Dwyer scowled at the man, indicating his presence wasn’t needed. After making the introductions he left them to it.
“Hello Alice,” said Dwyer, taking the armchair opposite her, doing his best not to stare. Jesus, it was like looking at a car crash. He didn’t want to look but he couldn’t help himself.
“Hello DCI Dwyer,” she said. “And what could you possibly want with me?”
“To talk about your adopted daughter, Jules.”
Alice flinched and looked down at her hands but not before Dwyer had seen the spark of fear in her eyes at the mere mention of Jules’s name.
“She did this to you,” he said, deciding to come straight to the point. He got the feeling that would go down better with Alice rather than fannying about.
“So you’re not here about Leighton, my husband?” she said, raising her head, hope filling her eyes.
“No, sorry.”
She sighed and let her head slump onto her chest.
Dwyer wondered if that was another possible line of inquiry. He wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that Jules had dispatched her adopted father too.
“The morning of the fire,” said Alice, a single tear escaping from the corner of her undamaged eye. The tear ducts in the other eye no longer worked. “He went out the front door and I never saw him again. One day he will come back for me though, I know it.”
Dwyer rightly calculated that pitiful hope was the only reason Alice kept on breathing. Without it she would quickly wither and die. “I’m sure he will,” he said sympathetically. The smile she gave him was disconcerting. He could imagine that once it had been a radiant beam but now it was a twisted grimace that made her look like the antagonist from a zombie apocalypse film. “If it hadn’t been for that terrible fire you would still be living in that beautiful house of yours, your body intact, your husband by your side.”
“Don’t you think I know that,” she snapped.
“Of course,” he said, maintaining the soft, soothing tone. “I imagine it torments you constantly. It’s such a pity that the person who did this to you is still walking free, enjoying her own happy marriage, children and beautiful home.”
Alice’s jaw trembled. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Jules did this to you. It’s okay,” he added when she released a gasp, her useless hands twitching in her lap. “I know. The problem is I can’t prove it. If I did then she would go away for a very long time.”
“You expect me to grass on her?”
“Why not? It would give you some peace.”
“The only thing that would give me peace is having my husband back.”
“It’s her fault you’re even separated.” He took a deep breath, deciding to take a chance, praying it paid off. “You and Leighton were so in love, he would undoubtedly have come back for you but what if he couldn’t come back?”
Alice shrank back in her chair. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying what if it was Jules’s fault that he’s not here?”
“No,” she said, furiously shaking her head, the light glistening off the raw bald patches on her head. “He’s not dead.”
“I’m not saying he is. What if she’s hurt him like she hurt you and he can’t get back to you? What if he’s stuck somewhere pining for you like you are him?”
Alice went rigid in her seat, blinking at him with one blue eye and one damaged red one. “That would explain why he isn’t here. Oh my God, he needs me and I can’t go to him.”
Dwyer steeled himself and leaned in closer. An odd smell emanated from her - stale cabbage and something ugly and acrid, like ammonia. He tried not to think about what that could be. “I could get Jules to tell me where he is, then you’d be reunited.”
“You think she’d give in so easily? I’ve been asking her for years and she refuses to tell me.”
“She’d tell me if she thought it would help someone she loves. Her husband’s been remanded into custody, awaiting trial for murder…”
Alice’s body had been damaged but her mind hadn’t, it was still as sharp as it had been the day her life had been snatched from her in an orgy of fire and agony, so she was able to see exactly where he was going with this. “You’ve taken her husband from her, like she took mine from me.”
“Precisely. She’d tell me what we both want so desperately to know if she thought it would help her and Mikey. Then I’d use it to separate them forever.”
“She’d know I talked, she’d hurt me. You have no idea what she’s capable of.”
“I think I do.”
“No, you really don’t. You think you’ve seen it all but you’ve never seen anything like her. She will do anything, she has no boundaries and that brain of hers…It wouldn’t be so bad if she was stupid but she isn’t, far from it and she is capable of outthinking anyone. Even you.”
“Jules isn’t what she was since the coma and then being shot.”
“Are you serious? She came to see me a couple of weeks ago and she was as frightening as ever.”
“Perhaps she is to you Madam but not in the criminal underworld. Without her husband and brother she’s vulnerable.”
Alice snorted.
“Jules has never been weaker,” he pressed. “This might be our only chance to bring her down.”
“And what happens to me if she is brought down? Who will pay for my care? She covers all the fees.”
“I’ve looked into your financial records Alice. You handed control of your own money over to her. If she went to prison she would be forced to relinquish it. I’d make sure you got it back.”
Finally she seemed to be taking him seriously. It was too big a lure to ignore - her money and her husband’s fate delivered to her, finally.
“So you see,” he continued. “Now is the time to strike.”
“But what would you want me to do?” said Alice. It was the first time in the conversation that her eyes had been filled with slyness rather than fear and defeat.
“Give evidence about what she did to you. She set you on fire Alice, that alone should be enough to give her a life sentence.”
“But she might tell…”
“Tell what?” he said when she went quiet.
“Nothing,” she sighed, the defeat back in her eyes.
“About how you abused her and the other girls?”
Alice gasped and shrank back in her chair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do, only fortunately for you there’s no proof. Apart from Jules herself.”
“I didn’t do anything to her,” she practically shrieked. “But she said she’d say I did if I told anyone she started the fire.”
“I don’t care about nicking you or your husband. To be honest, there’s no kudos in that. Jules and her family are the ones I want. Does she have any concrete proof of what you did?”
“I didn’t do anything,” she said, voice quivering.
“Of course you didn’t,” he said smoothly. “It’s all a figment of Jules’s warped imagination. Without evidence there’s no case to answer.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re a very astute man.”
“The Maguire-Law family is extremely slippery but finally they’re falling. Jules is managing to hold things together but if she’s arrested their entire operation will crumble and I’ll make sure it’s gone permanently. Your evidence could help make that happen.”
“And she wouldn’t be able to hurt me?”
“She won’t, I promise.”
“But how would you keep me safe? And surely it would just be my word against hers? Any evidence is long gone.”
“Let me worry about that. So, will you give evidence against her and finally get the truth about what happened to your husband as well as your wealth back?”
Alice’s scarred lips opened and closed before she flopped backwards, looking tired and shrunken. “I can’t. She’d kill me. I know my life doesn’t seem very much but I’m not ready for it to end
.”
“I can protect you Alice.”
“No you can’t.”
“If Jules is locked up there will be no one left on the outside who can hurt you.”
“She has people working for her, bad people who’d hurt me on her say-so.”
“Without Jules, Mikey and Jez the entire operation will be gone.”
“And what about the others, Ryan and Rachel?”
“Spent forces living quietly in Devon.”
She peered at him, the reddened eye narrowing. “You’re lying.”
“If you give evidence you will be protected. Come on Alice, don’t you want to know what happened to Leighton?”
She released a whimper and looked down at her gnarled hands.
With a sigh Dwyer got to his feet. “Okay, have it your own way Alice. Let fear keep you locked in this prison you call a life, never knowing an end to the torment you must be continually in, wondering where Leighton is, if he’s still alive - or if Jules killed him.”
“You think she did?”
“I think it’s very possible and she’s been dangling his possible return before you like a carrot to keep you obedient and to stop you from revealing her dirty secret.”
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “If he is dead…if she’s known all this time…”
“Of course she knows what happened to Leighton. Think about it Alice. Do you really think she’d just let him go? What she did to you shows she was literally burning with rage and the need for revenge. The last thing she’d do is just let him wander off into the sunset and live happily ever after.”
More tears started to roll down one side of her face. “He’s dead, isn’t he? I’ve never dared think it before, I was always too afraid. The hope that he’d come back for me has kept me alive but I’ll never see him again,” she said before bursting into tears, the sight of the snot running from her nose and tracing a path through all that scar tissue filling him with disgust.
“I’m very sorry to say that’s probably what happened but you can still do right by his memory. Help me get justice not just for yourself but for Leighton too.”
She wiped her nose on the back of her hand and nodded. “Alright DCI Dwyer, I’ll do it, even though there’s a good chance I won’t live long enough to see the inside of a courtroom. I have to, for Leighton.”
“You’re doing the right thing Alice,” he said, screwing up his nerve and patting her hands.
“Am I? I wouldn’t know what that is, I never have.”
“Can I take your statement now?”
“In case I’m brutally murdered?”
“Just to get the ball rolling, that’s all.”
He listened, enraptured as Alice told him between halting sobs how Jules had tied her to a chair, tortured her for information about who her real family was then set the room on fire with her in it. At first it was a fight for her to get the words out, she’d kept them in for so long but once she got into the flow they practically tumbled from her lips. Once she’d finished she was exhausted.
“It feels so good to get it out,” she yawned.
“Well Alice, I’ll leave you to get some rest,” said Dwyer, getting to his feet. “You look shattered.”
“Wait,” she said. “What about my protection?”
“I’ll speak to my senior officer and get that sorted for you.”
“But when?”
“I should have something in place by tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, this is just between us. No one even knows we’ve spoken.”
“Jules has ways of finding things out.”
“Not even she knows everything.”
“You think you’re smarter than her but you’re not. If you’ve thought of something she’s already thought of it first. I underestimated her and look what she did to me.”
Dwyer considered himself to be a cut above Alice Parker in the intelligence stakes and bristled with indignation. “I’ll be in touch very soon about your protection. I will keep you safe.”
Alice watched him go, wondering if she’d just signed her own death warrant. If she found out what had happened to Leighton it would be worth it.
CHAPTER 22
“Mum, you okay?” said Leah.
Rachel snapped herself out of her troubling thoughts. “Yes fine sweetheart.”
“You looked worried about something.”
“I was just thinking about your uncles.”
Leah’s face creased with sympathy. “Yeah but they’ll get out of prison no worries. They’re too powerful to get locked up permanently.”
“We thought they were too powerful to get locked up on remand.” She sighed and dragged her hands through her hair. “And I miss your dad.”
“If you really want to see them me and Jacob can look after the boys. Gran and Granddad aren’t far if you’re worried about leaving them with us.”
“I appreciate that sweetheart but I can’t go. There’s all this business with Ethan.”
“It’s all bollocks is that.”
“Language please Leah.”
“Well it’s true. As if Ethan would do anything like that. He’s always stuck up for those weaker than himself, it’s who he is. He isn’t a cowardly pervert.”
“He certainly isn’t and don’t you worry, I’m going to make damn sure Freddie pays for what he’s done and Ethan is exonerated.”
Leah smiled when her mum’s eyes turned jet black. She had the most awesome mum in the world. “I know. If anyone can do it you can.”
“Michelle’s helping out too.”
“Then there’s definitely nothing to worry about.” Leah adored her boyfriend’s mum, her blunt way of speaking often had her in stitches. “Is it okay if Jacob stays the night?”
“Course it is love,” said Rachel, glad to have another adult in the house. Liam’s threats had left her on edge, despite what she could do. It was more proof he was an experienced sexual predator practiced in frightening women. She hated him for making her feel afraid, especially after she’d just managed to get over Battler’s death. Pain lanced through her chest. How she wished he was here.
Rachel glanced at her mobile phone when it rang and she beamed. “It’s your dad,” she said, eagerly snatching it up.
Leah smiled. She loved the close relationship her parents shared, especially when all her friends’ parents seemed to be getting divorced.
“Sorry I’ve not called much,” said Ryan. “But it’s hectic up here.”
“How’s Jules holding up?”
“Admirably. She’s the strong leader everyone needs right now. Listen babe, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”
“Oh no, what’s happened?”
“Mum,” said Leah, panicking. “What’s wrong? Is Dad okay?”
“He’s fine sweetheart. Just let me listen.” She sighed as he spoke and shook her head. “Poor Cathy.”
“What’s wrong with Aunty Cathy? Is she okay?”
“Someone attacked her but she’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
“Why would anyone hurt her? She’s so gentle and innocent. You find them Dad and kill them,” she yelled into the phone, tears in her eyes.
“Leah, please,” said Rachel, taking her daughter’s hand.
“We don’t need to,” Ryan told Rachel. “Cathy killed her attacker.”
Rachel closed her eyes and shook her head. Cathy was a good woman. Taking a life was going to hit her hard. Not even Rachel herself had crossed that line. Letting Superintendent Dwyer die by allowing nature to take its course was very different to stabbing someone to death. “Give her my love, won’t you? Tell her we’ll visit when things have settled down around here.”
“I will. So how are things down there? Any progress with the Isabella dilemma?”
Her heart ached with longing to tell him about Liam Garrick but she reined in that selfish impulse. “Not yet. Ashley and Michelle are working on it.”
“Okay. Keep me informed won’t you babe?”
She forced down the lump
in her throat. “Course I will.”
Jez was thrilled about his visit, he couldn’t wait to see his wife. The fact that he was taken separately to the other prisoners and away from the visits centre should have rung a bell but he was just too damn excited to realise.
It only struck him something was wrong when he walked into a small interview room to find Ryan and Jules and not his wife and children. Their grim expressions said it all.
“What’s happened to Cathy and my kids?” he rasped as the door clanged shut behind him, the screw who’d escorted him giving them privacy together.
“Why don’t you sit down?” said Jules.
“I don’t want to sit down. I want to know what the fuck’s happened.”
“The children are okay,” began Ryan in calm, measured tones. “They’re staying with Cathy’s parents.”
“And Cathy?”
“In hospital. She was stabbed.”
“Stabbed?” he yelled. “But…is she okay?”
“Her spleen was perforated but her surgeon managed to repair the damage and she’s recovering. Someone broke into your home intent on hurting her and the kids but she fought them off and killed the assailant. She did you proud.”
Jez fell into the chair that had been put out for him, white with shock. “Cathy,” he murmured, tears filling his eyes.
“She’s going to be fine,” Jules told him, taking his hands.
He snatched his hands from her grip. “Why didn’t you protect her?” he yelled. “You should have been protecting her.”
“I was. I sent one of our men to keep an eye out.”
“Which man?”
“Scottie.”
“You sent that useless lump of shite to protect my family? What were you thinking?”
“Jez, that isn’t fair,” said Ryan. “No one expected this to happen. We’re not fighting a war.”
“Scottie’s a good worker,” said Jules. “He can handle himself.”
“Obviously he can’t handle himself well enough. Hasn’t experience taught you by now that when the slightest trouble rears its head the shit kickers start having a go?” He got to his feet, planted his hands on the table between them and bellowed, “I thought you could handle this Jules but clearly you’re fucking useless.”
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