‘Dead right I would.’
‘… but I didn’t do it to deliberately to mislead you, or take advantage of you, please believe me.I like you, Helen, I care about you.It kills me to think that I’ve sacrificed your good opinion of me through my own stupidity and cowardice, because I’m not a bad guy, I’m really not and I do have feelings for you …’
He was beseeching her, in deadly earnest, but Helen felt only a rising anger inside her.
‘Sorry, are you making a play for me?’she countered, shocked.‘Are you saying you want to make a go of this?To raise this baby together?’
Her tone couldn’t have been more withering, but it seemed to have no effect, Christopher maintaining his earnest expression.
‘Is that something you’d ever consider?I mean I know we’ve got off to the shakiest of starts, but we should at least think about …’
‘But you’re married, for God’s sake.You’re married to Alice, who you swore to be faithful to, who you wanted to have a baby with and now …’
Helen almost couldn’t bring herself to say it.
‘And now you want to switch horses?Without a thought for your wife?For what she’s been through?’
‘No, of course not.I know it won’t be easy, I know this is diffic—’
But Helen was already on her feet, determined not to listen to another word.
‘Jesus, what kind of man are you?After this morning, I didn’t think I could think any less of you, but … Do you really care about anyone, or anything, other than yourself?’
Shocked, Christopher opened his mouth to defend himself, but Helen was already on the move.There was no way she could listen to another word.He was a deadbeat, pure and simple, unreliable, faithless and selfish.It beggared belief that she’d ever been attracted to him, but all that was over now, the scales having fallen from her eyes.Like it or lump it, she was on her own now.
Chapter 52
Pulling her hoodie up round her face, Emilia walked briskly along the street.She was on her own, in a dubious part of town and keen to keep a low profile.The scarring on the left side of her face made her an easily identifiable figure and it wouldn’t do for her to be recognized around here.Not when she was walking directly into harm’s way.
It hadn’t taken her long to track down Tommy Barnes.Driving back to Southampton from Winchester prison, she’d put in a call to the office, seeking out Elaine Martin on the news desk, who was able to give Emilia a speedy rundown of the dealer’s chequered career.Tommy Barnes wasn’t anyone particularly high up in the drugs world, but he was a persistent offender, having been picked up numerous times for minor offences.The authorities had never been able to make a supplying charge stick though it was clear that thiswashis line of work.According to Elaine’s sources at Southampton Central, his role was on the distribution side, more dependable mule than drugs baron, and he’d always been a bit part player in all honesty.
Had this been the end of his misbehaviour, he would perhaps have not registered with her colleagues at theSouthampton Evening News, but Barnes had a more notable sideline in casual violence.A frequent user of alcohol and drugs, he had oftengot himself into scrapes at raves, nightclubs, city centre pubs and most recently in a street in St Denys.According to a small column in the paper, a fight had broken out between Barnes and an irate neighbour, who had the temerity to complain about the drill music blasting out of the former’s open window at 3 a.m.Predictably, things had not ended well for the complainant.Once again, however, the criminal justice system seemed to have let the injured party down, meaning Barnes was still at liberty, whilst his neighbour was presumably busy consulting local estate agents.
The street in question was Leighton Avenue, a shabby, neglected residential enclave that seemed oddly peaceful this afternoon.Padding along the uneven pavement, Emilia kept her head down, but her eyes open, taking in the street scene, alive to possible problems or threats.But the street was deserted, with no sign of stand-up rows, blaring music or indeed dealing today.This should have reassured Emilia, but actually the opposite was true.The silence had a brooding quality, as if it was the quiet before the storm, and the lack of activity meant her arrival was much more noticeable.And that was the one thing she didn’t want today.
Number fifty-two was coming up fast on the other side of the street, so Emilia now slowed her pace, pulling her phone from her pocket and checking it carefully, as if reading a message.In reality, her eyes strayed to survey the terraced house opposite.It certainly didn’t seem very welcoming, with rubbish discarded in the small front garden and a peeling front door, but perhaps that was the point.It was not a house that religious zealots, political activists or charity muggers would approach with enthusiasm.Emilia, however, was very interested in it, her attention seized by the battered black moped half concealed amidst overgrown foliage out front.During last night’s smash and grab, she hadn’thad the presence of mind to note any number plate, but she had registered that it was a black Vespa with a brown leather saddle, exactly like the one now parked outside Barnes’ house.
Realizing she’d slowed almost to a halt, Emilia picked up her pace again, passing the shabby terraced house without a second glance.Inside, her heart was soaring, however, convinced now that the same man who’d strong-armed her father into betraying his family was also the low-life who’d snatched the gold from her.A double shot at revenge now presented itself.
But was Tommy Barnes at home?It was late in the afternoon, which might suggest he was out, his daily routine presumably starting around lunchtime and progressing late into the night.Would she have to come back tomorrow morning, surprising the minor criminal when he was still slumbering?Or was there a chance she would catch up with him tonight?
Footsteps now made her look up sharply, a young man hurrying directly towards her.Alarmed, Emilia moved quickly to her right, her hand reaching into her handbag for her pepper spray.But the young guy hurried past as if he hadn’t seen her, his eyes wide and unfocused.Pale, skinny and determined, he had the look of an addict and it was no surprise to her when, dropping her gaze to the reflection in a car’s side mirror, she saw the young man enter Barnes’ front yard.Seconds later, she heard the muffled report of the doorbell.
Immediately, Emilia was on the move, darting into another resident’s front garden, taking cover behind an unruly hedge.She had no right to be here, of course, but her vantage point gave her an unobstructed view of Barnes’ house.She was hoping to spot her quarry, assuming the young addict had come here by appointment, but to her annoyance, the front door now buzzed loudly and the visitor let himself in.Irked, Emilia let her eyes drift to the first floor and now finally she got a break.
The curtains in the front bedroom hung loosely apart, with a clear gap down the middle.Already Emilia could make out figures within, a tall, thin man now joined by another, presumably his customer.Screwing up her eyes, Emilia peered intently at the pair, watching as the deal was done in plain sight, cash being taken in return for a small package.It was blatant, a testament to Barnes’ feeling of invulnerability, given that he was currently still on probation here.But was it definitely him?There could, after all, be other low-lifes residing in this dump.Seconds later, Emilia had her answer, Barnes moving forwards to send the addict on his way, stepping into the gap between the curtains.Emilia took in the shaven head, the tattoos on his neck, the broad shoulders.A quick check of the mug shot Elaine had sent her confirmed it – this was Tommy Barnes alright.She had found her mark.
Now it was time to take her revenge.
Chapter 53
Charlie stared at the screen in shock, scarcely able to believe her eyes.
‘I’m resigning with immediate effect.Given recent events, I feel unable to execute my duties as a member of the MIT team.My union representative will be in touch shortly to complete the formalities.’
Short, but far from sweet, DC Shona Williams’ resignation email had taken Charlie completely by surprise.She’d spoken briefly to her new recruit earlier in the day and, though understandably sombre and quiet, the young DC had seemed stable enough, promising to engage with HR later in the day to discuss a measured route back to work.Clearly something had happened in the interim to change her mind, however, her email a brutal full stop to her brief career at Southampton Central.It beggared belief that Shona’s upward trajectory, her whole future, could have been derailed so quickly and so catastrophically, but the evidence was there on the screen in black and white.
What should she do now?Charlie knew Shona’s unexpected departure would reflect badly on her leadership of the MIT team and her first instinct was to pick up the phone and beg the young DC to reconsider.But Williams’ email had made it clear that she wanted no more contact with anyone at SouthamptonCentral, her despair total, her decision irrevocable.Charlie’s heart bled for her, remembering full well how tough she herself had found her early days as a DC, but she was also concerned for what it might mean for team morale and her own position at the station.Not for the first time in the last six months, Charlie found herself wondering what Helen would have done in this situation.Holed up in her predecessor’s office, it felt impossible to shrug off Helen’s mantle – to stop herself wondering whatbetterdecisions she might have made – however much Charlie tried to distance herself from her former mentor.Sitting behind Helen’s desk, on Helen’s chair, Charlie had often questioned whether she was woman enough to fill Helen’s shoes.Today she thought she had her answer.
