Liar Liar
Mel Sherratt

Copyright

Published by AVON

A Division of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2020

Copyright © Mel Sherratt 2020

Cover design © Henry Steadman 2020

Cover photography © Henry Steadman

Mel Sherratt asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008368067

Ebook Edition © February 2020 ISBN: 9780008368074

Version: 2020-04-01

Praise for Mel Sherratt:

‘An absolute masterpiece. Twisty, turny and full of surprises!’

Angela Marsons

‘Mel Sherratt’s books are as smart and edgy as her heroines’

Cara Hunter

‘Mel Sherratt is the new queen of gritty police procedurals’

C.L. Taylor

‘Twists and turns and delivers a satisfying shot of tension’

Rachel Abbott

‘Heart-stoppingly tense. I love Mel Sherratt’s writing’

Angela Clarke

‘Gripped me from the first page and didn’t let go until the heart-stopping conclusion!’

Robert Bryndza

‘A writer to watch out for’

Mandasue Heller

‘Uncompromising, powerful and very real – an important new voice’

David Mark

‘Mel’s vivid imagination really brings her characters to life’

Kerry Wilkinson

‘Mel Sherratt is a unique voice in detective fiction’

Mail on Sunday

Dedication

For all staff in the Emergency Services who risk their lives so that we can feel safe

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Praise for Mel Sherratt

Dedication

Monday

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Tuesday

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Wednesday

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

Thirty-One

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Three

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Five

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Seven

Thursday

Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Nine

Forty

Forty-One

Forty-Two

Forty-Three

Forty-Four

Forty-Five

Forty-Six

Forty-Seven

Friday

Forty-Eight

Forty-Nine

Fifty

Fifty-One

Fifty-Two

Two Weeks Later

Fifty-Three

Fifty-Four

Fifty-Five

Author Note

A Letter from Mel

Acknowledgements

Keep Reading …

About the Author

The Grace Allendale Series

About the Publisher

MONDAY

ONE

Caleb Campbell freewheeled down Ford Green Road, taking the bend a little too sharply for the icy road conditions as he weaved his way past the evening traffic. It was nearly half past six and he was meeting Seth Forrester in less than five minutes. It wouldn’t do to be late. He’d seen first-hand what Seth was capable of when he was annoyed; wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of him.

He turned left and raced along Rose Avenue, making a mental note to buy new batteries for his lights as he took a sharp right into the entrance that led to Harrison House.

It had been trying to snow for most of the day, the damp sludge soaking his jeans but at least he wouldn’t be late. It wasn’t cool to be pedalling like the clappers on his BMX. Caleb had been saving up for a new pushbike and couldn’t wait until he had enough money for it. Almost there, it wouldn’t take long now before he had the rest. He’d had to hide the stash from his older brother and his mum, for different reasons. His brother would probably tell his mum; his mum would want to know how he had managed to acquire four hundred pounds.

He’d earned the money from Seth. It was only fetching and delivering parcels, small items, things he could carry on his bike. His friend Shaun had told him not to get involved with Seth; said he’d end up as a drug runner for him. But Caleb was cleverer than that. He would earn what he needed and then stop.

When he heard a woman cry out, he glanced up to see where the noise had come from. He skidded to a stop on the bike, unable to believe his eyes. Before he knew what was happening, there was a scream, a dull thud and a moment’s silence before all hell broke loose.

Caleb froze. He knew Seth was dangerous, but this? Had he really just …

Realising he had seen too much, he turned back the way he’d come and pedalled away quickly. If he stayed here, he would be picked up and questioned by the police. If he became a witness, he would be persecuted, maybe threatened not to testify. And there was no way he could deliver his package now.

‘I saw nothing,’ he repeated over and over. ‘I saw nothing. I saw nothing.’

There were cameras on the main road so he took a right out of the car park and skidded down an alleyway that led him onto another road. Across that and he was in the middle of the Bennett estate.

After a few minutes, he slowed to catch his breath. Chucking his bike to the floor, he paced up and down beside it, covering his mouth with his hand to stop the vomit that was threatening to erupt.

What the hell had happened back there?

Caleb had seen way too much. If he couldn’t hold his nerve and lie through his teeth, he was a dead man walking.

Mary Stanton had lived in Harrison House for five years. Retired seven years ago now, she’d moved in shortly after her husband had died. Their two sons had left the city in their early twenties to do better things. One lived in Devon, the other Brighton. She didn’t get to see them much nowadays; could remember the last time she had held her grandson, Sebastian, in her arms as if it were yesterday, but in fact it was over six months ago.

She didn’t mind so much. They were busy, had their lives without her, and who would want to come back here when they had friendlier neighbourhoods, good jobs and prospects further afield?

Mary didn’t get out much and didn’t see many people, so the walkway outside her flat was her lifeline. When her legs weren’t playing up, she could stand there for hours, leaning on the concrete railing. Even when the pain of rheumatoid arthritis got particularly bad, she could perch herself on a high stool. She loved to watch the activities of the people around her. Everyone knew her; waved at her when they went past. Sometimes she even looked after a child or two, if anyone was in dire need of a helping hand. She enjoyed that, as long as she wasn’t taken for granted.

Plus she liked it at Harrison House. It was only three storeys high, not like one of the huge tower blocks in the city centre. There was a camaraderie she enjoyed, despite a lot of the tenants coming and going before she got to know them. She wouldn’t say she was a busybody but she did know a lot of what went on. People liked to offload to her, share gossip too. Of course she never said anything to anyone, so she had garnered a certain trust among the regular tenants, often being seen as a confidante. Her eyes and ears were the best things she had left. At least she could be a small part of the community.

Should she go outside? After all, she would have been there under normal circumstances. People might notice she was missing. She pushed herself up to standing, then sat back down again with a thump.

She couldn’t go out. Not after what she had seen. There had been a commotion to her right, people in the car park. And then across the way, something else was happening. That awful scream. Then she had seen something that would haunt her forever.

So when the police called, because she was certain they would, she would say only one thing.

‘I saw nothing,’ she whispered under her breath, her stomach swishing around with nausea. ‘I saw nothing.’

TWO

Harrison House was an L-shaped building. There were forty-eight flats, eight on either side of each landing with a shared staircase at its middle. Entrances to every two-bedroomed home opened out onto a covered communal walkway, a three-foot concrete railing in front, the rest open to the elements. At the side was a residents’ car park. A large strip of grass wrapped almost all the way around the building, then stretched to the main road.

Over the years, the block had got itself a reputation for housing troublesome tenants. It had been a hot spot for domestic violence, and there was even a murder there in 2015. But since Trent Housing Association received a grant to renovate the block, the area had slightly improved. Still, in amid the good people it had problem residents, despite trying to clean itself up.

DS Grace Allendale was doing her last call of the day. It was half past six, past her usual finishing time but she’d wanted to check a tenant out.

‘Really, he must think we’ve fallen off a Christmas tree,’ Grace said to her colleague, DC Frankie Higgins as they came out of flat 202. ‘Croxton isn’t just taking cannabis for medicinal purposes. We need to get on to the drugs team and see if they’re scouting him out before we go into someone else’s investigation with our size eleven’s, but for my money he’s under the radar and we’ve just stumbled on— What the hell is that racket?’

She could hear shouting; it seemed to be coming from the car park to their right. She was just about to go downstairs and intervene when a blood-curdling scream rang through the air. It wasn’t a cry of anguish, or fear. It was one of sheer pain and it was coming from below them.

She and Frankie stepped towards the edge of the walkway and looked over the rail to where the noise had come from. To their left this time, a woman was running across the grassed area, followed closely by a man. Grace could make out a shape in the direction they were heading. The woman dropped to her knees as she got to it and screamed again.

‘Oh no.’ Grace raced to the end of the walkway and hurled herself down two flights of stairs, Frankie hot on her tail. She pushed open the entrance door in the communal hallway and tore across the grass towards them.

The woman had long blonde hair, a small frame and skinny arms and legs underneath her jeans and jumper. Water from the grass was seeping through her slippers. The man was medium height and build. His hands grasped fistfuls of his short, dark hair as he paced the ground, breath coming in rasps.

‘My baby,’ the woman cried.

‘Wait!’ Grace shouted, trying to get their attention.

‘He’s broken,’ the woman sobbed. ‘My little boy, he’s broken.’

‘Don’t move him. Please be careful!’ Grace drew level with them. ‘What happened?’

‘I don’t know,’ the man said. ‘He just fell.’

‘From which floor?’

‘The first.’

‘We’re police officers.’ Grace took out her warrant card and identified herself and Frankie. She dropped to the ground next to the infant. The boy’s eyes rolled back inside his head and then he lay still. She could already hear Frankie on his phone to control.

‘Male, toddler. Looks like he’s fallen about five metres onto hard ground. Pulse, Grace?’

Being careful not to move him, she felt around his neck, and nodded with relief when she found it. It was weak but he was still alive.

Please don’t die, little man.

By now several people had come to join them and Grace could see residents in the flats above standing looking over the rail.

‘What’s his name?’ she asked. The woman had stood up now and was in the man’s arms.

‘Tyler,’ the man spoke for her. ‘Tyler Douglas. Why don’t you do something? Don’t just leave him. He’ll die!’

‘As police officers, we’re trained first responders only. I’ve checked to see that his airway is clear and that he has a pulse. But I’m not medically qualified to assess injuries from a fall like this,’ Grace explained. ‘It may cause him more damage if I move him. The paramedics will be here soon. How old is he?’

‘He’s two – three next month.’

Grace took off her coat and laid it over the boy’s chest to keep him warm. The mid-February temperature seemed to be dipping by the minute, puffs of cold air coming from everyone’s mouths. Really, she wanted to help him more but she didn’t know how.

‘He isn’t making any noise,’ the man said. ‘Shouldn’t he be crying?’ He paced again before turning back to them. ‘Can’t you do something?’

Grace stood up. ‘Are you his dad?’

He nodded.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Luke Douglas.’

Grace eyed the woman. ‘And you’re Tyler’s mother?’

The woman nodded too, her bottom lip trembling and her body already shivering. ‘Ruby Brassington.’

‘What happened?’ Grace asked again, glad that Frankie was with her as he told the gathering crowd to move away. In the distance, sirens could be heard getting louder by the second.

‘He fell.’ Luke pointed down to the lifeless figure, a trickle of blood now appearing from the toddler’s left ear.

‘Was he on his own on the walkway?’ Grace had to be clear.

‘I don’t remember! It was all so quick.’

Grace turned to the woman. ‘Ruby?’ she urged.

The woman shook her head. Their eyes locked but she didn’t seem able to focus.

‘Ruby,’ Grace repeated, feeling relief flood through her as the ambulance pulled up. ‘Did you see what happened?’

‘No, I saw nothing.’

Before Grace could ask anything else, the paramedics were running towards them. The few people who had gathered moved back to let them do their work.

It was several minutes before Grace could tear herself away from the scene unfolding in front of her. Tyler had been moved to an ambulance, its door closed. Ruby Brassington had gone to fetch her handbag so she could travel with Tyler to the hospital. Luke Douglas was talking to Frankie, looking shell-shocked as he stepped from foot to foot. Eventually, as uniformed police arrived and cordoned off the area, she beckoned Frankie over.

‘Where’s the father gone?’ she asked as they stood to one side.

‘Upstairs to get his car keys.’

She paused for a moment, taking in what was happening around them. The ambulance with its doors closed, lights flashing. The crowd of onlookers now moving away. People on the walkways above looking down at them.

‘That little boy can’t have got up over that concrete railing and fallen on his own.’ She glanced around before continuing. ‘I don’t buy that they saw nothing, like Ruby said.’

‘Oh, I hear you.’ Frankie’s face darkened.

One of the paramedics got out of the ambulance and waved for Grace’s attention. A man in his late forties, she knew he would see the same thing in his dreams as she would tonight, even though neither of them had witnessed the accident. A helpless child falling to the ground. Regardless of how it had happened, it was a tragedy. It was going to be an emotional few days for the family.

Grace jogged over to him. Through the open door of the vehicle, she could see Tyler attached to monitors and strapped on a board to keep his head and neck still. It wasn’t needed at the moment as he lay motionless, but who knew if he would suddenly come to life again during the twenty-minute trip to the hospital? She prayed that would be the case.

‘We’ll be off soon,’ the paramedic told her.

‘How is he? He’s so quiet,’ she murmured.

‘Touch and go, I think.’

‘Is the mother travelling in the ambulance with you?’

‘Yes, she’s gone to fetch her bag.’

A minute later, Grace heard the entrance door bang loudly, and turned to see Ruby running back towards them.

‘I’m here, my little soldier,’ she said as she got inside the ambulance. She sat down next to a uniformed officer who had been assigned to accompany them to the hospital.

‘What number flat do you live in, Ruby?’ Grace asked.

‘114.’

‘I’ll head up afterwards.’

‘Tell Luke to check on Lily.’ Ruby didn’t take her eyes from Tyler’s as she rested a hand on his forearm. ‘He’s following in the car.’

‘Lily?’ Grace queried.

‘My daughter. She’s with our neighbour, Norma. She took her in so that she wouldn’t have to see … He needs to ask if she can stay there while we go to the hospital.’

The ambulance doors closed, the sirens switched on and Tyler Douglas was swept away in a flood of blue lights.

Grace hoped that the little boy had luck on his side.

Grace entered the communal hallway with its smell of bleach and fake flowers. There were several rows of mailboxes, three bicycles chained in a line and concrete steps leading to the first floor.

At the top, she turned and marched along the walkway. A woman with a baby in her arms stood on her doorstep. She wore a look of genuine concern.

‘Is everything okay?’ she asked as Grace passed by.

‘Everything is fine,’ she told her, cursing herself for being so self-assured. But she didn’t want anyone to relay anything until she had got the gist of what had happened.

The door to Ruby and Luke’s home was wide open. Grace snapped on latex gloves and rapped her knuckles on the glass before stepping inside.

Luke appeared in the living room doorway.

‘I need you to step outside for a moment while I take a look around,’ she told him.

‘Right.’ Luke went out onto the walkway. He stood with his back to where the incident had happened, preferring to look at her, she assumed, rather than see what was going on below.

From her work at Harrison House so far, Grace knew that each flat was identical in layout; a small hallway with a kitchen and bathroom to the right, two bedrooms to the left and a door leading to a living room at the far end.

The living room was decorated in floral paper with a navy-blue settee, a large TV and a cheap flat-pack sideboard. A faint smell of cheese lingered in the air and there were two mugs on a coffee table. Curtains hid a picture window covering most of the back wall.

‘You can come in now,’ Grace shouted.

‘We always told him it was dangerous to go out alone,’ Luke said as he rejoined her. ‘He – he’s not going to die, is he?’

‘He’s in the best place possible at the moment,’ Grace answered. ‘I need you to gather together some things for Tyler – pyjamas, underwear and a change of clothes. Ruby mentioned your daughter was with your neighbour, Norma?’

Luke nodded. ‘Next door, 115. She came out as soon as she heard the commotion and took Lily for us.’

Grace pointed to the hall. ‘Do the children share a bedroom?’

‘The first one behind you, on the left.’

Grace pushed open the door. She looked around. It seemed a typical children’s room, albeit a very basic one. There were bunkbeds, a safety rail on the top bunk and an array of toys in a pile on the floor. A small bookcase held numerous well-read children’s board books, two red storage boxes crammed with toys next to it. The walls were painted white, a few crayon marks here and there. The curtains hanging either side of the window were thin but adequate.

Luke was behind her, holding a black sports bag.

‘Make sure you bring along Tyler’s favourite toy.’ Her tone was gentle.

Luke nodded as he held in his tears, his bottom lip quivering. She knew that picking up whatever it was would bring it home to him just how serious the situation was.

‘Right, a quick visit next door to see Lily and then we can head off to the hospital,’ she told him.

THREE

Grace let Luke knock on the door of flat 115. A lady in a pale pink jogging suit answered it. She looked to be in her sixties, with lilac curly hair and frame-free glasses.

‘Luke!’ She opened the door wide. ‘Come on in. How is he?’

‘He’s gone to the hospital.’ Luke stepped inside.

Grace flashed her warrant card as she followed him. ‘DS Allendale.’

‘Norma Farrington. Lily is in the living room. I’ve put her in front of the television. Hopefully it will take her mind off things. Such a terrible thing to happen, isn’t it?’

‘Luke!’ Lily ran into his arms.

Norma pressed a hand to Grace’s wrist. ‘They’re good parents,’ she spoke quietly. ‘I can tell you that for nothing.’

Grace didn’t reply. Good parents or not, something had happened to Tyler Douglas.

As she went through to the living room, the heat hit her like stepping into a sauna. Her cheeks flushed even before she’d unravelled her scarf and removed her gloves.

The flat was the same layout as the one she’d just been in but you’d be hard pressed to tell, Grace thought. It was cluttered with old furniture – two dark wooden bookcases, a sideboard and a dresser – and filled to the brim with knickknacks and photos in frames. The darkness contrasted with such a colourfully dressed woman.

The child who was now sitting on the settee was the image of her mother with long blonde hair, pale skin and the bluest, widest of eyes. Grace noticed the tear-stained face now that she was closer.

‘Hi Lily. My name is Grace.’ She smiled. ‘Can I sit down with you?’

Lily nodded slightly, pulling her knees up to her chest. Luke sat down on the other side of her.

‘I’d like to ask you a few questions about your brother, Tyler.’

‘Do we have to do this right now?’ Luke protested. ‘I really want to go and see how Tyler is.’

‘He’s dead, isn’t he?’ Tears pricked Lily’s eyes.

‘No, no,’ he replied, shooting Grace a cold look. ‘He’s gone to the hospital.’

Grace grimaced. She couldn’t question the girl now. It was plain to see she was traumatised by what had happened. It could wait until they had more details about Tyler’s condition.

‘Will he be okay?’ Lily’s voice was low and trembling.

‘We’ll know more soon,’ Luke replied. ‘But for now, I need you to be a big girl and stay here with Norma.’

Norma sat down beside Lily and smiled. ‘You can stay over-night, if you like? We can have hot chocolate and marshmallows.’

‘I want to go home, really,’ Lily whispered.

‘I’m sure you do and you’ll be able to soon,’ Luke said, ‘but I expect we’ll be at the hospital for a long time.’

‘Can I see him?’

Norma’s smile dropped from her lips momentarily before appearing again.

‘Once the doctors have examined him and fixed him up, he’ll be under everyone’s feet again in no time,’ Luke soothed. ‘You’ll see.’ He gave her a hug and said his goodbyes.

Grace went onto the walkway ahead of Luke and waited for him there. Once in the fresh air again, she let out a huge sigh. It was heartbreaking to see Lily’s face. But she would always keep an open mind. For all she knew she might have something to do with what happened and her parents may be covering for her. It could even be one of them.

Luke came out moments later and they walked downstairs. There was something she wanted to know.

‘I heard Lily call you by your first name back there,’ she said.

‘I’m not her father, although I treat her like my own daughter. I’ve known her since she was four. She’s a great kid.’

Grace had felt a pang of agony for the child. Lily reminded her of herself as a fragile eight-year-old when she’d been living with her late father, afraid to do anything for fear of retaliation; trying to protect her mum without getting into trouble herself. Always unsure if she was saying the right thing or digging a deeper hole.

As they got to the car park, Luke took out a set of keys.

‘I can give you a lift, if you like,’ she offered.

‘Thanks, but I’ll need to get back so I’ll take my car.’

She looked at her watch: quarter to eight. ‘I’ll follow you shortly.’

As she observed Luke driving off, she got out her phone to ring Simon. It was going to be a late one.

‘I had a call from work about it,’ he said once she’d told him about the accident.

‘I was there by chance when it happened.’ She gulped, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose to stop her tears from falling.

‘Christ, Grace – are you okay?’

‘Not really.’ She appreciated that he was upset for her. ‘I didn’t see it but I was there straight afterwards. He was so quiet.’

‘How is he now?’

‘He was taken in an ambulance about half an hour ago. I’m heading to the Royal Stoke now.’

‘Do you want me to come to you?’

She shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her.

‘It’s news for me regardless,’ he added.

Simon was the senior crime reporter for the local newspaper, Stoke News. Sometimes Grace resented that fact, like now when his journalistic nose was twitching for a story. Other times it had come in useful. It was such a hard line to toe, keeping the balance of professional and personal between them, but so far they had managed it well.

‘I’ll let you know more when I get home,’ she said. ‘Although I’m not sure how late I’ll be.’

They spoke a bit longer and then she disconnected the call. Stomping her feet again as she could barely feel her toes, she rammed her hands in her pockets. Her gloves were useless in this weather.

While she waited to warm up, she looked around. Crime scene tape flapped around the site where Tyler Douglas had lain. More officers were arriving to investigate the fall and she’d been briefing them as and when required. An hour ago, there were lots of people around, probably coming to have a nose. All she could see now were closed doors, no one talking to the police. And what had all that noise in the car park been about earlier? Whatever it was had gone quiet when Tyler Douglas had fallen.

As Frankie came over to her, Grace pointed across towards the scene of the incident.

‘Luke Douglas. Have you seen him before?’

‘I haven’t met either of them. I don’t know what to make of it.’

‘Me neither. I’ll get more of a sense of them when I go to the hospital, I expect. Hard to tell anything when they’re both in shock.’ Her phone rang. She wrestled it out of her pocket and removed a glove. Before answering it, she checked her watch and then looked at Frankie.

‘This is Allie. Why don’t you finish for the evening? I’ll take it from here. I’m going to the hospital to see both parents and put my mind at rest.’

‘If you’re sure.’

Grace waved him away and answered the call. It would be her DI’s shout whether it was a police incident and worth them pursuing more, but the case would be referred to Children’s Services to see if the children needed to be assigned a social worker, or even added to the at-risk register, regardless.

It was good to have Allie as her line manager now. After the last case she’d worked on had become personal, she’d had a chat with her previous DI, Nick. It had been suggested that she join the Community Intelligence Team to work with Allie for a twelve-month period. Grace had been pleased at this outcome. She had enjoyed getting to know Allie. The woman had a vast knowledge of Stoke-on-Trent and its occupants.

Grace still worked alongside her old team and when they needed any kind of involvement with the public, she headed up the meetings and house-to-house enquiries. Not being directly involved in the murder cases had been good for the past ten months and if truth be known, she hadn’t been looking forward to getting back to the team. She’d enjoyed talking to people, forming relationships, and it had made her realise her skills were more suited in the community at large. She liked wheedling information out of people, coaxing out secrets and lies. Sometimes it was easy to get intel, sometimes not. It was these latter times she enjoyed the most.

PC Michael Higgins, also known as Frankie, had moved to join Grace as a trainee DC two weeks earlier. It was change everywhere.

Since last summer, her time had been busy but more relaxed. So far, she had cleared up a sexual assault, two muggings and helped put numerous domestic violence and neighbourhood nuisance incidences to bed. She’d even visited a number of schools and chaired many Neighbourhood Watch meetings. People needed to feel safe on the streets. Here was no exception.

The previous eighteen months as Detective Sergeant on the team had certainly given her food for thought and she’d been ready for a different challenge. It had made things easier for her too, knowing she might not have to work alongside her estranged family, the Steeles. That had been awkward to say the least during her first murder investigation, and even the second case had put someone she dearly loved in danger. So it hadn’t come as a surprise to anyone when she’d asked to stay on to head the Community Intelligence Team when Allie had been successful in getting Nick’s job after he’d taken early retirement from the force.

Grace knew some of her colleagues would see her move as a side-step. Allie had been an acting DI doing the role, with several PCs covering the six towns. Now the positions had been changed to a DS and one DC but Grace didn’t mind. She was much more comfortable with the hands-on aspects of the role, and she would still be on call to work with the Major Crimes Team when necessary.

It was a clean resolve, and Nick was happy too. His wife had been badgering him to take early retirement for a while. Now Sharon would have him all day. Grace smirked to herself, wondering how long it would be before she was moaning that she’d preferred it when he was at work. Not that Nick was one to finish completely; Grace knew that he was taking some part-time work at first.

The move had given her more time for a home life. Before, when she’d been Detective Sergeant, she’d blamed the long hours on a need to do the job, rather than a necessity to be with people because she was lonely after the death of her husband. But now she had Simon, things were working out well and it was nice to work more regular hours. He had moved in with her a few months ago, and so far, so good. Grace had even got to know his daughter, Teagan, who at seventeen knew her mind and had accepted Grace in her life. It was good.

After the call had finished, she walked towards her car. Time to visit her least favourite place.

2010

Ruby Brassington was a ball of excitement as she sat on her bed doing her make-up. Most of what she would be wearing that night was in her bag as her dad would go nuts if he saw anything more than a lick of mascara and pale lipstick.

Underneath her sweatshirt, she wore a slinky halter-neck top that showed off her cleavage in her new Wonderbra. She would change when she got to her best friend Naomi’s house, and she was borrowing her shoes too – red heels that she could hardly walk in, but were well worth the pain.

It was Naomi’s sixteenth birthday. She was having a party at her home. Her parents were going out and she had the run of the house until midnight.

Their friendship had always been something Ruby had treasured, especially after her mum died when she was just starting high school. It was hard on her own with her dad. She had lost her mum to talk to and the girls at school couldn’t take her place. Slowly she closed herself off from them all, except Naomi – the one person who had always been there for her.

Ruby’s mum had had breast cancer. She’d been diagnosed only six months before her death but it had left mental scars on Ruby, seeing her suffer so much. Since then it had been just the two of them – her and her dad. Before, when Mum was around, her dad was always there and did a very good job of looking after her. But trying to be both parents had broken him. He couldn’t do either very well, choosing to spend long hours at work instead of trying. Her mum had only had a part-time job, fitted around school hours, so was always there for her. At twelve, Ruby was neither a child nor a grown-up, and she’d required supervision and guidance. Consumed by grief, her dad had shut himself off from her when she’d needed him the most.

Now she was older and more independent they got on better, but the closeness they’d had when she was a child had been lost forever. Ruby didn’t mind so much. There was always food on the table, and they kept the house clean between them.

‘Are you ready yet, Ruby?’ A voice came up the stairs.

‘Just a minute.’ Her stomach flipped over as she glanced at her watch. It was nearly seven thirty. Dad was giving her a lift and even though he insisted on picking her up earlyish, if it meant she could go, then she was fine with that. She was up for a good time, no matter what.

She picked up her phone and sent a message to Naomi to say she was on her way. The handset she had was embarrassing; it didn’t even have a camera on it. She couldn’t wait to have a newer model for her sixteenth birthday, just three weeks away.

Naomi’s house was set in its own grounds off a main road. A dilapidated Victorian detached house had been knocked down and her father had built a modern rectangular family home in its place. Most of its frontage was glass with chrome panelling. Ruby had never seen anything like it before. It was definitely a one-off.

A sweeping gravel driveway led to an area at the front where her dad swung his car around in a circle easily. She never felt envious when she visited – it was like her second home, given the amount of time she spent there – but she often wondered what it would be like to have so much money. The house had five bedrooms and four bathrooms. The garage housed several cars and there was a stable block out the back, though they had no horses now.

Her dad turned to her in the passenger seat. ‘Make sure you’re out front here at eleven.’

She grimaced as she had already opened the door and people might hear.

‘I promise!’

He was so annoying at times. Sometimes he’d only allow her to have certain friends, people he was happy with her seeing, even though she had the house to herself a lot. She could easily slip them in and out without him knowing, yet she hardly ever did. He went through phases of being overprotective one moment to leaving her to her own devices the next. She often wished she hadn’t been an only child. If she had brothers like Naomi then maybe her dad wouldn’t be like that.

The music from the house became louder as she walked towards it; lights on in every room downstairs. In the hallway, which was as large as two rooms in her own home, she smiled at a few people as she made her way through the crowd.

‘Ruby!’ Naomi waved at her from the kitchen.

Ruby pointed to the ceiling. ‘Just going to change.’

Naomi nodded before turning back to get another drink.

She nipped upstairs to Naomi’s room. Every time she went into it she had to stop herself from jumping up and down on the colossal bed covered in white drapes and cushions. Naomi was a lover of lilac and it was everywhere. She had her own ensuite so Ruby could change in there and also stash her bag.

Once she’d applied full make-up, and changed her lipstick to Vampire Red, she slipped on the heels and gave herself the once-over in the mirror.

‘Looking good, Rube.’ She pouted and blew herself a kiss.

Downstairs the music had changed to a more R&B vibe. After grabbing a can of lager, she wandered around until she found Naomi. She draped her arms around her friend.

‘What time do you have to leave?’ Naomi shouted to her.

‘Eleven.’ Ruby rolled her eyes. ‘My dad’s picking me up.’

‘Ugh, well at least you’re here. Let’s dance!’

As Naomi pulled her to the middle of the room, Ruby felt glad to have her. As a friend Naomi was so understanding of her controlling father and often covered for her with the odd white lie so that she could stay out late.

She danced along to the music, sipping from her can and waving it in the air. It wasn’t long before she felt eyes on her and turned to see someone standing on the far wall. The boy looking at her was tall, with a tight black T-shirt showing off an athletic build. Dark sultry eyes and hair shorn close to his head. A stud earring glistening in his right ear, and a gold chain around his neck were the only things she didn’t particularly like. She reckoned he was no more than a few years older than her.

Ruby recognised him vaguely too. She continued to dance before chancing another look. He was still watching her – not in a leery way, she decided, but in an interested way.

‘I need another drink,’ she shouted to Naomi. ‘Want one?’

Naomi shook her head.

When she glanced in the boy’s direction again, he was gone. Disappointed, she made her way through the crowd to the kitchen. There the music was quieter, the crowd thinner, and after grabbing a can of coke this time, she decided to go out into the garden to get some air.

The night was warm, the garden lit up and inviting. She wandered over to sit on a bench, looking back at the house. The music was blaring and it was lit up like Blackpool illuminations, but there were no neighbours nearby to complain.

It was there that he found her. She watched him walk along the path, and looked up as he stood in front of her.

‘I think we had the same idea,’ he said. ‘Loud in there, isn’t it?’

She nodded.

‘Mind if I join you?’

‘No.’

He sat next to her, throwing his long legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles.

‘You’re Naomi’s best friend, aren’t you?’

‘Yeah, we’ve grown up together since junior school. I don’t remember who you are, though.’

‘I’m a few years older than you, and as you’re sixteen that makes a huge difference.’

‘I’m not sixteen for another three weeks. July fifteenth. I’m starting sixth form in September.’

‘You look so grown up.’

She smiled, looking away for a moment.

‘I used to hang around with George and Will.’ George and Will were Naomi’s older brothers. ‘I’m Finn.’

‘I’m Ruby.’

‘Yeah, I know.’

She smiled shyly at him, wondering where the night was going.

FOUR

In the relatives’ waiting room, Luke Douglas kept his head in his hands, unable to look at his partner Ruby for fear of breaking down. How had things gone so terribly wrong?

He gave an involuntary sob as he pictured his son lying on the icy ground, unable to make a sound. Usually Tyler was so vocal they were always telling him to be quiet. He was a real live wire. And now his boy, his two-year-old son, might not even see his third birthday next month. He might not even get through the night.

Luke would give anything to be telling him off right now. It had been such a shock to see him lying there. But when the police had turned up so quickly, well, he could have easily run the opposite way. This was all down to Seth Forrester, he knew it. But he couldn’t say anything about him or Ruby would find out what he’d been up to.

He ran through what he’d been doing over the past few months. Who knew about it? He’d been clever to cover his tracks, or so he thought.

Getting involved with Seth had been a mistake. Like a fool, he’d ignored all the rumours about him putting people in hospital. Despite seeing how much damage Seth had done on a mate of his, Luke had still gone along with getting reeled in. There was even talk of Seth being involved in the disappearance of a few men. He worked for the Steele brothers, a known criminal family who should never be crossed. But Luke had been desperate for money.

Seth lived next door but one from him at Harrison House. He could do whatever he wanted to Luke – or Luke’s family – as he lived so close. Luke had never been more aware than he was right now that he couldn’t protect everyone. He needed to be at home, to keep an eye on Lily: Seth hadn’t threatened her, nor Ruby, yet he wouldn’t put it past him.

But he couldn’t leave the hospital. Not without Tyler.

The room they’d been put into was drab, all pale creams and beiges. Luke wondered how many other families had sat in here waiting to hear good or bad news. He couldn’t even think of the possibility of Tyler dying. He closed his eyes and held back his tears. He couldn’t be responsible for his son’s death.

He just couldn’t.

Allie had told Grace that it was fine to go and see Tyler Douglas’s parents. Usually, she wouldn’t be investigating this type of incident but as she was first on the scene, Allie had given her instructions to speak to them and report back to her in the morning.

On the drive to the hospital, a message from control came in for her.

‘Go ahead,’ Grace answered.

‘Just to update you, there’s been an anonymous call about a commotion in the car park at Harrison House as well as the incident you’re dealing with. We have nothing reported on that but we do have a witness who said they saw a man running away from the scene shortly after the little boy’s accident. The caller wouldn’t leave a name, nor any contact details.’

‘Copy that, thanks.’

Grace wondered what, if anything, either of them could have to do with Tyler Douglas. Could the man have been someone late to be somewhere else – racing across to their car, or running for a bus? Could the commotion be kids hanging around making too much noise?

It was during regular visiting hours so the car park at the Royal Stoke was busy. Once she found a space, she headed to A&E. Before going to the parents, she asked how the little boy was. A nurse on the station went to check for her. Grace sat down while she waited, immediate memories of sitting in hospital anxious to hear about Matt flooding back to her. She didn’t think about her late husband all the time any more. There were days when she hardly thought of him at all, which both saddened and pleased her as she had to move on. But it was times like these that brought her right back to a period in her life that was wracked by so much pain she sometimes wondered how she had got through it.

It had been unbearable to see him suffer. Acute myeloid leukaemia had taken him when he was thirty-five. She had been thirty-two and even now, five years later, a smell of disinfectant could bring back instant memories of loss and grief.

‘DS Allendale?’ A man dressed in blue scrubs, wearing round rimmed glasses, and white clogs on his feet approached her. He sat down beside her and crossed one leg over the other, turning to her slightly.

‘Yes, how is he doing?’ she asked, checking out the ID badge that hung around his neck to discover he was a paediatric consultant.

‘Tyler’s brain is swelling at the moment so we’ve sent him off for a CT scan. We may need to put in a peg to reduce the pressure and drop him into an induced coma, but for now we’re monitoring him closely.’

Grace blew out a breath. ‘Any life-changing injuries?’

‘We’re running tests. Physically he has a fracture to his left ankle, which we’ve put in a cast for now.’

‘Is that it?’ Grace frowned. ‘He fell nearly five metres. I know he landed on grass but it would have been hard owing to the weather we’ve been having.’

Winter storm Nigel had been with them for two days before leaving a cold blast of air behind. Temperatures for the past few nights had dipped below zero. Grace recalled not wanting to get out of her warm bed that morning.

‘You’d be surprised how many children are fine afterwards. I’m sure some of them bounce.’ The man’s smile was warm. ‘But most children tend to break the fall themselves, catching on something else on the way that stops them landing so hard. In Tyler’s case there was nothing to do this and he dropped in almost a straight line. My guess is he landed on his feet and then fell to his side where he hit his head. It’s this that we’re most worried about.’

Grace grimaced. ‘Is he likely to have damage to his brain?’

‘It’s possible and we won’t be clear on that for a while yet. Like I said, we’ll know more in the morning.’

Grace nodded as the doctor turned to leave and then spoke again, calling him back. ‘Wait a minute, you say he fell in a straight line?’

‘Yes.’

‘Surely he would have gone head first and landed on his hands, or flipped over onto his back?’

‘I don’t think he fell over. He would more than likely have landed on all fours if he’d done that. Although nothing is certain.’

Grace said her thanks and stood up as he left. Gut feeling had told her at the scene that this wasn’t an accident, and now she felt even more certain. It was crucial they get to the bottom of things as soon as possible.

It was time to speak to the parents.

FIVE

Ruby Brassington sat across from Luke, her right leg jangling as it rested on her knee. The skin around her thumbnail was bleeding, she’d been biting at it so hard; the tissue in her hands balled up, wet and almost in shreds.

A sense of déjà vu came over her as she sat waiting. Things happening around her that were beyond her control. Another loved one in danger. She pushed away the images trying to settle in her mind.

She glanced across the room, to where Luke was sitting forwards in his chair, head in his hands. She wanted to talk to him, to see what story he thought they should stick to until they had time to be alone and she could deal with things the only way she knew how.

Luke was good-looking when he wasn’t under duress, appearing to be a lot younger than his thirty-four years. With olive skin and dark hair, he had a look of an Italian without any of the nationality in his blood. Their son had the same dark colouring too, with brown eyes that would melt any heart.

Ruby thought about her life with him, how they’d met. She’d been living in Sheffield then. The flat was the second one she’d moved to and much better than the first and the cheap B&B that she’d spent months at before that. She felt safer in the new flat. She’d made friends and got herself a part-time job at the newsagent while Lily started nursery classes at the local school. Both of them were enjoying life, settling in.

Luke had been doing some temporary work on the garden in the flats and had popped into the shop most mornings. After a while, they’d started chatting and then he’d asked her on a date. She’d been wary at first, telling him she had a child but he insisted they went out for a meal and took Lily with them. Lily had been sick everywhere after picking up a tummy bug, bringing a halt to everything, but Luke had been undeterred and they’d arranged to meet again.

That had been the start of their relationship. Within a few months, they were an item; within a year, they had moved in together. Two years later, Tyler came along. Everything had been fine until Ruby had got another letter. This time, she’d had to persuade Luke to leave too. Now, she feared they would have to move again. It was so much of an upheaval for the kids, for them all, every time she was in danger. She was tired of looking over her shoulder but she’d have to do it, to keep herself and her family safe.

She kept waiting for the door to open, for someone to tell them what was happening to Tyler. Please let him be okay, she repeated inwardly.

Ruby had never wanted any more children after Lily had been born. It had seemed too risky. Keeping one child safe was hard, but she had at least been able to become mobile as quickly as possible. Yet, when she’d been caught pregnant, there was no way she could have had a termination, and it just seemed right. But with two children it had become a problem keeping them both out of harm’s way, as she’d seen today.

She found she couldn’t cry. How could there be tears when she didn’t feel anything but guilt? It should have been her that went over the railing that evening, not Tyler. He was a helpless little boy. He hadn’t done anyone any harm.

She still couldn’t believe it had happened. It was hard to take in. If she closed her eyes, she could picture it in slow motion. Him falling; her looking over the rail to see him lying there; quiet, vulnerable, crushed.

Everything caught up with her eventually. Why was she always in a mess? Because of her past she was a wreck, a useless specimen of a person, and yet she tried so hard not to be. Things had even been looking up recently – now nearing twenty-seven, at least she had a decent roof over her head rather than living hand-to-mouth as she had before she’d met Luke.

Ruby longed to be at home with Luke in the armchair and Lily and Tyler curled up on the settee with her, laughing at something on the TV. All of them together, safe. She’d rather be anywhere than here, really, waiting for news.

Her boy was a fighter. She had to believe that.

Her conscience was playing tricks with her, frowning upon her for leaving Lily with her neighbour. She needed her here; she wanted to be the one to comfort her. She had to keep an eye on her in case he came back. But she hadn’t been thinking when Norma said she would look after Lily.

Or maybe she had. She hadn’t wanted to cause distress to Lily if … if … No, she wouldn’t think like that. Her son was not going to die.

Luke lifted his head and caught her eye. She wondered whether to go to him. Would it be more obvious that they were wracked with guilt if they weren’t sitting together? She moved quickly to him. He gave a half-smile as he grasped her hand, tears instantly forming in her eyes.

Why had the police been so near? She wouldn’t be letting anyone know the truth, that was for certain. She was in enough trouble without that.

Grace took in the two forlorn figures sitting together and tried to keep her anger at bay. The mother couldn’t be much older than mid-twenties; the father a little older. Both were well-dressed but nothing too flashy. Clean and healthy looking, which always pleased her where children were involved. They looked like any normal couple, except for the fact that their child was in grave danger right now.

Grace stepped further into the room, noticing they leapt apart as if they’d been stung. The movement felt suspicious, almost a guilty reaction, as if they didn’t trust each other. Grace didn’t know what to make of that just now.

She needed to know what had gone on at their flat that evening.

Ruby sat upright, waiting to hear what she had to say. Luke had his head in his hands, as if he didn’t want to listen.

‘How is Tyler?’ Grace asked, even though she’d already spoken to the consultant.

‘Still unconscious. He’s gone for a scan.’ Ruby shook her head. ‘We won’t be going home until we can take him with us, will we, Luke?’

‘No.’ Luke wiped at his nose with the back of his hand. ‘We’re waiting here until we can see him.’

Grace sat down across from the couple. Spotting them glancing at each other, she looked at them each in turn. Then she spoke into the loaded silence.

‘I’m so sorry for what happened to Tyler but for now I need to ask you a few questions.’

‘They shouldn’t put tenants with kids in a first-floor flat,’ Luke complained. ‘It’s their fault. I’m going to sue them.’

‘Even so, Mr Douglas, how did Tyler get out onto the walkway?’ Grace asked. ‘Did he unlock the front door and go out unsupervised? Or was the front door open?’

‘You’re blaming us already.’

‘No, I’m not. I just need to understand what happened. You didn’t see?’

Luke shook his head, his eyes landing everywhere but on her.

‘Can you explain to me why? Where were you at the time?’

‘We were in the living room. Me and Ruby were watching TV. Tyler was with his sister, in their room. The next thing we heard was a yell from Lily. We rushed into the hallway to find the front door open and Lily looking over the railings. She said Tyler got out and climbed over the rail; that she couldn’t grab him in time to stop him falling.’ He stood up. ‘He is going to be okay, isn’t he?’

Ruby began to cry and Grace felt a pang of guilt for upsetting them. But she had to press on.

‘Just a few more questions, please.’

‘Look, she’s upset and we’re both tired. Can’t this wait until the morning? Our son is unconscious, and we can’t think of anything else right now.’

Grace nodded. There was so much she wanted to ask and for them to answer, but they’d suffered a huge trauma.

‘I’ll come and see you in the morning. We have your details.’

Once the detective had left, Ruby grasped Luke’s hand, wiping at her tears with the other one.

‘What is wrong with you?’ she asked.

‘What?’ Luke looked confused.

‘We wanted her to think it was an accident!’

He looked sheepish. ‘Did I say something I shouldn’t?’

‘You said way too much. If we don’t stick to our story, we’ll both be in for it.’ She waited for him to look at her. ‘You think I don’t know what’s been happening with Seth Forrester? Why you’ve been hanging around his flat? If you’ve put any of us in danger, then I swear I’ll be out of that door and you won’t see me again.’

‘I’m not! I love you, Ruby. You’re my everything.’

He pulled her into his arms and she let him. Exhausted by the emotions of the night, she sobbed until there was no more left to give. Seeing Luke so upset added more guilt to her load. How could she let him think he was the one at fault?

‘I’m sorry for snapping,’ she said when she eventually spoke. ‘I’m just worried, that’s all.’

‘We need to stick together,’ he told her. ‘It’s just you and me against the world. We can get through this, and if you want we can move somewhere else. Get a house perhaps, with a garden for the kids to play in.’

‘I’d like that.’ Ruby smiled through her tears, noting the fact he hadn’t said anything further about Seth. ‘You promise me you haven’t been borrowing money from anyone?’

He wouldn’t look at her, which made her suspicions that he was lying even more palpable. But he replied eventually.

‘I promise,’ he said.

She wanted to believe him but found that she couldn’t.

2010

Ruby looked towards Naomi’s house for a moment. The music was soothing where she and Finn were sitting at the back of the garden. She could hear laughter from time to time. The weather was warm, a breeze across her shoulders making her shiver slightly.

‘Do you want to go back inside?’ Finn asked.

‘No.’

They smiled at each other.

‘What are your plans after sixth form?’

‘I’m not sure what I want to do yet, if I’m honest. I keep changing my mind – maybe physiotherapy.’

‘There’s a lot of pressure at your age to think of what do for the rest of your life. You take your time.’

Shadows were falling now as the night grew darker, making Finn all the more mysterious. She glanced at him surreptitiously, wondering why he was sitting with her when he could be with any number of the girls back in the house.

‘What do you do?’ she wanted to know.

‘Security at a nightclub. I look after the bouncers on the doors. I’m one too.’ He pointed towards the house. ‘It’s very impressive, isn’t it?’

She nodded. ‘I’d like to be loaded like Naomi’s mum and dad one day.’

‘Me too,’ Finn agreed. ‘But we all have to start somewhere.’

Ruby kicked herself inwardly. She was trying to impress him and coming out with some terrible drivel. She was making him feel inadequate. There was no point in putting on a show and being false from the beginning.

Finn seemed to sense her awkwardness.

‘I know this sounds cheesy, but I’ve not long ago picked up a new car. Do you fancy going for a drive?’

Ruby glanced at her watch. It was already quarter to ten. She shook her head, cursing inwardly.

‘My dad is picking me up at eleven.’

‘Ah.’ He placed his hand over hers for a moment. ‘How about we go out for a drive for ten minutes and then come back? That way you’ll have plenty of time?’

She gnawed at her bottom lip.

‘I promise I won’t bite.’ He held up his hands. ‘Trust me, I’ve known Naomi’s brothers since I was a child. I was bullied in junior school and when I went on to high school, my bully followed me. Luckily, I met George who had a go at him when he was picking on me one day. It ended up with George lamping him and ever since then we became friends. That’s when I started to look out for myself. He gave me confidence, and I took up weightlifting too.’ He smiled. ‘Will is older as you know. I get on well with him as well.’

‘But I’m Naomi’s best mate. I haven’t met you before.’

‘I don’t come here often, that’s why. But they adore their little sister so it would be more than my life’s worth to see any harm come to you. I just want to show you my car.’ He pointed at the house. ‘And get away from the noise.’

Ruby still wasn’t sure. He was older than her. What if he wanted more than she would offer?

‘Ten minutes, and I’ll have you back,’ he added. ‘We can just go around the block.’

It was his mannerisms that did it. The cock of his head, the mischievous look in his eyes. She felt her stomach flip over as it had done earlier.

‘Go on, then,’ she said.

Ruby couldn’t find Naomi downstairs when they went back inside the house. She was about to go upstairs when Finn took hold of her hand to stop her.

‘We’ll be back before anyone notices we’re gone,’ he said.

His smile made him trust her. Outside, there were five cars in the driveway. Finn pointed to a blue Subaru Impresa.

‘That’s my baby, there. Isn’t she awesome?’

It took Ruby all of her might not to smirk. It was just a car.

‘I know what you’re thinking.’ He wagged a finger at her. ‘But wait until you’ve been for a ride in her. You’ll love Scooby as much as I do.’

‘Scooby?’

‘Scooby-Doo – Subaru.’ He winked as he pressed the key fob. Then he ran around to the passenger side, opening the door for her.

Ruby jumped inside, waiting for him to join her. That new car fresh smell – leather intermingled with some kind of air freshener – engulfed her. It was a nice motor, she had to admit.

He started the engine up, pushing his foot down on the accelerator to rev it up.

‘She purrs,’ he laughed. Then he popped it into first gear and drove off slowly.

Out on the open road, Ruby was surprised he didn’t want to floor it.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked, placing a hand on her thigh for a moment. ‘Having fun?’

She nodded, although relieved when he put it back on the steering wheel.

‘It’s a smooth ride,’ she acknowledged.

‘I could open her up but we don’t have time. A promise is a promise.’

They were back at Naomi’s house before she knew it. Almost disappointed as they drove along the driveway, she was pleased when he parked up the car and stayed in his seat.

‘It’s quieter in here.’ He turned towards her. ‘Do you want to go inside or sit with me for a while longer?’

She could stay here all night, she’d enjoyed his company so much. She wanted to know everything about him, and stare into his eyes as she told him about herself. He was so mature compared to anyone else that she knew. None of the boys from school had a car. Only Naomi’s brothers had wheels and Ruby would never go out with either of them. It would be like kissing a member of her own family.

‘Let’s stay here,’ she said, her voice breaking with nerves.

He smiled. ‘I’ll grab a couple of drinks. Wait here a moment.’

She nodded, already beginning to feel safe with him. She wasn’t stupid and knew what men wanted from her, but there was no ulterior motive here. He was just being friendly.

And parties always brought out the worst in her. If it weren’t for Finn, she would most likely have drunk too much now to fit in socially, be throwing up in the garden, crying and then definitely getting grounded for a month by her dad for misbehaving.

Finn was back in five minutes and they sat talking in his car. They chatted mainly about Naomi and her brothers, some of the times they had shared. It was quarter to eleven when she let out a huge sigh.

‘I have to go soon.’

‘Okay, daddy’s girl.’

She glared at him but he was smiling.

‘I know I wouldn’t want to let you out of my sight if I were him.’

Ruby felt so calm, and suddenly knew he was going to kiss her. He smiled, tilting her chin up. He leaned over and his lips found hers, so gently she thought she’d imagined it. She closed her eyes and opened them when he moved away, to find him staring into hers. Then he kissed her properly.

It seemed to go on for ages, tender at first then more needy. He ran his hands through her hair, caressed her face with his fingertips.

‘Can I see you again?’ he asked when they broke apart, his voice hoarse with desire. ‘I mean after your birthday, of course.’

She nodded shyly. She would find a way. And like he said, she was sixteen soon. No one could stop her then.

He stored her number in his phone and they went back into the house. Spotting Naomi with Gareth across the room through a mass of bodies that would take her ages to negotiate, she sent her a message to say she was leaving.

She was waiting on the front step when her dad pulled up to collect her.

‘Had a good night?’ he asked as she fastened her seatbelt.

‘Yes, it was great fun.’

Ruby turned away, glad to be leaving the lights behind so that he wouldn’t see her grinning.

SIX

Since Eddie and Leon Steele had taken over the running of The Casino in Trinity Street last year, it had been refurbished, bringing in a slightly better class of clientele. Shelley Machin had been let in by the doorman. He knew her from old but turned a blind eye to anything that she did because of who she was dating at the moment. He knew that grassing on Seth Forrester’s woman would be a bad thing to do, even to Seth himself.

A slinky black dress accentuated her curves, and purple heels made her look taller than her five foot three. Her long black hair was straightened and shiny, red lips and a full face of make-up giving her an alluring look. Tonight this was her persona. Underneath it all she was mostly a pussycat.

A couple of hours later, she was out again, holding on to a man’s hand as she dragged him out of sight around the side of the building, away from prying eyes. She’d picked him out because he’d obviously been drinking since lunchtime so was easy prey.

There wasn’t a taxi at the rank yet as it was early in the evening, but neither was there a queue of people. It was the perfect place for her to do what she had to do and this way she might not even have to leave with him.

She managed to stay upright as he staggered into her.

‘Sorry,’ he said, grinning.

She pushed him up against the wall, kissing him long and hard as his hands roamed all over her body. She’d give him five minutes before he was too far gone to focus and she could relax a little. Men slobbering over her was the worst thing possible, but she had a job to do. His hand went up the side of her leg and she pushed it away gently.

‘Not yet, fella,’ she chided. ‘You don’t want to spoil the fun for when we get to your house.’

He laughed, then his lips were on hers again as her hand found what she was after.

A minute later, a taxi pulled in. By now the man was really unsteady on his feet and his eyes were closing, the drinks he’d consumed taking their toll. After a struggle towards the vehicle, she pushed him into the back seat. His eyes closed as soon as he sat down.

‘You not getting in?’ the driver asked.

‘Not much point going home with him now, bloody loser.’

‘He’d better not throw up in my cab,’ he moaned.

She threw a note at him.

‘Bye,’ she waved to both of them with a grin.

Shelley had a way with men and she was using it to her advantage. She only slept with someone if absolutely necessary, for instance if she was going back to a hotel room to rob someone of their phone, wallet and laptop. Sometimes it was lucrative; other times not so much. And she didn’t do it often for fear of getting a name for herself.

She knew how to spot the businessmen who were staying in town overnight at the local hotels. Only once had she been caught and taken a beating for it. Most of the time, the men were having one-night stands they didn’t want their wives or partners to know about. So they said nothing, chalked it up to experience and moved on. They cancelled their bank cards, bought new phones and laptops but never realised until it was too late that often she’d given the stuff to someone else. Details were then cloned and sold on.

Out of sight around the corner, she looked inside the wallet she had stolen and grinned. The money he’d won was all there. She pushed it inside her handbag and walked into Hanley to get a taxi from another rank. She didn’t want to get her face recognised too much here. She’d been lucky enough not to get caught fleecing anyone so far. Not too often was her motto, especially as she was on Steele territory. She realised the consequences she’d have to deal with if she was caught, and ran the risk of that enough at home.

Forty minutes later, she arrived at Harrison House. The police that she’d seen earlier were still around, but only the one marked car. She let herself into the flat after talking to a few neighbours.

Shelley had been going out with Seth Forrester for six months now, and spent more time there than she did with her mum and dad. Her home was so crowded that it made more sense. She wasn’t planning on staying with him forever, just until she had paid her debt back to the Steeles. She planned to go to Manchester, maybe even London; anything to get out of Stoke. It hadn’t done her any favours so far.

And although Seth was quite alluring in a bad boy way, she knew of his past. She didn’t want to get on his wrong side, so once she had the information required, she was out of there.

It was probably wrong for her to work for Eddie Steele but she hadn’t had much choice. She’d borrowed money and then couldn’t repay him. She’d spent recklessly, and then he’d come after her. To wipe the slate clean, she’d been told to get friendly with Seth, who also worked for the Steele brothers, and tell them what he got up to. There was money going missing on a regular basis and they thought he was involved in taking it.

Seth was lying on the settee when she went in. He was twenty-three, lanky with short dark hair, pale skin and deep-set blue eyes. He worked hard at the gym to bulk himself up, muscular arms showing off a sleeve tattoo and several smaller works of art spread over his body. He also had a pierced ear that Shelley hated.

He didn’t even glance up when she came into the room. She’d hoped he’d be in a good mood by now. Just lately she’d been worried he was taking too many drugs. Uppers and downers; he was becoming so paranoid with it all. Only last week, he’d slammed her up against the wall as he’d thought she was someone else coming into the kitchen. They were the only two people in the flat at the time.

‘You’re home early,’ she said, looking around at the state he’d left the room in. A folded-up copy of the Stoke News was thrown to the floor, a dirty mug on top of a plate next to it. His boots had been kicked off and left there too.

The room wasn’t much to look at – worn furniture, tired decoration, although with the obligatory large flat screen TV – but Shelley liked to keep it nice. She was forever picking up after him.

‘Earth to Seth,’ she said when he didn’t reply.

‘I’m on again at midnight.’

Once she’d tidied everything away, she leaned over to kiss him. ‘Fancy going out somewhere tomorrow night, then?’

Seth shook his head. ‘Doing a double shift.’

She sighed. Seth worked on the doors at Flynn’s Nightclub in Marsh Street. It was where she’d met him, as she’d planned. After a night out, she had lost her friends and he’d chatted to her outside while she’d waited for a taxi. He’d asked her out and the next evening he’d taken her for a curry and then Shelley had gone home with him. Even though his flat wasn’t much to look at, he had talents in the bedroom that were an added bonus. A few weeks later, they’d been an item. He was hard to be with at times, quite moody and chauvinistic but, for now, she had to put up with his wheeling and dealing and try not to complain too much.

‘Did you hear about little Tyler falling over the side of the railing earlier?’ She flopped down in the armchair.

‘Yeah, the feds have been here for hours.’

‘There’ll be more if he dies. I saw a man there before the accident though.’ She raised her eyebrows at Seth to make it clear that it was anything but.

Earlier that evening, just after Seth had gone out, Shelley had stood on the doorstep having a cigarette. She didn’t like smoking in the flat, even though it was freezing outside. Hearing voices along the walkway, she’d popped her head around the side of the frame to see a man standing at Ruby Brassington’s house. The atmosphere seemed tense.

Shelley had pulled her head back quickly but listened to the conversation. Was this something to do with Seth? She knew Luke had borrowed heavily and was working for him to pay it back. Not that Ruby seemed to know anything about the problem.

Shelley didn’t think it was right for her not to know what was going on. Luke was up to his eyeballs in debt. She wouldn’t be surprised if someone else was coming after him too. It was only a matter of time, and who knew what that would do to their family.

But she’d heard Ruby scream, and then pandemonium as everyone was looking over the railing. She’d purposely gone back inside, not wanting to get drawn into anything, but once the ambulance had arrived, she’d leaned on the railing with everyone else.

‘Is the man anyone we know?’ Seth asked.

‘Didn’t recognise him but he said something interesting. He said that he wants what’s his and he wants it by Monday.’

Seth sat up then. ‘Sounds like Luke owes to someone else. Well, I want my cut first. See what you can find out from Ruby, will you?’

Shelley nodded. Gossiping was her favourite pastime.

SEVEN

Frankie Higgins was beat when he got home. Emotionally and physically drained, he was in need of a night of downtime to rejuvenate and recuperate. The day had gone from normal to tragic. All he could think of was how could that boy have fallen from the walkway.

His wife Lyla was in the kitchen as he came in, the sound of water filling the kettle. She came to the door as he was removing his coat, kissed him.

‘Have you eaten?’ she asked, tucking her blonde bob behind her ears.

Her beautiful face was make-up free. Frankie could see their son in her the more he grew. Ben had his mother’s large brown eyes, some of her mannerisms too. Definitely her optimism.

‘Finding it hard to after what I’ve seen.’ He shook his head as he filled Lyla in.

‘I’ll make you something. You go and shower.’

He watched her walking back across the kitchen, the bounce of her step telling him she’d had a good day. They had met at school in their early teens. Everyone said their relationship wouldn’t last, that it was a first love fling, but so far they had proved them all wrong. They were married at eighteen, eight years ago now. Call him old-fashioned but he liked the fact that neither of them had slept with anyone else. It made their marriage feel extraordinary. Lyla still made him feel special too.

Upstairs, Frankie stopped at his son’s door. It was ajar, a nightlight shining. Ben had only recently stopped needing the landing light on, but he still didn’t want the door shut. He had kicked off his covers and was almost lying the opposite way around in his bed.

Frankie chuckled to himself for a moment. How did they do that, move so much in their sleep? He lifted him up, a dead weight in his arms, putting him around the right way. Then he covered him, tucking him in.

Listening to him breathing, Frankie’s temper rose again. If anyone so much as laid a finger on his son, he knew there would be consequences. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself from hurting someone.

He couldn’t imagine his life without Ben. At least for now Tyler Douglas seemed to be doing okay.

‘He’s fine.’

Frankie turned to see Lyla was in the doorway. She was wearing her pyjamas now. He wanted to rip them off but would save those thoughts until later.

‘He was good at nursery today. He’s been telling everyone that his name from now on is Poo, and it has nothing to do with Winnie.’

Frankie couldn’t help but laugh.

Lyla came closer and he pulled her onto his lap. They both watched as Ben slept beside them, oblivious to the love emanating towards him.

‘Come downstairs.’ Lyla stood up and took his hand. ‘I don’t want to wake him.’

‘In a moment.’

She left him alone again. He bent and kissed his son’s head.

‘Stay safe, Poo,’ he whispered and turned out the nightlight. Closing the door, he rubbed at his eyes. He prayed he could keep him safe, that no harm would come to him when he wasn’t there. He wasn’t sure he would ever forgive himself if anything happened.

But you can’t wrap a child in cotton wool. They had given Ben the best start in life. He hoped no one would take that away from him.

Lyla had reheated him a large bowl of pasta bolognese. She sat down next to him at the breakfast bar as he ate.

‘I worry about you,’ she said. ‘Every time you go out of that door, I pray that you’ll come home at the end of your shift. I know you love what you do, but I also know there are terrible people out there, no matter who you are.’

He was about to speak when she continued.

‘But I also know I don’t need to worry because you can look after yourself. Promise me one thing, though. Please don’t take the law into your own hands if you find out someone has harmed that little boy. Our son needs a father, and I need you home with me. Don’t get too close.’

She knew him so well.

Frankie nodded. ‘I promise,’ he replied. ‘Besides, I need to finish painting the hall.’

It was half past midnight when Grace finally got home from the hospital. She hadn’t had such a late night for a while. Not since that last murder investigation before she changed posts the year before.

Except for the hall light, the house was in darkness when she dropped her keys on the kitchen table. Simon had gone to bed after she’d rung him again to say it would be a while before she got off her shift.

It was way too late to have a run on the treadmill in the conservatory, her usual stress reliever, so she crept around downstairs, made herself a quick drink and then went upstairs.

After showering, she tiptoed into the bedroom and got into bed. The covers were cold against her skin. Simon’s back was towards her. She wanted to reach across to him, yet didn’t feel it was fair to wake him. But he soon stirred. He switched on the lamp and turned to face her.

‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.

‘Pretty crap, actually.’

‘Want to talk about it?’

‘No, but I need you awake.’ She pulled him towards her, kissing him and hoping he would respond. She needed to feel him as close to her as possible, skin on skin, so she could forget the images she was seeing in her mind over and over. The body of a young boy crumpled on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Afterwards, they lay together. ‘Nice wake-up call,’ he grinned. ‘Feeling better?’

‘Much, thanks. At least I might sleep a little now. It was such a shock to see him lying on the grass.’

‘How are the parents?’

‘Staying hopeful. We’ll know more about his condition in the morning.’

‘He’s not going to die, is he?’

‘It’s down to him, I think. If he’s strong enough to survive.’

‘That poor kid. I remember when Teagan was four and fell off the climbing frame at the local playground. As a parent, you think you should have been there. It wasn’t my fault as, rationally, there was no way I could have stopped her even though I was right next to her. She was having fun, but the guilt I experienced afterwards? I totally felt as if I’d let her down.’

‘You hadn’t. These things happen.’

‘Do you think this was an accident?’

‘I’m not sure.’

It was clear he wanted her to continue – he couldn’t help but fish for information – but she said no more, not wanting to talk about the case.

He turned out the light and she squeezed her eyes shut tight to close out the night, and the images. But she couldn’t get the tragedy off her mind. After speaking to Tyler’s parents, she had come away none the wiser. Their story that Tyler had run from the house, pulled himself up the railing and fell over as he’d lost his balance didn’t ring true.

Had the parents got anything to do with it? Was his eight-year-old sister to blame in any way? Children were always squabbling; something could have happened by accident.

Whatever it was, Grace knew the case was going to be sensitive – it always was when children were involved. She prayed Tyler would pull through. A suspicious death was a terrible thing to police regardless of age, but a child even more so.

Tomorrow she would update Allie and see what else they needed to do. She also realised she’d have to keep an eye on Frankie’s welfare. Tyler Douglas was only a few months younger than his son Ben and she’d seen his face contorting several times during the evening, fists clenching, the veins almost popping on his temple.

Simon stirred in his sleep and Grace cuddled into him. She had to get some rest or she would be useless to anyone in the morning.

2010

Ruby was in Naomi’s bad books. She’d apologised several times but to no avail. She hated falling out with her best friend but was disappointed too. Ruby wanted to chat about Finn. She and Naomi often talked about boys. It was so much of what they discussed now, after years of dolls and games.

They were in Naomi’s bedroom. If she could, Ruby always went there after school. Naomi’s parents were mostly at work so they had the place to themselves. And it beat going home to her empty house.

‘I spent ages looking for you,’ Naomi sniped. ‘It was my birthday party.’

‘Sorry, I didn’t realise the time,’ Ruby replied. ‘And you were having fun, anyway, if I recall.’ She nudged Naomi.

‘I wanted to be with my best friend.’

‘I came to look for you but you were busy with Gareth.’

Naomi grinned. ‘At least I had something to do while you were missing.’

Ruby wanted to roll her eyes but refrained. Naomi had been all over Gareth Fitzjohn when she’d come in to say goodbye before going home. From where she was standing, she could see Naomi’s eyes closed as his tongue explored her mouth and his hands went wherever she would let them. So she couldn’t have been bothered about where Ruby was that much.

‘I didn’t know Finn was coming though,’ Naomi added.

‘I thought he was invited. He never said.’

‘He wouldn’t.’ Naomi rested on her elbows and put her head in her hands. ‘He’s a freeloader. He probably only came after a drink.’

‘He was in a car so he didn’t have anything.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I told you. He took me out for a drive in it. It was awesome.’ Ruby felt pride shoot through her as she realised how important this made her feel.

But Naomi wasn’t as impressed as she was.

‘He’s bad news, Ruby.’

‘How do you know?’

‘My dad says he’s always up to no good. You should stay away.’

‘Well, I’m not going to.’ She grinned. ‘He took my phone number.’

Naomi rolled her eyes. ‘Has he called?’

‘Not yet but he—’

‘It’s a cop-out. He won’t call you.’

‘Why do you say that?’ Ruby folded her arms. ‘He seemed to like me.’

‘Oh, I didn’t mean it how it sounded.’ Naomi seemed genuinely perturbed that she had upset Ruby. ‘I just meant that men are like that. They promise you everything and then they let you down.’

‘Some do,’ Ruby said. ‘Not all of them.’

‘I guess. So,’ Naomi moved to sit on her knees. ‘How many times did he kiss you?’

‘A few.’ For some reason, Ruby didn’t want to share anything with Naomi now.

‘Go on. Tell me all about him.’

‘Don’t want to.’ Ruby thought she’d punish her for a little while.

‘Well, Gareth’s hands were trying to get everywhere!’

‘Yes, I saw you. I think everyone did.’

Naomi laughed. ‘I all but had an orgasm standing up.’

Ruby laughed then.

‘Did Finn try it on with you?’

She shook her head, then wondered if he should have done. ‘Would it have shown that he liked me more?’

‘Not really. He might have been shy. Or bothered about where he was. I reckon you’ll just have to keep your fingers crossed that he does call. Else you won’t be able to get in touch with him, and that will be a shame.’

‘I’ll find him again somewhere.’ Ruby laughed this time. ‘He’ll be my Prince Charming. I will get my man.’

Naomi got off the bed and took her friend’s hand. ‘No more talk about boys. I’m starving. Let’s go and make chip butties.’

Ruby followed Naomi down the stairs and into the spacious kitchen. As Naomi raided the freezer, she thought about what her friend had said. Finn might give her the runaround but she hoped he wasn’t like that. He had been lovely when he’d said good night. He would call soon.

Slipping a sneaky look at her phone, she sighed. There were no messages yet.

TUESDAY

EIGHT

Grace was situated back at the same desk as she had shared within the old team layout. They were on the first floor of Bethesda Police Station, a large open-plan office with several partitioned box offices in a row in front of her. It was much better to be in the same building again, after working in Stafford Street where Allie had been based, or even out somewhere on one of the estates. It was good to be in close proximity to everyone. Besides, sitting in the main office meant she was a part of the banter or could catch up on the gossip circuit. The station was rife with it, internal and external chitter-chatter.

First up that morning was a chat with Allie, who was in Nick’s old office. Grace was glad to see she, too, had an open-door policy.

Perry arrived and threw his keys down onto the desk. ‘Morning. I heard about Tyler Douglas last night.’ He removed his coat and placed it over the back of his chair before sitting down.

‘It was terrible. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It took me ages to drop off to sleep, hence these.’ Grace pointed at the bags under her eyes. ‘And why I was up at stupid o’clock.’

‘How’s everything now?’

‘I’m not sure yet but he was in a pretty bad way last night. Do you know anything about his parents? Ruby Brassington and Luke Douglas.’

Perry shook his head. ‘They’re not on our radar, but if I find out they had anything to do with the accident, they’ll feel the wrath of me.’

Grace knew his threats were empty but she realised it must be hard for him. Like Frankie, Perry’s boy, Archie, was a similar age to Tyler Douglas. It must get to them both. It got to her enough and she wasn’t a parent.

‘If you need any help let us know,’ Perry added. ‘You are okay?’

‘Yes, thanks.’ Grace appreciated his concern. ‘Anything come in for you overnight?’ Perry was acting Detective Sergeant for the Major Crimes Team at the moment.

‘An assault on a fourteen-year-old. His mum called it in so I’ll be off to see them soon.’

‘No rest for the wicked.’ Grace spotted Allie standing up in her office and headed over to her. She knocked on the door frame before going in.

‘Do you have a minute?’

‘Barely.’ Allie pointed to the ceiling. ‘I’ve got a meeting with the Gods.’ Upstairs was where the DCI and those ranked above were based.

Grace smirked at the in-joke. ‘It won’t take long. It’s about Tyler Douglas.’

Allie indicated for Grace to sit down on one side of the desk and then sat the opposite side herself. ‘Did you get anything else after we spoke?’

‘Most people didn’t see anything.’

‘I saw nothing.’ Allie rolled her eyes. ‘It’s laughable that they still use that. What do you think happened?’

‘I can’t tell, so me and Frankie are going to try and get some sense out of the residents this morning. I’m not sure it warrants police interception unless a crime has been committed. Unless we can find a witness, we only have the parents’ statements to go on.’

‘Gut feeling?’ Allie asked.

‘Something doesn’t feel right but I’m not sure if it’s suspicious or not. It could be that his eight-year-old sister was involved and the parents don’t want to say. Or it could be that she tried to stop Tyler from falling and couldn’t. Although then, why wouldn’t they tell us the truth?’

‘Maybe they think she will be in trouble.’

‘She will be if she’s pushed him.’

‘Does she look like she would?’

Grace screwed up her nose. ‘Anything’s possible but I didn’t get that about her. More that she was scared to talk.’

‘And the parents?’

‘I don’t think they did it either if I’m honest. But I’d like to see what I can find out for sure.’

‘Okay, keep me informed,’ Allie agreed. ‘It won’t hurt to properly interview the parents now they may be a little less emotional, and see if everything tallies with last night’s account. Until an accident is or isn’t ruled out, we need to know as much as possible. And there are no warning markers against either of them, or the property?’

‘None at all.’

‘I’ll leave it with you then.’

‘I’ll give it my best shot.’ She nodded. ‘Someone will tell me something by the end of the day.’

Grace followed Allie out of the room and back to her own desk. The cold weather called for a cuppa. But first she’d ring the housing officer that covered Harrison House.

NINE

Caleb pulled the duvet up around his neck and turned over in bed. It was gone school time but he wasn’t going in today. He’d faked a headache when his mum had come to wake him. Usually she saw through it, gave him a lashing with her tongue and sent him on his way. But today she’d taken pity on him.

It was a good job he had such a strict mum or else he and his brother would have got up to much worse than they had so far. Johnno was five years older than him, living at home but Mum wouldn’t allow him to claim dole. He had to get a job or find somewhere else to stay, that was the rule.

She was a good influence on them both, but still he had secrets from her. She didn’t know what he’d been doing for the past few months. But he was done with that. He wasn’t sure he wanted to earn the rest of the money he needed. Because what he’d seen Seth do last night meant he’d never trust him again. And in his haste to get away, he hadn’t delivered the package.

His phone went off. It was his friend, Shaun.

‘You heard about Milo last night?’

‘No, what happened?’ Milo was another of the boys fetching and carrying for Seth.

‘He got beat up really bad at Harrison House.’

Caleb sat upright. He was just about to say that he’d been there too but stopped himself at the last moment.

‘He has broken ribs,’ Shaun added. ‘Cuts to his face and you should see his back. It’s covered with bruises.’

‘Did he say who got to him?’

‘He wouldn’t tell me. He’s scared of someone. Hey, why aren’t you in school?’

‘Bad head.’

Once the call ended, Caleb put on his radio. The news was due on and he wanted to hear what was being said about yesterday.

‘Police are investigating an incident at Harrison House where a toddler fell from a first-floor walkway. Two-year-old resident Tyler Douglas fell outside his home at approximately 6.30 p.m. last night. Harrison House, off Ford Green Road, belongs to Trent Housing Association who are also looking into the matter. Safety concerns have now been raised by local residents several times. According to one tenant, who wished to remain anonymous, it was an accident waiting to happen. Police are urging anyone who saw anything to contact them on the national helpline.’

Caleb let out a sigh of relief. It seemed as if he’d be all right if they were treating it as an accident. He just needed to keep quiet, that’s all. If no one came forward to say they had seen anything suspicious, he would be home and dry. And it looked as if no one had seen the assault on Milo either.

He picked up his phone when it alerted him to a new text message. It was from Seth.

‘What happened to you last night? Saw you and then you shot off. Call me.’

Caleb dropped his phone on the bed as if it were hot to the touch. He was right back where he started, in a panic.

‘Fuck,’ he whispered, running a hand through his hair. He had been seen. His mum would go mad if she found out what he’d been up to. He couldn’t let her find out he’d been there. He had to keep a low profile.

As he thought what to say to Seth, he covered his head with a pillow for a moment. Then he typed out a message:

‘Just got spooked. I have the package. Where shall I drop it off?’

‘Come to me at 4pm today. I’ll meet you outside the coffee shop on Smallthorne Roundabout. Don’t be late.’

Caleb was satisfied with that. Out in such an open place, Seth wouldn’t be able to get to him. He would deliver the package, get away and then never go near him again.

Mary got herself ready that morning yet she felt afraid to go out of the flat. She chided herself for being such a nitwit and pulled on her coat and walking boots. It was frosty outside and she didn’t want to slip.

She locked her front door and frowned. Looking over the railing, she saw two uniformed officers standing chatting at the entrance to the flats. One of them was putting up a notice on the door to the communal entrance. Mary must remember to have a look at what was on it.

She heard a sound to her left and saw her neighbour, Peggy coming towards her. Peggy was almost the same age as Mary but was still working in the newsagent around the corner. She said she would only be taken away from there in a coffin as she never wanted to stop working. Mary sensed she’d miss the gossip, more like. She herself had been glad when her last shift at the pottery firm she’d spent twenty-two years at had been over. And, even though she was alone now, she had a good network of friends.

‘Terrible business, isn’t it?’ Peggy said.

‘What is?’ Mary acted as if she didn’t know what the other woman was talking about.

‘Haven’t you heard?’ Peggy’s chest almost puffed up as she realised she had gossip.

‘I was under the weather yesterday and went to bed after my tea,’ she lied. ‘Hope I’m not coming down with something. What’s going on?’

Peggy glared at her, seemingly annoyed she had interrupted.

‘The little boy from 114.’ Peggy pointed to the flats across the way. ‘He fell from the walkway last night. Apparently he’s in a critical condition.’

Mary gasped. ‘Poor mite. What happened?’

‘He went over the side.’ Peggy did a diving motion with her hands. ‘We always said someone would go over one day, didn’t we?’

‘We did.’ Mary nodded.

‘It’s atrocious, if you ask me. I’m making a cuppa for the police who are here. Would you like one? We can be on the front line then, so to speak.’

Mary shook her head but Peggy had already gone back inside, leaving her to her thoughts.

That poor little boy.

She went back into her flat and sat down before her legs could give way. She couldn’t believe they were saying he’d fallen. She had seen what had happened.

It hadn’t been an accident.

2010

Ruby opened her eyes and stretched like a kitten. The sun was high in the sky and the day was as bright as her mood already. Not only was it her sixteenth birthday, Finn had sent her a message yesterday, wishing her many happy returns for today.

She hadn’t heard anything from him since they’d met that night and she had almost given up on him. She wished she’d had his number but still she doubted she would have got in touch. She wasn’t too big on the etiquette of dating yet, having only had a handful of double dates with Naomi and various boys, and a fleeting six-week relationship with a lad who preferred to spend time with his friends over her.

Over several messages, she and Finn had caught up. He’d apologised, saying he’d been out of the country on work but was back now and wondering if she’d still like to meet him.

Would she ever!

Before she could think about him any more, there was a knock on her bedroom door.

‘Happy birthday to you,’ Dad sang badly as he came in. He was holding a tray with breakfast laid out, a pile of cards propped up next to a mug of coffee.

‘Thanks, but do I have to go to school? Can I have the day off, seeing as today’s so important?’

‘Nice try.’ Dad shook his head. ‘Come on, let’s get you up and out and on that bus.’

The day dragged and all the way through her lessons she thought of Finn. How could she get away with seeing him? Perhaps Naomi would cover for her. After all, she’d done it on a few occasions so far.

But when she asked, Naomi flat out refused.

‘He’s bad news, I’m telling you.’ She linked her arm through Ruby’s as they made their way out of the school gates to catch the bus home. ‘You mark my words, he has girls falling for him every night at the club.’

‘Says who?’

‘My brothers. He works at The Majestic – they see him. You don’t want to break your heart over him.’

It stung Ruby to hear Naomi badmouthing Finn, especially when she didn’t have any proof. Ruby never criticised Gareth, so it wasn’t really fair. Especially as neither of them knew him well.

So it had shocked them both to see him waiting for her outside school in his car. He papped his horn. As they approached, the window went down.

‘Need a lift, ladies?’ he shouted to them.

Ruby looked at Naomi and indicated a slight nod of her head. Naomi sighed. ‘Okay, then. Just this once.’

Ruby climbed into the passenger seat and Naomi got in the back behind her.

‘All right, Nay?’ Finn grinned at Naomi. ‘Haven’t seen you in a while. Things good?’

‘Cool, thanks.’ Naomi nodded in reply.

Ruby buckled up and Finn sped off. He drove a little faster than he had the first night she’d met him but secretly she was delighted. Her boyfriend had a car! Some of the girls who had seen her must be green with envy. This was one up on nearly everyone in year eleven.

Finn and Ruby chatted away in the front, Naomi joining in every now and again as Finn encouraged her. Ruby told him her address and asked him to park at the end of the street. If her dad saw her, she’d be in trouble. Naomi was coming home with her. It wasn’t often she did, but they were going to watch a film later as her birthday treat.

They pulled in at the end of her road and Finn parked up. He turned to Ruby but before he could speak, Naomi slid along the back seat.

‘I’ll wait for you over on the wall,’ she said quietly. ‘See you, Finn.’

‘I won’t be a minute,’ Ruby said before the door banged behind her.

‘Alone at last.’ Finn reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a small pink box. It was tied with a white ribbon, a large bow on its top. ‘This is for you.’

‘For me?’ Ruby whispered.

‘Well, it’s your birthday.’

She took it from him and opened it up. Inside was a necklace with a tiny heart pendant. She looked at him, unsure what to say. She hadn’t expected this at all. She’d been slowly getting used to the idea of never seeing Finn again. Of course she had fantasised about him turning up every day, but it hadn’t happened. The longer it had gone on, the less she was inclined to talk about him to Naomi, especially as she was seeing Gareth a couple of times each weekend and twice in the week. It was okay for her. Gareth could come to Naomi’s house and hang out in the room above their garage. There was always somewhere she could be away from her family. Ruby’s dad would never let her bring a boy into the house at her age. It wasn’t even worth sneaking anyone in, in case he came home early one night from work.

‘Thank you,’ she said, finally finding her manners. ‘But this is too much. I don’t even know you.’

‘Call it a sorry present too.’ He chucked her under the chin. ‘I’ve been working too hard lately. And also you were only fifteen when I met you. You were a girl. Now,’ he gazed into her eyes, ‘you’re a woman.’

She could hear her heart beating erratically as he kissed her. Trying not to think of what would happen if any of the neighbours spotted her, she relaxed into it, enjoying the sensation of his tongue against her own.

When they stopped, he helped her to put the necklace on. Then as she turned back to him, he kissed her again.

‘I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we met, Ruby. I don’t know how to explain it; you got under my skin. You’re different from anyone else I’ve met. But I’m nineteen and you were only fifteen.’

‘And now I’m sixteen?’

‘We must find a way to make this work.’ He nodded. ‘Can you meet me tomorrow night?’

Ruby knew the odds were stacked against her but she was determined to find a way around it.

‘Yes.’ She nodded vehemently.

‘I’ll pick you up here at seven. I have to work at nine thirty but I can see you until nine. We can go for a coffee.’

She nodded and he kissed her a third time.

When she got out of the car, she felt lightheaded, almost floaty.

‘Happy now?’ Naomi smiled, once Ruby had walked over to her. ‘I know I’m not much for him but he does seem into you.’

Ruby laughed. ‘He does!’ She showed her the necklace. ‘Look what he gave me for my birthday.’

‘That’s lovely.’ Naomi took a closer look. ‘Really, it’s gorgeous.’

‘Thanks. Although, can I say it was from you? You know my dad won’t let me keep it if he knew where it came from.’

Naomi nodded. ‘Sure you can.’

‘Right, let’s go and get ready for the cinema. Cake first!’

As they linked arms, Ruby brimmed with happiness. This had been the best birthday ever.

TEN

Shelley was at the Royal Stoke University Hospital for ten a.m. Her takings the night before meant she could easily afford a taxi, although she wouldn’t be able to go back to The Casino for a while. She had a feeling the guy she fleeced might complain to the club, even though she had been careful to pick him out. Obviously everything would have to be proved and she’d been very careful to avoid the cameras. But even so, she realised that her luck might run out. For now, she had a few hundred pounds in her purse that no one knew about.

She visited the shop inside the entrance, bought magazines for Lily and Luke, a paperback for Ruby – who she knew loved to read – and chocolates for them all. She wasn’t going to get anything for Tyler until she had seen him – she didn’t even know if he was conscious or not.

She located the children’s ward on a nearby map and made her way through the maze of corridors to get there. She didn’t know if they would see her, and wasn’t even sure if she would be let in.

As people, Ruby and Luke seemed okay to her. Luke was a friend of Seth’s so she saw him often, yet Ruby was a tough nut to crack. Shelley had tried to befriend her for a few months now but she preferred to keep herself to herself. Ruby wasn’t unfriendly, just guarded.

But Shelley was after information and what better way to get it than to visit the hospital and act all concerned and neighbourly.

At the Paediatric Unit, she asked at the nurses’ station for Tyler’s whereabouts. A nurse was pointing out the intensive care ward as Luke came around the corner carrying two coffees.

‘What are you doing here?’ he gasped.

‘I had to come and see how Tyler was doing.’ She walked towards him.

‘You shouldn’t have come.’

‘Look, what’s happening between you and Seth can stay between us, if that’s what you’re worried about.’

‘Yeah, like you’re going to keep your mouth shut. I want you to leave.’

‘It’s forgotten.’ Shelley shrugged. ‘As long as you don’t look too guilty when the three of us are together.’ She pointed down the corridor. ‘You’re down there, aren’t you?’

‘I don’t want you visiting.’

‘Well, that’s a bit tough. And I’m coming to see how Ruby and Lily are doing, not you, so don’t get all arsy with me.’

‘You’d better not say anything.’ He marched off and she followed after him, mentally kicking herself when she realised she hadn’t mentioned Tyler.

‘He’s okay, then?’ she asked as they got to the door and she sanitised her hands using the pump on the wall.

‘He’s having tests at the moment.’

‘The police are all over Harrison House. They’re asking if anyone saw what happened.’

Luke paled. ‘Have you heard if anyone did?’

She shook her head. ‘It was an accident, wasn’t it?’

He nodded. ‘Yeah, it was.’

She followed him into the ward, trying to keep the smile from her face. He didn’t know she knew he might be lying.

Ruby was sitting next to the cot-bed in bay two, holding Tyler’s hand. She looked up as Shelley came into view.

‘I hope you don’t mind me coming.’ Shelley brought tears to her eyes purposely. ‘I was so shocked when I heard the news and wanted to rush straight round. Obviously I knew you’d be here for a while, so I thought I’d pop by and see if you needed anything.’

Ruby began to cry. Shelley rushed across the room and hugged her. ‘It will be okay,’ she soothed as she rubbed her back. Over her shoulder, she could see Tyler’s still little body, his eyes closed, machines attached to him making all sorts of noises. His face was red and puffy. He looked so fragile that at first she thought she shouldn’t even be here. But then she swallowed her pride. She had a job to do.

‘How is he?’ she asked again.

‘We’ll know more over the next twenty-four hours,’ Ruby replied, wiping at her eyes. ‘They’ve put him in an induced coma. For now, it’s sit and wait. He’s a fighter, though.’

‘What has the doctor said?’ Shelley pulled a chair out and sat next to her. Luke passed a coffee to Ruby and then did the same.

‘He’s responding but they want to keep him sedated a little longer. The doctor said he’s been very lucky.’

‘That’s good news.’ Shelley handed the bag of gifts to her. ‘I brought you some things to keep you occupied. You might not need them now, but …’ She shrugged. ‘For when Tyler is home and causing riots again.’

Luke snorted. ‘He’s never going out on that walkway again. And we’re putting in for a transfer to a house.’

Ruby said nothing, just looked at Tyler.

‘So it was an accident then?’ Shelley posed the question.

‘I told you it was,’ Luke sniped. ‘Why are you asking again?’

‘I forgot I’d already mentioned it.’

‘Anyone would think that you’re trying to blame us.’

‘That’s enough, Luke,’ Ruby spoke out. ‘It was an accident.’

‘I’m sure it was,’ Shelley said. ‘Do you know when he’ll be able to come home?’

‘It depends on what happens when he comes out of the coma.’ Ruby wiped a hand across her boy’s brow. In the background, a nurse was tending to another patient, their machine going off loudly. A curtain was pulled around for privacy.

Shelley sighed. She wasn’t going to get much from either of them.

‘Where’s Lily?’ she asked next.

‘Staying with Norma.’

‘Nutty Norma from next door?’

‘I had nowhere else to take her,’ Ruby snapped. ‘I don’t have family.’

A woman at the next cot-bed looked over at them, her expression stern. Ruby mouthed sorry to her.

‘Hey, relax.’ Shelley put up a hand. ‘I would have had her, you know that. But I was going out just as it had happened. I didn’t get in until ten last night and by that time there were police everywhere.’

Ruby’s eyes widened. ‘Were there?’

‘They were just asking around, that’s all.’

‘Who did they speak to?’

‘I’m not sure. But you have nothing to worry about, do you?’

Luke and Ruby said no at the same time.

After a few minutes of small talk, Shelley couldn’t stand any more. ‘I’d best be going,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to get in your way when the doctors come by.’ She stood up. ‘Do you want me to fetch Lily round to mine and look after her?’

‘No, thanks.’ Ruby shook her head. ‘We’re going to collect her later. She needs to be with us.’

‘I guess.’ Shelley wasn’t sure, but she wasn’t one to question.

Once out of the ward, she gave a sigh. That hadn’t been as productive as she’d hoped. She needed to get Ruby alone, but this was definitely not the place for it. She’d try again once Tyler was home. At the very least, he was alive.

Until that man came calling again, that is.

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