Pascal spoke to Patrick briefly on a clean mobile, registered to a woman who worked in the law courts, then settled himself down for a few hours’ kip before his flight. He was humming as he left his house for the airport.
Evelyn heard the news about the club as she made herself a cup of tea. She was scandalised, as were most of the population. Public shootings always caused a stir, but in Soho at least they were well away from the more law-abiding section of the population. The fact that this had occurred in a lap-dancing club only confirmed that. But still it was a scandal.
Evelyn, however, knew that this club was owned in part by Patrick Kelly, so she kept an open mind. Time had taught her to do that much.
She put a drop of her Holy Water in her morning tea as she still felt a bit shaken up from the previous few weeks’ exertions. She was looking forward to seeing Patrick and Kate, who had not come home again.
As she looked round the little kitchen Evelyn smiled. And if that eejit of a daughter of hers tried any more of her hysterics about living at Pat’s, Evelyn was going to put her in her place as soon as possible.
Please or offend, she was determined to get everything back to normal as soon as possible. Patrick Kelly was going to need looking after - and wasn’t she just the one to do it? She was determined to get her family back on track, in every way. Jesus Himself knew she was even willing to put up with that Grace, if and when she had to. So if she could make a sacrifice, she was bloody well sure the rest of them could.
Kate awoke to find herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms that felt suspiciously like Patrick’s. She looked contentedly at his sleeping face. He looked older, he looked ill, but he was still a good-looking man.
She felt the overstarched sheets clinging to her body, hospital sheets. The door handle was being rattled and she realised that was what had woken her up.
She started to giggle. She couldn’t believe she was lying in a hospital bed after a night of rather energetic sex. Patrick seemed not to have been affected in that department at all, though she had a feeling that it was the reason he was looking so pale and tired this morning.
As the door handle was abandoned she relaxed back against him, wondering what the day was going to bring. She just hoped they could all get back to normal. It occurred to her that since knowing Patrick she had hit the heights of happiness and the lowest pits of depression. But she wouldn’t have her life any other way, not really.
Patrick had explained that Boris had died in his club. He did not mention Willy Gabney’s involvement and Kate had not asked any questions.
She had learned so much since she had known him and the main thing was not to judge a person unless you had the full facts. She had also learned that the criminal world and her own world were not that far apart. It was one of the first things she had been taught by Patrick. Now, though, she wanted those worlds separated.
Patrick had been a fool to keep his finger in so many pies, but even he admitted he too had learned a valuable lesson: when living with a policewoman, expect to get a capture.
Now he stirred beside her and opened his eyes. ‘You look good enough to eat, girl.’
But as much as he meant what he said, she knew it wasn’t going to happen. He was wiped out, he was ill and he was hers. She squeezed him to her tightly.
‘There’s plenty of time for all that, Patrick Kelly, when you’re back on your feet.’
He closed his eyes and yawned. ‘I was hoping you’d say that, Kate. You took advantage of a very sick man last night.’
They laughed together.
‘Dream on, Kelly.’
He relaxed back against the pillows. ‘The sooner we get home and back in our own bed the better, eh, girl?’
His voice sounded strained. He was much weaker than he tried to make out. She understood that; it was part and parcel of being him, of being Patrick Kelly. He had to be the eternal hard man. He could never be seen to be ill, worried or in any danger whatsoever.
Normally it drove her to distraction. At this moment in time it made her love him more than ever.
‘What do you think will happen now, Pat?’ Her voice was serious.
‘I think that if Ratchette has half a brain, and I’ll credit him with that at least, we should be high and dry by lunchtime.’
She knew it was taking a lot for him to sound so confident. He gripped her hand tightly.
‘Whatever happens, my love, I will make sure you are well out of it all, OK?’
She kissed him gently on his brow but she didn’t answer him. She didn’t know what to say.
It was 2.30 in the afternoon and Suzy Harrington had just showered and changed. Her cases were packed and in the hallway and she was sitting on her bed counting out piles of money.
She made sure her jewellery box was empty for the tenth time and sipped at her coffee. She was waiting for a cab to pick her up and take her to London. A while back, she had bought herself a little pied à terre in Barnes in case of emergencies. No one knew she owned it - it was her hideaway. For the umpteenth time she looked in her bag and checked that both her false passports were inside. She was definitely taking no chances. She looked around the small flat one last time to make sure that she had not forgotten anything.
When the phone rang, she let the machine pick up any message. She was going to disappear off the face of the earth then start up again at some point in the future.
There was a knock at the door and she answered it quickly. It was the cab driver. She gave him the cases and, picking up her handbag, she locked the flat up carefully. She wanted to put a few miles between her and this place as quickly as possible so she could feel like she had walked away from everything.
Robert Bateman and Harry Barker had made her life difficult for a while and she knew that she was still a prime suspect. But knowing all she did about the police, she didn’t really believe they were going to come after her for a conviction. They wouldn’t dare.
She was far too protected. Had been far too clever. In fact, she was so sure of herself that she was ready to use the same contacts at the Home Office that she had already used.
Walking carefully down the stairs because of her impossibly high heels she made her way out to the white Ford Granada that was to take her away from this dump once and for all. The cab driver was smiling at her and she got into the car gracefully, her flirtatious side to the fore today. After all, the driver was very good-looking.
They drove away and she looked back at the flat, feeling nothing except relief and a twinge of regret at leaving her good furniture. She wondered if she would ever be in a position to come back and get it.
Essex Radio was on and they were playing Michael Bolton. His haunting voice was lifting the air around her. She had always liked him. As he sang a song about losing his love and finding her again, Suzy realised that the cab was going in the wrong direction.
‘Excuse me, mate. You’ve made a wrong turn,’ she said.
The driver was grinning at her and she felt the first stirrings of apprehension.
‘Stop the fucking car - now!’ Her voice was high with fear and suspicion.
‘When I’m ready.’
He turned up the radio and Michael Bolton’s voice drowned her out. He was driving at speed and she knew it would be foolish to do anything now. She tried the door, so as to be ready. Baby locks were in place.
Five minutes later they stopped outside Grantley Police Station and she saw a grinning Kate Burrows waiting for her.
The car door was opened.
‘We intercepted your calls and decided you might be better off coming here as opposed to Barnes.’ Kate’s voice was quietly confident. ‘I take it you know about Lucas and his statement?’
‘You fucking bitch!’
Kate was smiling again.
‘Between him and Bateman, I think we have you bang to rights.’
Suzy lay back in her seat, her face white and drawn.
‘I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again, Ms
Harrington. I love it when I can complete a job and know that it was well done. A bit like yourself there, eh?’
Suzy didn’t answer her. She was frantically trying to think who the fuck she could call to get her out of the gigantic mess she found herself in.
Kate walked into the station a new woman.
‘I have so many videos for you to watch and lots of people for you to tell me about. I think it’s going to be a long day, don’t you, Suzy?’
In a small holding cell twenty minutes later Suzy was on the verge of tears as Kate came in alone. The two women looked at one another for long moments before Kate gave Suzy a stinging slap across her face.
‘That, miss, is just for starters. I’ll make sure that for every child you corrupted, you get a life sentence. For every crime you committed, I’ll see you squirm, and for every flash statement out of your mouth I am going to make sure you do hard time. Do you finally understand where I’m coming from now?’
Suzy didn’t answer. She was fucked and she knew it.
Kate felt lighter than she had in years and it showed. Her life was suddenly 100 per cent better. Patrick was safe and now all he had to do was recover. Boris was dead and taking all the flak meant for Patrick. Kate herself was back on track and waiting to charge this woman and take credit for the biggest paedophile ring broken in the South East, ever. Plus the added kudos of catching another serial killer into the bargain.
She was already being offered whatever she wanted, and already taking congratulatory calls from all and sundry.
It was a good day, and finally taking Suzy Harrington had made it a great one. Kate wanted to see Suzy and all the others pay for the tiny lives they had broken without a second’s thought.
It was rough justice.
It was what Kate Burrows was best at.
Epilogue
‘You look nice, ma’am.’
Golding’s voice was full of admiration and Kate was gratified that the spending of nearly two thousand pounds on an outfit was justified. She looked fabulous and she knew it.
‘I thought you was off today for a few weeks?’
She smiled. ‘I am. I’m going to a wedding. But first I have to see someone.’
Golding grinned. ‘Looking at you, can I ask you something, ma’am?’
‘Of course.’
‘Is it your own wedding, by any chance?’
Kate shook her head. ‘No. Not mine.’
Her phone rang and she picked it up.
‘My guest has arrived,’ she told Golding. ‘Will you bring her through, please, and organise some coffee?’
He nodded and said in a voice filled with feeling, ‘You look great, ma’am. Really great.’
She knew he was impressed and it gave her a good feeling.
‘I scrub up OK,’ she said.
He laughed. ‘I’ll bring your guest through, ma’am. And if I don’t see you again, have a good holiday.’
Kate checked herself in the small hand mirror from her bag. She felt good and looked better.
Five minutes later Julie Carmichael came into the office. She was obviously bowled over by the star treatment and, seeing Miss Burrows, thought she looked like something from a magazine.
‘You look wonderful!’
Kate grinned. ‘Sit down. I’ve organised some coffee - or would you prefer tea?’
‘No, thank you, coffee would be fine.’
They made small talk until Golding brought in the coffee. Kate saw that he had even organised a milk jug and sugar bowl. She was impressed.
When he left the room, Julie Carmichael stood up and walked to the window. She stood looking out over the car park and Kate let her be as she knew the other woman was getting ready to talk to her.
‘I just want to thank you for finally getting justice for my daughter,’ she said at last. ‘I know it won’t bring her back but at least I can rest easy now, knowing that it is finally over. I haven’t slept a full night since she died. I would just lie there wondering if Barker was still up to his tricks, and whether I could have stopped her going out that day. I’ll never forgive him for what he did to our girl, but at least I can finally lay Lesley to rest.’
She turned and Kate saw that her face was less lined; her whole demeanour seemed changed, and she was grateful for being able to help in some small way.
‘When I read about Robert Bateman, how he had murdered Barker, I couldn’t feel anything. As bad as Bateman is with his murders and everything else, in killing Barker he finally put my mind at rest. I know that bastard can’t harm anyone else now. None of them can. But most of all I want to thank you for caring, when I thought no one in the world but me was bothered about what had happened to my daughter.’
Kate stood up and hugged her gently. ‘It’s all over, Julie. Finally it’s all over.’
They drank the coffee and talked about nothing very much. Everything that needed to be said between them had been said.
As Kate left to go to Maureen’s house and then make her way to the small church in Essex, she passed her new Chief’s office. The woman came out and said with genuine pleasure, ‘Christ, you look fantastic.’
Kate blushed. ‘Thank you, ma’am.’
‘You have a good holiday, love, and when you come back I want us to have a long lunch and catch up properly, OK?’
Kate nodded.
‘There’s a bit of news,’ the Chief went on. ‘We’ve had five requests this week alone - offers to take you on different teams around the country. I hope I can refuse them for you in your absence?’
Kate nodded. ‘I want the promotion, ma’am,’ she said. ‘I reckon I’ve earned it.
‘I think we can safely say that is in the bag,’ Lynda Chisley beamed. ‘I am glad - I thought we were going to lose you.’
‘It had crossed my mind. Life hasn’t been exactly easy here, you know.’
‘I know,’ Lynda grinned. ‘But I’m here now.’
Kate liked her and after Ratchette that alone was a good feeling.
‘Anyway, get yourself off and relax,’ the woman went on. ‘I have a feeling you need a break. By the way, this came for you.’
She gave Kate a letter. It was in a prison envelope, unsealed. She recognised Robert Bateman’s writing.
‘He took quite a fancy to you, didn’t he?’
Kate nodded but didn’t answer. She just slipped the envelope into her bag.
‘By the way, did you hear that Ratchette is running as the local Conservative candidate?’ Lynda asked her.
‘I heard.’
They burst out laughing together and then Kate made her excuses and went on her way. Ratchette had actually had the cheek to ask Patrick to put up some money for his election costs! But that was Ratchette: always after the main chance and always at pains to establish that he didn’t bear grudges.
Kate knew that if ever she’d genuinely disliked someone, it was her old boss. Now she was back in charge of Patrick’s house she would make sure he didn’t get the opportunity to cross the threshold for any reason whatsoever.
Evelyn was at the house putting the finishing touches to the wedding feast. It looked wonderful. As she fiddled one last time with the cake she turned at the sound of her granddaughter’s voice.
‘Do you think this might be a bit too much of a shock for me mum, like?’
‘Jasus, Lizzy, haven’t you been giving that poor woman shocks for years? What’s one more!’
Her granddaughter’s face was a picture of sadness and Evelyn was sorry she had spoken so frankly.
‘Oh, sure, Lizzy, I don’t mean the half of it, child! She’ll be OK. You know what she’s like - and a new life can only be a cause for celebration.’
Lizzy smiled in relief and lowered her huge bulk into a kitchen chair. The pregnancy had changed her beyond recognition. The boy was standing by her, though, so that at least was something. She had flown in from Australia the night before and stayed at a friend’s house in Grantley. It was her granny’s decision to surprise her moth
er like this. Evelyn hoped it would make things easier for Kate, this being Willy Gabney’s wedding day.
‘Go away into the drawing room and settle yourself, child. They’ll be here soon enough.’
As she saw Lizzy walk away Evelyn sighed. A new life inside her and she with the brain capacity of a peanut! Jesus help and save them all! Still, Evelyn had no doubt that Kate was best surprised with it among a houseful of guests. This way, she would have to keep quiet until she’d had time to get used to the fact she was going to be a grandmother.
Evelyn hoped that Patrick left the Glamorous Granny jokes until the news had sunk in a bit. But she didn’t hold out much hope.
She was smiling as she fiddled with the food once more. She was back home and she was going to be a great-granny! Her life was full again and she was loving every minute of it. Every last bloody second.
No more talk of fecking Russians, paedophiles or murderers. Just weddings, houses and children. At last they were sounding like a normal family.
Maureen looked fabulous. Kate had gone shopping with her to pick an outfit and she looked and felt stunning. It was six months since their world had gone mad and now they were all finally getting back to normal.
Maureen had dropped two stone and the transformation was complete. She was glamorous in a cream satin suit worn with a wide-brimmed hat. Her accessories were in pale blue, which emphasised her enormous eyes. Her make-up was subtle, her hair professionally cut and tinted. She looked and felt like a different person.
As she arrived at the church with Kate, who was dressed in a pale green designer suit with matching hat, shoes and bag, they were eye-popping. Neither Willy nor Patrick had seen the finished ensembles and the women were looking forward to making an impression. Especially Maureen, who wanted Willy to be proud of her.
Kate had no doubt he would be.
In the church the small band of invited guests were quiet and patient. Benny Boarder was there with his wife and brood of children, as was Pascal. All Maureen’s children were there, well turned out, amazed and pleased that their mother had so obviously landed on her dainty little feet.