No Safe Place(Detective Lottie Parker #4)(114)

‘Had he not been there before? Surely he would have come across Lynn?’

‘He says he never went there, but both of them had worked there when they were younger. He said Finn often talked about the old incinerator and how one day he wanted to restore it.’

‘I still believe Cillian was involved.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Lottie said, just as her desk phone lit up with a call. She answered it, her head as weary as her hands. Last night’s fire drama seemed to have shrivelled her brain.

It was Jim McGlynn.

‘Any news on who tried to murder my family?’ Lottie asked.

‘Fire started in your utility room. Probably a clothes dryer.’

‘That can’t be right.’ Lottie felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. ‘It can’t be my fault.’

‘We’re still working on it. We may find something else. Just wanted to let you know that.’

‘Thanks, Jim.’

‘You’d want to check your insurance, though.’

‘Oh, won’t it cover the fire?’

‘How would I know?’ McGlynn hung up.

Lottie glanced up. ‘What?’

‘Your fault?’ Boyd said.

Feeling tears building up, Lottie sniffed them away. ‘Jesus, Boyd. What have I done to my family? I never have time for maintenance or household stuff. It’s always rush and fuss. Oh God. It’s all my fault.’ She laid her head on the desk and wrapped her hands about it.

‘Shush, Lottie,’ Boyd said. ‘Don’t blame yourself. It might still turn out to be the work of that bastard Finn O’Donnell.’

She raised her head. ‘Maybe you’re right. I don’t know which is worse. Thinking it’s my fault, or that someone targeted me and my family.’

Kirby stuck his head around the door. ‘Lynch is buying the first round in Cafferty’s. That right, Lynch?’

‘Piss off, Kirby. I can’t drink and you know it.’

‘Why not?’ Boyd said.

‘I’m pregnant,’ Lynch said, her cheeks flaring.

‘Ah, a bit of good news at last,’ Boyd said.

‘Grace doing okay?’ Lynch said.

‘She’ll be fine. My mother is with her. I better get back to the hospital.’

‘Suppose I should give Gilly a call,’ Kirby said. ‘Don’t like celebrating the end of a case on my own.’

When the office emptied and she was alone, Lottie called Chloe.

‘Hey, hun. You and Sean okay?’

‘Fine. Had a fab day with Gilly. She’s cool. Bought loads of clothes in town. Wait till I show you. And we got Sean a hoodie and shirts and a pair of jeans. He’s going around in his bare feet, though. We forgot to buy him shoes.’

‘I’ll get him some tomorrow.’

‘He spent all day watching old films on the telly with Granny. You know what? He actually enjoyed it.’

‘That’s great.’ Lottie felt a stab of jealousy. ‘Will I bring a takeaway?’

‘Is Boyd paying?’

‘No, I found my handbag with Katie’s money.’

‘Only joking. About Boyd, I mean. Bring him round. Granny wants a word with him.’

‘Really?’

‘No, not really.’ Chloe’s voice dropped to a whisper. ‘We can’t live here, Mum. She’s going to drive me mad, and by tomorrow Sean will be bored of movies. And we have a week off school. What are we going to do?’

‘I’m sorry, Chloe, but we’ll have to stay there for a little while. At least until I sort out somewhere to rent.’

‘Granny wants to speak to you.’

‘No, Chloe, I have to run.’

Too late.

‘You’re always running.’ Rose Fitzpatrick had her mojo back. ‘You don’t have to bring any takeaway into my house. I’ve cooked a turkey and a ham.’

‘But it’s not Christmas.’

‘It’s Valentine’s Day. About time we had a little love around here. And bring along that lad with the big ears.’

‘Who? Boyd?’

‘Yes. I like him. Are you on your way?’

Lottie hung up and noticed Boyd lounging in the doorway.

‘I thought you were gone to the hospital,’ she said, moving files around her desk. She found the little paintings in their plastic evidence bag.

‘Wanted to make sure you weren’t staying here all night.’

‘It must have been hell for Lynn being held in that tiny space for ten years. And the bones of her baby beside her. How cruel can people be?’ Lottie wondered.

‘The baby can be buried with his mother, once Jane runs the DNA tests.’

‘I’m trying to make out the signature.’ She picked up another painting, one of a train. She glanced up with tears in her eyes.

‘What is it, Lottie?’ Boyd leaned over the desk and gripped her hand.

She welcomed the contact, needing to feel the touch of a good human being. There was too much evil in the world. But she pulled her hand away all the same.

‘Lynn never stopped loving the father of her child.’ She turned the painting around for Boyd to read. ‘See the word on the train. It’s his name. Paddy.’