Bad Sister(96)

‘I’m not sure you understand what exactly I’m so angry at. Apart from finding out that my father is a corrupt businessman, of course, which is bad enough. No, it’s the other lie that I hate you for, Dad. The biggest lie anyone could ever tell.’

She watched his brow furrow deeper. His eyes widened as it dawned on him that she knew. He lowered his head – an attempt to prevent seeing the hurt in her eyes – or maybe so she couldn’t see the shame in his.

‘What you’ve done is unforgivable, Dad.’ Connie pulled the photo that Kelly had given her from her bag and thrust it into his hands. He took a sharp intake of breath, and stumbled a few steps backwards. He stood silently, shaking his head.

‘Don’t try and give me any bullshit, either. I know who that is. I’d recognise those eyes anywhere.’

His chest heaved with a sigh. ‘He’s not meant to have had any contact with any of us – with his old life.’ His jaw slackened, the skin on his face seeming to loosen with the knowledge that his lies had unfurled. Connie turned away – not wanting to look at him – at the man she’d thought she knew. ‘That was the deal – his protection counted on it. I’ve no idea why he’s broken the rules now.’

‘Broken the rules?’ Connie shouted. ‘He must take after you.’

‘I understand your anger, but I did what I had to do.’

‘But only because you fucked up so badly with your dodgy work ethic that you had to then cover your back. I’m not just angry, Dad – I’m ashamed.’

‘Still, what’s done is done.’ His usual defences were coming up – his brusque attitude creating an armour. ‘He shouldn’t have come here, whatever the circumstances.’

Connie was finding it hard to get her head around all of this. For twenty-two years Luke had been dead to her. Now, everything she’d once believed had been challenged – the shocking truth shoved in her face. How had Kelly even known to give her the photo saying it was ‘interesting’? Was it only Connie and her mum that were in the dark about Luke? Unless, of course, her mum did know, and it was just Connie left in the dark. No. Connie pushed the thought from her mind. There was no way her mum could’ve kept that to herself all these years.

‘Maybe he was trying to protect me, stop this mess getting even more out of control.’

He shrugged. ‘It’s a possibility; if he’s been keeping an eye from afar he could’ve seen your name being linked to that Hargreaves murder I suppose. Let’s hope he doesn’t break cover again now, though.’

‘Oh yes, heaven help him if he reaches out to his own family.’

‘He made the choice—’

‘No, Dad. You made the choice. Luke was seventeen, how much say did he have in your decision?’

‘I’m so sorry, love, I really am.’

‘What would you have done this time – if the culprit hadn’t been caught, Dad? Faked my death too?’

‘Connie …’ He reached a shaking hand towards her.

‘No, don’t.’ She stepped back out of his reach. ‘How did you even pull this off? How could you have convinced us, everyone, that he’d died? I can’t believe it, there would’ve been so much red tape, you couldn’t have done that alone.’

‘At the time, I was very powerful in my line of work—’

‘What? Antiques?’ Connie snorted.

‘Not exactly. I dealt with more than antiques …’

Connie didn’t like where this was leading, but in her heart, she already knew.

‘Right, so that was your cover, or something? Doesn’t explain how you got away with this huge lie, this betrayal.’ Her eyes clouded. Knowing her dad was involved was one thing, hearing him trying to explain away his part in it hurt her more than she could possibly have imagined.

‘Let’s say I knew the right people that could help me without alerting those that would cause trouble for me.’ All at once the things Brett had said, the old arguments she remembered her mum and dad having – the time spent at the ‘gentleman’s club’ – all came together. Her dad belonged to some kind of funny-handshake brigade, a secret society – perhaps even the Masons – full of powerful professionals, no doubt. Did they turn a blind eye to his dodgy dealings? Help him out when he was in trouble?

‘Christ, Dad.’ She ran her hands roughly through her hair and paced around in a small circle. ‘Go on, what else?’ She stopped, and glared at him.

‘I did a deal with the police – I gave them info about one of the biggest drug importers on their hit list – and they put Luke into witness protection. It was the only way I could safeguard him. And you and your mum.’

The irony hit Connie. She’d been counselling someone in witness protection and all along her own brother had been forced into a similar situation of isolation and insecurity. Poor Luke, she could only imagine how being taken from your family at the age of seventeen would’ve affected him. How had her dad allowed things to get to that stage?

‘Don’t pretend you did any of this for us. You’ve ruined all of our lives and I’ll never forgive you.’

‘I know. But you are all alive. For me, your hatred of me is something I’m willing to bear for that.’ He gave a small smile and turned, walking back towards the road, and her mother’s house.