Bad Sister(72)

‘Most of it? So, she gave you a false alibi?’ Connie couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

‘Well … it wasn’t much, a few hours, tops. She asked for a favour in return, of course—’

‘And I was that favour,’ Connie snapped. ‘Get information from me about the case. Ensure Kelly gets first crack at the whip. I suppose you told her where I’d be, places I’d go, so she could watch me, follow me. Photograph me.’ She dug her nails into her palm, and attempted some steadying breaths. However, the question was, if Kelly had taken the photos of her at the train station, of her at Mack’s house with Gary, the one of her dad, then why hadn’t she used them in the papers? Why send them to her and the police?

A game. Some cruel, messed-up game. It had to be.

Would this god-awful woman ever leave her alone?





CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE


DI Wade


Monday 19 June

‘Come on, people. Let’s make today a good one. I want leads, no – I want more than leads; I want a suspect. Get me a suspect, preferably in custody by the end of the day, or don’t bother coming back into this station.’ Lindsay waved off her team, and they dispersed. Apart from one. Mack leant against a desk, his legs sprawled in front of him, arms crossed. His brow matched.

‘If you’re waiting for me,’ Lindsay said, ‘you’d best make yourself a bit more comfortable. I’m going to be half an hour.’

‘I’ll make us a coffee then.’

‘Sure. Are you okay, Mack? You look peaky. You ill?’

‘No time to be ill, Boss.’ He pushed up from the desk and wandered off towards the coffee machine. ‘Besides, I’m tired, that’s all. Had a bit of a heart-to-heart with Gary last night,’ he called over his shoulder.

‘Oh? How did that go?’ Lindsay faced her computer screen, checking her emails as she spoke.

‘All right, in the end.’ He filled two cardboard cups with a toffee-coloured liquid. ‘It appears I’ve been a crap dad, when all’s said and done, though.’

‘You can’t be with them all the time. And anyway, he’s an adult, Mack, what is he – twenty-seven now? You can’t hold his hand on all his dates.’ Lindsay gave him a brief look, and laughed.

‘It’s not hand-holding he’d needed. It was his old dad to listen to him more. He’d told me that Connie was pregnant, that she went on to get rid of it, or so he thought. But I was so angry at her that I didn’t listen to him. I didn’t give him an opportunity to confide his feelings about it before now, I just saw how it affected him and acted on that.’ He returned, placing the cups on the desk.

‘You’ve been so busy; he knew you were there for him. All he had to do was ask, I’m sure.’

‘That’s not always what having a kid is about. As a parent, you’re meant to know; sense when they need you, or want to talk. They don’t always come to you outright, ask for something – unless it’s money, then they’re straight there, hands open in readiness. It’s the important stuff I missed. When me and Barb stopped communicating, it seems that I stopped communicating with my kids, too.’

‘I don’t know what it’s like having a child, I know that.’ Lindsay sat back in her chair, facing Mack, giving him her full attention. ‘But I do know what it’s like having parents. And from what I can recall, they went through their own personal hell and had no time for me during the worst of the times. But when my dad finally came out of his man-made foggy cave after Mum buggered off, I knew I could count on him again. It’s never too late to make up for it you know, Mack. It takes time and effort, but it’s possible. He’s confided in you now, and you’ve listened now – it’s where you take it from here that’s important.’

‘Yeah, thanks, Boss. Sorry, getting all bleeding soppy on you. Old fool.’

‘Don’t be. Just don’t wipe your tears on my shirt.’ Lindsay gave his thigh a smack. ‘Relationships are hard. All of them. We muddle along as best we can, each of us groping in the dark. So to speak.’

They laughed, the intensity of the sudden emotional sharing broken.

‘Back to work then, slacker.’

‘Hey, I’m waiting for you. What’s your plan, anyway?’ Mack moved his chair next to Lindsay’s, sitting backwards on it and facing her.

‘I was rather hoping you had one. Come on, Mack, I can’t be the brains and the beauty of this operation. You need to put in your share, and as you’re not that pretty …’

‘Ah, you can’t help but flatter me. Fine. If you want my honest opinion, I think we’ve missed something – something … ordinary. It’s like I was saying about not listening to the kids when you’ve got all your own shit going on. I think this has been a bit like that – we’ve blocked the main noise in favour of the background noise. We need to listen to what’s right here.’ Mack balled his fist and hit it against his chest.

‘That’s your heart. If that starts speaking we’ve got more problems on our hands than we first thought.’

‘Take the piss. But you’ll see I’m right. We need to go to the beginning and listen afresh.’

‘Okay. I’ll humour you.’ Lindsay cupped her chin in her hands and looked thoughtfully at Mack. ‘So, oh wise one, what am I supposed to be listening to?’