed before leaving home had been met with cooperation at her unorthodox request. An unscheduled visit with an inmate outside normal visiting hours and without their permission had depleted her favours reserve at the prison, and she just hoped it was worth it.

Warden Edwards greeted her at the door with an outstretched hand.

‘Detective Inspector Stone, good to see you again,’ he said, warmly.

She returned the handshake.

This man had offered her the courtesy of believing her accusations against Alexandra Thorne when no one else would. Her claims of Alex’s power beyond the confines of the walls and barbed wire had sounded fanciful even to her own ears. That she could concoct a plan for murder and implement it without getting even a speck of dirt on her own hands had not surprised Kim in the least. Warden Edwards had listened, and it had saved lives.

Twice now Kim had crossed paths with the sociopathic psychiatrist and both times the woman had tried to penetrate her psyche and break her down. And both times she had failed. Just. Seeing her again was a risk Kim had to take, because no one knew evil like Alexandra Thorne.

‘Did you do as I asked?’ Kim said as he escorted her to the front desk and handed her a pass.

He nodded. ‘She’s in the visitor’s room but doesn’t know you’re coming.’

Kim wanted the element of surprise on her side. Giving Alex the time to plan for a conversation would have been foolhardy.

‘And how’s she been?’ Kim asked as Officer Katie Parkes appeared behind the desk.

‘Inspector Stone,’ she greeted, warmly. ‘Nice to see you again.’

Yes, the warden had kept her visit very secret indeed. Even from the staff.

‘Officer Parkes will fill you in,’ he said, checking his watch. ‘But, I really have to get on.’

‘Thank you,’ she said, nodding her understanding.

Parkes came from behind the desk, and Kim noted that she’d lost a few pounds. Her uniform no longer strained in all the wrong places, and her hair was tidily pulled back to reveal clear skin and fresh eyes.

‘You’re looking well,’ she observed.

Katie Parkes had been the recipient of Alex’s manipulation, resulting in trouble for herself. Alex had used the guard’s recent pregnancy to gain sympathy and a mobile phone. Tired and emotional from the challenges of being a new, single mum Parkes hadn’t stood a chance and had found herself trapped and blackmailed for trying to be sympathetic and helpful. Typical traits of Alexandra Thorne were to turn someone’s humanity against them.

‘I’m very well, thank you,’ she said, brightly, leading the way along the familiar route.

‘And how’s our prisoner been behaving?’

Parkes shook her head. ‘You know Alex. Always trying to get a rise out of someone. Got her own little bunch of cronies led by her cellmate, a kid called Emma Mitchell, who hangs off her every word.’

‘Is there anything in particular that—’ Kim began to ask and then stopped herself. She’d been in the prison less than ten minutes and was already becoming embroiled in Alex’s world, fearing for the safety of everyone she came into contact with.

‘We keep a close eye,’ Parkes said, knowingly.

Kim wished that she felt reassured, and she didn’t doubt the diligence of the staff, but she knew Alex. And much as she would love to keep a permanent eye on the woman there were others that needed her attention more.

Hence the reason for her visit.

Kim felt her heart rate quicken as she approached the entrance to the visitor’s room. She almost faltered as she heard Alex’s familiar voice.

‘Officer Parkes, is that you? Are you bringing me my surp—’ Alex’s words trailed away as Kim stepped into view.

In a nanosecond Alex’s irritation turned to confusion followed by a slow smile of pleasure that spread across her face.

‘Mitchell, out you come,’ Parkes said to the girl sitting on the tabletop next to Alex.

‘Up yours, Parkes,’ she said, looking to Alex for guidance.

Alex didn’t even glance in her direction.

‘Get lost, Emma,’ she said.

The girl waited for a couple of seconds as though she’d misheard, but Alex’s gaze didn’t falter as she appraised Kim.

The girl huffed and offered Kim a murderous expression.

Kim wondered if this was the girl’s first experience of being dismissed by her idol. She was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

‘Kim, how lovely to see you,’ Alex said pleasantly, as though they’d met for coffee only last week.

The woman looked exactly as she had the last time they’d met. Her blonde hair was tied back in a loose ponytail exposing a face that was stunning despite the absence of expensive cosmetics. The icy blue eyes were fixed on her, and Kim offered her a smile as she sat.

‘Those additional ten years look good on you, Alex,’ Kim said. It had been almost two years since her initial sentence and the additional time deemed it unlikely she’d see freedom before her fiftieth birthday. And that was the price you paid for attempting to murder the people that stood in the way of your appeal.

Kim had learned long ago that the best form of defence with Alex was attack.

‘Were you missing me?’ Alex asked, ignoring her jibe. ‘I could always send you a weekly visiting—’

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Kim said. ‘This is a one-off visit, I can assure you.’ Kim raised her eyebrows. ‘There will be no questions, no games and no attempts at manipulation.’

‘So, basically there’s no fun in this meeting for me at all?’ Alex asked, tipping her head.

‘Nothing at all,’ Kim confirmed, feeling a little uncomfortable at the ease with which they had both slipped into their battle positions and the feeling of familiarity that surrounded them both.

Already Kim knew she had to be cautious. This woman could read her better than anyone. Even the slightest deviation from her script or demonstration of emotion would give Alex every bit of ammunition she would need. Alex had once taken her to the edge of sanity and dangled her over the edge. Kim had to make sure she never got that chance again.

‘So, what brings you here to see me, Detective Inspector Stone?’ Alex asked, lacing her fingers.

‘I want to know more about the traits of evil,’ she admitted. ‘Especially when it comes to kids.’

A slow smile spread across Alex’s face. ‘Well then, it looks like you’ve come to the right place.’