Cold as Ice (Willis/Carter #2)(80)

‘Has Tina got a tattoo?’ Ebony was used to Carter’s random thought process.

‘You thinking about the Norse saying, the one on Emily Styles?’ He nodded.

‘Tina’s always threatening to get one but then she remembers there’s pain involved. She’s a big pussy when it comes to pain.’

‘What would she have – a shamrock?’

Ebony laughed. ‘How did you guess? She was talking about a four-leaf clover.’

Carter laughed. ‘Better put it on her bum, might bring her luck – she might get laid.’

‘Oy! Don’t be mean.’ Ebony looked away and was trying not to smile. ‘Besides, Tina is never short of male attention in the canteen.’

‘Yeah, that’s because men are greedy bastards and she’s dishing out the food. Ah, she’s a lovely girl, so she is.’ Carter tried an Irish accent. ‘I know I couldn’t manage if Tina didn’t help me out looking after Archie sometimes.’

‘She adores Archie,’ said Ebony. ‘She goes on about him when she’s been with him. She’s always disappointed if he doesn’t wake up.’

‘You and Tina are like chalk and cheese. You’re great friends though, aren’t you?’

‘Yes. It’s funny how it just works.’

‘I reckon she mothers you.’

‘Yeah, she tries. She has an inbuilt maternal mechanism she can’t switch off. I don’t mind – most of the time. The rest of the time I pretend I haven’t heard it when she tells me to remember my hat and scarf as I’m going out the door – it’s a bit annoying.’

He sighed as he finished washing up Archie’s tea things and went across to the high chair to wipe Archie’s face with a wet flannel. Archie was instantly furious.

‘Who’d have thought this time last year that things would have so changed for me, Ebb?’ He ruffled Archie’s hair.

‘Cabrina would have been a fool not to come back to you, Guv. You so missed her. You drove me mad talking about her all the time.’

He chuckled, embarrassed. ‘It took a lot though, didn’t it, Ebb? I put it down to her being pregnant at the time: hormones and shit. Now we have Archie and Cabrina is back and everything’s changed.’ He swivelled on his heels and looked around the kitchen that had been transformed from a bachelor’s pad to a baby’s nursery. ‘To think I worked so hard to get all this?’ Carter kissed Archie’s head. ‘Don’t mean it, do I, little man? I wouldn’t change this for the world. Now I just have my poor dad to worry about. Poor bugger, I can see how scared he is. He starts another round of chemo this week. It’s going to be a difficult Christmas, him watching us eat. But if we don’t go it will be worse. But . . . if it is to be his last Christmas I intend to make it a good one. What are you doing? Are you going to see your mother?’

‘They don’t allow visitors on Christmas Day. I’ll see her in the week after.’

‘Would you go if you could?’

Ebony looked down at her lap; she had clenched hands without realizing as soon as he began asking about her mother. ‘I would go because I’d feel it was my duty but I wouldn’t want to.’

‘So you’ll be spending Christmas here?’

‘Yes.’ She breathed out; her hands relaxed; she lifted her head again and smiled across at Carter. ‘With Tina and her brother Dermot who’s coming over. He’s supposed to be a really wealthy, self-made millionaire car dealer, but for some reason he wants her to buy his ticket over. That doesn’t seem right to me, but . . .’ She shrugged. ‘It’s not my business. I’m really looking forward to it anyway. Does Cabrina mind going to your family for Christmas?’ She looked across at his profile. He shrugged.

‘She’s happy not to have to do anything. Working full-time and doing the lion’s share of looking after Archie is really hard on her but what can I do? I can’t help my hours. I can’t ever be a nine-to-five and week-ends-off type of guy. Now that I’m an inspector there’s more pressure than ever.’

‘She knows what you are. She accepted it when she came back to you.’

‘Yeah – you’re right’ He winked at Ebony. ‘I am ninety-nine per cent perfect – got to make allowances for the one per cent.’ She laughed, rolled her eyes. ‘Ebb – how is the flat they got you?’

‘I haven’t been there yet. I’ll go there in a minute. It doesn’t matter what it’s like. Hopefully it’ll be warm. But I’ll manage whatever.’

‘Of course. You won’t be in there for long. But, just in case, I dug these out for you and Jeanie contributed.’ Carter handed her a sleeping bag. ‘And a ground mat for putting on the floor. This will do for tonight. Buy what you need tomorrow and expenses will cover it.’ She nodded. ‘The buggy is to have a camera and microphone attached. Here . . .’ Carter opened a packet and pulled out a toy puppy. ‘The camera’s hidden inside along with a microphone. You need to leave this attached to the rain cover at the top of the buggy and have it pointing forwards; leave the microphone on at all times. When you don’t have the buggy with you, you can clip this camera to your bag or your coat. You have your GPS?’

‘Yeah.’ She touched the pendant around her neck. ‘Robbo had the guys in PTU make me this piece.’ She held it up to show him the Tiger’s eye stone set in onyx.