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  Kate nodded wearily. ‘Should know tomorrow. I shouldn’t admit it, but there’s a big part of me that resents Pat having a new family. I know it’s selfish and wrong, but it’s the truth.’

  Annie raked her fingers through her hair; she looked like she hadn’t slept in days, and Kate suspected that she probably hadn’t. These kinds of cases ate away at you, especially when it was kids.

  ‘I can understand that, Kate. I think that’s only natural. It must be like someone’s dropped a bomb into your life, especially with that madam, Bella, into the bargain from what you’ve told me about her.’

  ‘On the plus side, Patrick feels exactly the same! He can’t bear her either. But he would put up with Katie Hopkins if those kids turn out to be his grandchildren.’

  Annie actually spat her wine out and laughed genuinely for the first time in ages. Kate laughed with her, but it wasn’t funny to her really. Her world was going to change dramatically, and she wasn’t sure how she would be able to cope.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Danny Foster and Patrick were in a small club Patrick had acquired in Soho a few years earlier. He had been owed a big debt and the club had been given in exchange. It was a private members’ club – and the only members were those of the criminal fraternity. It was a place to meet and greet old mates just out of the Big House, or plan a meeting or do a deal. Patrick loved it there. He felt at home among his own and, as he owned the gaff, he was always welcome. He still had his creds. Though he wasn’t entirely straight, he was straight enough for Kate these days. He smiled as he thought of her and he felt sad for her because he recognised how difficult it was going to be once they knew for sure that Joseph O’Loughlin was his boy. Patrick was convinced of it; in fact, he had never wanted anything so much in his life.

  ‘So, Pat, what’s the score? Any news yet?’

  Patrick shook his head and sipped his whisky slowly. ‘Tomorrow. I ain’t a fanciful man, but I know he’s my son.’ Then, smiling tightly, he said sternly, ‘So what have you found out about my potential offspring? I know you have been having a bit of a sniff around, so bring me up to spec, eh?’

  Danny shrugged nonchalantly but he was thrown off-kilter for a few seconds. He should have known Patrick would guess what he would do. After all, he would have done the same in his position.

  ‘He is as clean as the proverbial whistle. There’s nothing on him anywhere. Not even as a youngster. Did well at school, university, he works for a big firm in the City. But I ain’t telling you anything you don’t already know, am I?’

  Patrick smiled then, a genuine smile. ‘’Course you ain’t. I had a little dig myself, obviously. Can’t be too careful. But the reason I brought you here today is to let you know that your position will never change. I have a few ideas floating around if he is my boy, but I’m telling you straight – it will not affect our situation.’

  Danny looked at the man he had come to love over the years, and smiled. ‘I was only looking out for you, Pat.’

  Patrick Kelly grinned and, squeezing the younger man’s shoulder, he said seriously, ‘And I appreciate that, mate. More than you know.’

  Chapter Thirty

  Bella had picked her daughter up from school and, as she walked into her own admittedly beautiful home, she felt a moment’s irritation at the difference between her set-up and Patrick Kelly’s. The fact that her husband could be related to such a character was still amazing her, but the way the man lived was what really interested her. He lived like a king! If he was Joseph’s father, she was going to be willing to overlook anything to get a slice of what she saw as a very big pie.

  The strange thing was she had found she actually liked him. That was not something she would ever have thought possible, considering his background. But that Kate! Now, she was a different kettle of fish entirely. How she had snared a man like Kelly, Bella couldn’t imagine; she was an attractive woman for her age, but that didn’t account for the fact that she had managed to entice and keep a man of Patrick Kelly’s calibre. Criminal he might be – and Bella could overlook that, as she was under the impression he was now retired – but what she couldn’t understand was what he saw in Kate Burrows.

  They were a strange couple. Well, tomorrow night they would all know the score. They were due at his house for a late dinner at 9 p.m., where Patrick was going to announce the results of the DNA tests.

  Bella O’Loughlin had never wanted anything so much as she wanted this man to be her father-in-law. They would be set for life. She had seen the way he had looked at the children, and how much her daughter resembled that bleached-blond monstrosity of a daughter he had lost. She shuddered as she recalled the photos of the girl – she was half-naked in most of them! No wonder that George Markham had turned his attention to her. She looked exactly what she was!

  She poured a glass of milk for Amanda and a glass of chilled white wine for herself and, as she waited for her son to return from school, she sipped her wine and pictured herself as mistress of Patrick Kelly’s beautiful home. That would be one in the eye for every person who had ever upset her, or looked down on her – especially her own family.

  All in all, she was about as happy as it was possible for her to be.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Andrea Connor’s mother was getting worried. She had been waiting outside Lakeside Shopping Centre for twenty minutes and her daughter should have been out by now. It had been a week since Kylie’s murder and it had been a terrible time for them all – Juliet Connor couldn’t imagine what Dana and Eric Barlow were going through – and her instinct was to not let Andrea out of her sight. But life had to go on and the girls deserved a break from the emotional trauma of losing their best friend in such an unspeakable way. Lakeside with friends had seemed safe enough – the place was always packed out and covered in CCTV cameras – especially as they were to be picked up afterwards. As she scanned the faces of all the people leaving via the boulevard she breathed a deep sigh of relief. There was her Andrea, walking furiously towards her, and she instinctively put her hand to her heart to steady the beating. Andrea was a beautiful girl, and Juliet was inordinately proud of her. She could be a madam, there was no doubt about that, but what fourteen year old wasn’t hard work at that age?

  A part of her admitted that her daughter was spoiled rotten, but she had waited so long for her and, when she had finally arrived after ten years of trying, it had been hard to refuse her anything. Her husband was worse; they weren’t rich by any standards, but they made sure their daughter never went without – she had everything that her peer group had.

  Now, as her daughter flounced into the car, all scowls and rolling eyes, Juliet said gaily, ‘Did you have a nice time?’

  Andrea threw her long blond hair over her shoulders, saying peevishly, ‘Yes, Mummy. I had a nice time. Now, can we go home, please?’

  ‘Where’s Destiny? You know I was supposed to be picking her up too.’

  Andrea shrugged. ‘She ditched me almost as soon as we got here. Said she had to meet someone and just walked off. Well, she can sod off in future—’

  Juliet looked at her daughter and said sternly, ‘You can stop that kind of talk now, young lady. And just what am I supposed to tell her mum?’

  Even Andrea picked up the underlying tension in her mother’s voice, and she said quietly, ‘Tell her the truth – her daughter just left me alone in the middle of Lakeside. Because that’s what happened.’

  Juliet took out her mobile phone and scrolled down for Destiny’s mother’s number. Despite herself she was starting to panic.

  ‘You should never have split up, Andrea. The proviso was that you stayed together.’

  Andrea didn’t answer her mother; instead she turned away and stared at the passing cars.

  Juliet wondered if there had been an argument of some kind. These girls were forever either kissing or kicking each other. There was never a happy medium.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Jean Wallace was beside
herself with fear and worry, and Annie Carr couldn’t blame her. It was now five hours since her daughter had gone missing – that is, if she was missing, of course – but it wasn’t looking good.

  Still, young girls were often secretive, even with other friends. Kate had told her about her own daughter, all those years before, about how she had slept with any boy with a pleasing smile – or a car. How she had found her diary and nearly died of the shame and heartache. But there was nothing on Destiny’s social media to suggest she was up to anything untoward. That was what worried her so much.

  Kate had told her that she should keep in mind that there was always a common denominator in these cases – you just had to find out what it was. That was often the hardest part of the investigation: putting seemingly random occurrences together and making sense of them. Just like a puzzle that you had to piece together, was how Kate had described it.

  ‘Stranger danger’ was almost unheard of – most murders and rapes were carried out by people known to the victims. If these girls were communicating with someone outside their circle then how were they doing it? Certainly not on any of their devices. She might irritate the hell out of her, but Annie did believe that if Margaret Dole could find nothing then there was nothing to find, end of. So this had to be either random – which is what Annie believed – or there was a conspiracy of some kind involving these girls. It was baffling.

  It would soon be getting dark, and Jean Wallace was almost hysterical. Annie wished the fucking husband would come home from searching for his daughter and help calm his wife down so Annie could get on with her job. She had never been much good at the hand-holding part. It just wasn’t in her nature.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Kate looked over the dining table one more time and had to admit it looked stunning. Bev had outdone herself, she couldn’t deny it. The crystal glasses sparkled in the candlelight and the silver shone. Kate knew that Bev really enjoyed creating these intimate dinners, as it gave her a chance to show off her rather considerable cooking skills. Kate wondered at how she didn’t look like ten-ton Tessie O’Shea, because Bev’s food was spectacular.

  She could hear Patrick humming as he decanted a bottle of his best claret, and she wished she had it in her to be as happy as he was. She didn’t want to let this jealousy consume her. But even if Bella had been like an angel, she probably wouldn’t have relished the disruption this revelation was bringing to their lives.

  She looked around her beautiful home and imagined what her mother would have said had she been alive. She would have told her to get over herself and grow up, because there was nothing more important than blood family.

  Patrick opened his arms wide as he spoke. ‘I knew, Kate, I just knew when I saw the photo of that little girl. It’s like God has given me another chance at life. You make me so happy, darling, but what was all this for, if not to pass on to my own kin?’ Kate felt the sting of tears as she saw the happiness in his eyes. Then, squeezing her to him, he said sneakily, ‘As for that madam, Bella, she’d better watch it. I know she is a class-A cunt, but she’ll be getting away with fuck-all on my watch.’

  Kate found herself laughing loudly at this typical Patrick Kelly response and he laughed with her, glad to see the woman he loved finally relaxing. He had a fine line to walk, and he recognised that, but the results had confirmed what his gut knew to be true: Joseph O’Loughlin was his son and these children were his grandchildren.

  He still couldn’t believe it. Good old Ruby, bless her – his dirty little secret – had given him a family at this stage in his life.

  Funny how life worked out.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  DC Ali Karim was questioning Andrea, and he wasn’t getting anywhere. Her parents were hovering behind her and he had a feeling that was why she was being so close-lipped.

  They had a nice house – an old Victorian semi that was decorated to within an inch of its life. He guessed that the cushions on the sofa had never once been messed up or thrown on to the expensive carpet that lay on the floor. It was like a show home. He smiled at the PC with him, and nodded.

  Taking his cue, she said quietly, ‘Could I talk to you both in private? Maybe we could go to the kitchen? There’s a few questions I need to ask you both.’

  Derek Connor looked like he was about to object but thought better of it. PC Miles followed them out to the kitchen, shutting the door firmly behind her. This was more like it. He was treading a fine line but at least now DC Karim could actually ask the girl what was needed.

  ‘Look, Andrea, I understand there are things you might not want your mum and dad to know, but I promise you that anything you say to me will go no further, OK? I know you are annoyed at Destiny for ditching you but this is serious. Can you think of anyone that she might have gone to see? Someone who her parents might not exactly approve of?’

  Andrea looked at the closed door and sighed heavily. ‘Well, there’s one boy in the year above us, Clinton Barber – she likes him and maybe that’s who she left me to see. He lives on the big council estate.’

  ‘The estate where Kylie was found?’

  She nodded. ‘He’s always in trouble. Fighting, you know? He’s part of a gang, the Bag Boys. I don’t like him personally but Destiny is crazy about him. He hardly ever goes to school for a start, so she skives off occasionally to spend the day with him and his friends. But you can’t ever let on I said that. She would kill me. If her mum and dad knew, she would be grounded for, like, ever.’

  Ali nodded, as if he completely understood what she was saying, and smiled at her reassuringly. ‘You did the right thing telling me. But would she stay out late to be with him, do you think?’

  Andrea shrugged. ‘Not that she’s told me. She always said that if she broke her curfew, her parents would be worse than mine!’

  ‘How about Kylie? Did she ever hang out with these boys?’

  ‘Once or twice, with Destiny – we all have, at some point. Why – do you really think something’s happened to Destiny too?’ Andrea’s eyes were suddenly wide.

  Ali Karim smiled again through gritted teeth, thinking that if these girls had mentioned this before it would have made life a whole lot easier for everyone concerned.

  ‘Why do they call themselves the Bag Boys?’

  Andrea rolled her eyes and said, as if talking to a complete imbecile, ‘Because they sell weed in five-pound bags, of course!’

  DC Karim answered sarcastically, ‘Of course!’

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Bella was quiet and on her best behaviour, and Kate guessed she had been given a serious talking-to by her husband before they had arrived. She had even complimented Kate on her outfit and shoes.

  They had all stood awkwardly in the hallway before Patrick said jovially, ‘Well, Joseph, this is good news for me, mate. I hope you feel the same.’

  Joseph had grinned and said, ‘I had a feeling that first day I came here. It was like looking at myself in the mirror. Then Mandy’s photos and . . . Oh, I don’t know how to explain it!’

  His absolute sincerity broke the ice, and Patrick shook his hand warmly. ‘Come through. I think a nice glass of champagne is in order, don’t you?’

  He smiled at Bella as he said it, and she returned the smile nervously; it seemed she was as on edge as everyone else was. Patrick poured the champagne, and Kate invited Bella and Joseph to take their seats.

  They sat together as Patrick raised a toast. ‘To Ruby, God bless her.’

  Joseph smiled and said genially, ‘I’ll second that, Pat.’

  Bella sipped the cold liquid and smiled once more at Kate. She realised that this was Bella’s way of trying to worm her way into her affections, but the smile never reached her eyes. Although, as Kate had to admit to herself, neither did hers. It would take a while for her to warm to this woman.

  She tried small talk. ‘Who has the children tonight?’

  Bella seemed to relax a bit and said brightly, ‘We have a wonderful girl calle
d Caroline who is at college, and babysitting money is quite a bit these days, I can tell you! Ten pound an hour – can you imagine?’

  For some reason Bella’s words made Kate burst into laughter. ‘Nothing is cheap these days, Bella. Is she a nice girl? Good with the children? I can’t imagine little Amanda being a bother, but a twelve-year-old boy might be a different kettle of fish!’

  Bella grinned, and this time her demeanour was a little warmer; whatever she was, she loved her children, that much was obvious.

  ‘He does his homework, and we always leave him a snack. He’s a good boy really. Never a minute’s trouble. Amanda is in bed by seven and after a story she is gone for the night, bless her. Caroline just puts on Netflix and texts her friends, I think.’

  They laughed together. The atmosphere was getting lighter by the second. Kate found she was actually enjoying herself – and that, in itself, was something she had never thought possible.

  When they walked through to dinner a little while later, she actually felt that there was a chance that this might work out OK after all.

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Annie Carr was listening to everything that DC Karim was telling her, making sure she took the call in private. She could feel Jean Wallace’s eyes boring into the back of her head and glanced at her watch. It was gone ten thirty now, and there was still no sign of Destiny.

  With every minute that passed, Annie Carr felt more convinced that they were too late – that the child was already gone. There were search teams all over the woods and local waste ground. Helicopters were sweeping the surrounding areas, and there was nothing constructive coming through. It was only a matter of time before the media got wind of it.