Dead Of Winter (Willis/Carter #1)(72)

‘I never knew you had another daughter besides Chrissie until recently.’

‘It wasn’t common knowledge. I just didn’t want her dragged into all this. I am a private person and so is she.’

‘She grew up with you?’

‘Yes. Her mother left. I brought her up. No big deal.’ Harding could hear his mood switch just like in the restaurant with the wine waiter.

‘Did she go to school in South Africa?’

‘I home-tutored her.’

‘Really? Why was that? I heard that the schools in South Africa are very good.’

She could hear him getting colder by the second. His voice became clipped, and sharp. ‘I had my reasons. I wanted to keep my daughter close; I wanted control over what she was taught, and I thought I could do a better job than the schools. I was right. She turned out just as I wanted her to. She is an asset to me and my organization.’

‘And your son-in-law? You must really like him; he’s a big man in your empire.’

‘Yes. He was a good choice.’

‘He has history.’

‘We all have history.’

‘For rape?’

‘Please!’ She could imagine him rolling his eyes. ‘It never went to court. A girl’s hysterics, nothing more.’

‘His mother paid people off.’

‘Alright, okay. Maybe he got carried away. Everyone makes mistakes in their youth. Justin has surely atoned for his a thousand times over through the good work he’s done for the Chrissie Newton Foundation and for the Mansfield Group. I could not have done it all without Justin. He is extremely loyal and takes away ninety-nine per cent of the stress for me; leaves me to do what I am good at: saving lives. You know what? I am a little put out by this conversation, Jo . . . I was hoping for better from you. I feel a little bit like I’m on trial here? If there’s something for me to worry about please tell me. I am reliant on you to keep me informed. We have a deal.’

Harding paused. ‘Deal?’

‘Understanding then,’ he replied. ‘Is that more to your liking? The Mansfield Group has been very supportive of your department. And will continue to be so. All I ask is for a little loyalty. I think that’s reasonable considering the amount of money I’ve invested . . .’

‘Invested? There is no deal, James. I owe you nothing.’

There were a few seconds of frosty silence between them before Martingale smiled as he said, ‘Of course not. I’m sorry if I got a little passionate. You owe me nothing. I guess I get a little defensive about Justin. Justin is family.’

‘Are they actually married? Is there a certificate?’

‘Yes. What are you implying?’

‘Nothing, it’s just a question . . . there’s no record of it.’

‘What? Is my daughter being looked into? I get extremely angry when people intrude into my privacy. What right have they? What right has anybody? I lost a daughter in this country and what justice did I get? None . . . and now the police are wasting their time investigating me, my daughter and my son-in-law? What the hell for?’

Harding took a breath. She remained calm. Harding had the knack of remaining calm when a man got angry.

‘That’s the way it is now, James. The internet has opened up opportunities like that. The police can check on every detail.’ She heard him take control again. She heard him take a deep breath. ‘You’re upset. I understand.’

‘No. I’m being irrational. We all want the same things. We’re all singing from the same hymn sheet, after all. Please forgive my little outburst.’

‘It’s really not a problem.’

‘When this is all over, I hope we’ll be spending many more and much happier times together.’

‘I hope so,’ she agreed. ‘Fuck you,’ she added as she put the phone down.

She went over to her laptop and began to research all the hospitals in reach of Rose Cottage; and all the surgeons who worked in them. Two hours later she rang a number. It went to answer machine. She left a message:

‘Simon . . . it’s your ex-wife. Ring me.’





Chapter 46


Tina heard the whine of a distant police car as she walked along the waterlogged street. The snow flooded the pavements as it melted. It wasn’t that the night was particularly warm. The smog trapped the light and gave the street an artificial warmth. The street echoed with the sound of her heels; she was scuffing her feet as she held the bag of shopping in each hand and trudged doggedly towards her front door. The bags were ‘bags for life’ that broke after one use and you couldn’t be bothered to ask for another, couldn’t be bothered to take the torn bag back to the supermarket and ask for your replacement ‘bag for life’. Fuck, Tina thought, was life just one day now? One heavy load, one crisis point and the bag for life just broke? Life was full of false promises.

It had been a shit evening. Justin hadn’t shown. He’d said sorry about the hotel; said he wanted to make it up to her. Who the feck did he think he was? Yeah, good-looking guy. She knew it was too good to be true. She was Miss Average. Ah well. She shook her head. Live and learn. What was it her friend Rachel in the canteen always said? ‘You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince.’ The funny thing was that whenever she said that a mental image of Rachel’s husband came into Tina’s head and the theory wasn’t worth a damn; he was pig ugly. Still . . . whatever . . . none of it mattered because today she’d found out she’d won a holiday. An email had come through about what she’d won: the holiday of her dreams . . . free cosmetic surgery. It seemed she’d been entered in for some prize draw. She had been about to SPAM it until she saw there was a freephone number to ring. The woman had been so lovely on the phone to her. Yes . . . it was true . . . she’d won it . . . what the hell . . . she couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t remember entering it but she must have . . . and she’d actually won. Now she was going to celebrate with a bottle of cheap plonk and a fish dinner.