The Dead Ex(31)

‘Can it be an unmarked car? No uniform? I don’t want the neighbours to see.’

‘I’ll do what I can.’

I’m escorted through the door and into the main waiting area. And then I see her, sitting on a chair. Black eyeliner. Smudges underneath. Short black skirt. Opaque black tights. Knee-length black suede boots with a high heel. That heavy scent which sickens me from here.

What is she doing here in Cornwall? Is it possible that she has come to lodge a complaint against me?

‘Tanya,’ I croak. But the woman ignores me. Then I realize it’s not her after all. It’s another tarty-looking bitch.

‘Are you all right?’ asks the policeman.

I nod, feeling stupid. What must he think of me, saying the woman’s name out loud like that?

Crazy. That’s what. And maybe he’s right.





14



Scarlet


They took her to a tall grey building which had big black letters on the outside.

‘P–O–L–I–C–E,’ spelled out Scarlet.

The policewoman’s face softened. ‘Like reading, do you?’

Scarlet nodded. ‘My mum taught me before I even went to school.’

‘Is that so?’ The lips tightened. ‘How old are you exactly? Eleven? Twelve?’

‘If I tell you, will you let me see Mum?’

‘I’ll do my best.’

‘Eight.’

There was a frown. ‘But you’re so tall.’

‘I know.’ Scarlet nodded again so that the beads in her braids flew into the air. ‘So was my dad.’

This was one of the few facts she knew about him, so she always hung on to it tightly.

‘Great. Just great.’

Had she done something wrong again?

They were inside now, standing before a glass screen. Behind it sat a man in a black uniform with a scar on his cheek. It reminded Scarlet of the time she’d cut herself on a kitchen knife, peeling potatoes for dinner as a surprise for Mum before she came home. She ought to have stitches, Mum had said when she’d found her covered in blood. But instead, she put a plaster on it cos Social Services might ask questions.

‘Got a problem here, Joe,’ called out the policewoman. ‘This one might be younger than she looks. That’s if she’s telling the truth. Won’t tell us where she lives, and her only ID is the name on her school book. Scarlet Darling. Fancy, eh?’

Groaning, the man in black picked up the phone. ‘Get Social over here, can you? We could have an under the age of criminal intent here.’

‘What’s that?’ asked Scarlet.

The policewoman was looking really pissed off. ‘It means you won’t be going to court after all. Tell me, Scarlet. Did the other kids put you up to this?’

Don’t tell.

‘What other kids?’

‘She might be a baby, but she’s good,’ sniffed the man with the scar.

‘I’m not a baby!’ Scarlet was indignant. ‘I’m as good as any adult. That’s what Mum says. I help her with the shopping and cleaning when she’s not feeling good. At least I did until they took her to the Aitch Em Pee.’

‘If you don’t start behaving, you’ll end up in the same place yourself. Do you get what I’m saying?’

Not really, but it seemed safer to nod. And after that, they just sat and waited as the clock ticked by.

‘Scarlet!’

It was Camilla, the social worker with the shaggy fringe who had taken her to Mrs Walters’ house.

‘Know this kid, do you? Caught her nicking stuff. An old lady got her ankle sprained.’

There was a sigh. Then Camilla whispered something to the policewoman, but Scarlet managed to hear. ‘Her mother’s on remand, and she’s under an interim care order. Poor kid’s in emergency foster placement with the Walters.’

‘So there’s nothing we can do about it apart from giving her a bollocking and sending her back to this family.’

‘It might change if the mother goes down.’

Scarlet looked up. The man three flats away had ‘gone down’. Mum had told her that meant he’d be in prison for a long time. Fucking good riddance, too, she’d said.

‘I want to see her! Can you take me?’

‘Promise you’ll be good in future?’ asked Camilla.

‘Yes. Honest.’

Anything just so she could have Mum’s arms around her again. Feel the softness of her cheek. Bury her face in her neck and feel Mum stroke her hair and tell her that she was her ‘best girl’.

‘Because if you break the law when you’re older, the judge can send you to a juvenile offenders’ unit.’

Kieran at the Walters’ had been in one of those!

‘I’ll be good. Honestly. I won’t play the game any more.’

‘This is no game, Scarlet. It’s real life. So if someone tries to get you to do something bad, you’ve got to say no. Do you understand?’

She nodded. ‘Can I see Mum still? I miss her so much.’

The policewoman sighed. ‘They don’t learn, do they?’

Camilla patted her arm. She had long red nails. Mum’s were very short with yellow stains on her fingers that wouldn’t come out when she scrubbed them.