‘What’s all the fuss about?’

Nathan’s mum, Frances Crosby, answered the door. Despite her diminutive stature, her expression was fierce, and in any other given situation, Ruby would not be approaching her home in such an aggressive manner. But there was no point in her feigning surprise, given the CCTV had captured Ruby’s car upon entering the drive.

It had been difficult to tear herself away from work now a new development had come in. After a hurried phone call to DI Downes, he had agreed to cover for her while she found out what was going on with Cathy. Any normal parent would have called the police and allowed them to deal with the situation, but Ruby knew that the presence of any other member of law enforcement could serve to make things a whole lot worse. She would deal with this alone. That’s if she got out of here in one piece. Regardless of her relationship with Nathan, when at Frances Crosby’s home address, Ruby never felt like she was on safe ground. Today anxiety dictated her movements and she needed to know what was going on.

‘Why have I received a text from my daughter saying she’s being kept a prisoner in her own home?’

Frances snorted, her hands on her hips as she spoke. ‘You wot? That girl wants for nothing.’ As always, she was immaculately turned out. Dressed in a pink satin blouse and cream-coloured skirt, her clothing gave no clues of her background, at least not until she opened her mouth and her East End accent spilled out.

Ruby approached the wide stairwell, her voice echoing upwards as she spoke. ‘Then call her down here so I can see for myself.’ She strained her neck as she called her daughter’s name, hoping Lenny would not appear. ‘Cathy, are you up there? Come here and explain yourself.’ Ruby knew it would take time to heal the rift between her and the daughter she gave up for adoption. She was ill-acquainted with motherhood, and Cathy had insisted she stayed with the Crosbys after tracking them down online. But today Ruby’s heart burst with protectiveness, the memory of Melissa’s death still fresh in her mind.

‘Oh,’ Cathy said, a smile touching her face. ‘What are you doing here?’ Dressed in faded dungarees and a striped crop top beneath, Cathy leaned over the top of the bannisters, her dark hair trailing down her face.

Ruby frowned at the sight of her daughter greeting her so nonchalantly; particularly given she had broken the speed limit to get there. She looked at her incredulously. ‘What am I doing here? You said you were in trouble. I tried calling you back but the phone went dead.’

Cathy descended the stairs in her stocking feet, two pink spots creeping onto her cheeks. ‘Sorry, my battery died. I didn’t expect you to come racing over.’

‘Well I have,’ Ruby said, feeling foolish as she caught the smug grin on Frances’s face. She returned her glance to Cathy, thinking she would never live this down. ‘So would you mind telling me what this is all about?’

‘Best we bring this into the living room,’ Frances said, instructing Carla, her maid, to bring refreshments.

Ruby sighed, feeling all the anger evaporate like steam. She had forgotten what a hot-head she herself had been in her youth, how one minute it was the end of the world, and seconds later peace had been restored. Now she realised why it always seemed to take everyone else a bit longer to catch up with her emotions. ‘Look,’ she said, ‘I didn’t come to start a fight. I’ve taken time off work to get here. I just want to know what’s going on.’

‘That makes two of us. Would you care to elaborate why you’ve been texting your mother while she’s at work, Cathy?’

Ruby raised an eyebrow, temporarily stilled by Frances’s supportive words. It was the first time she had referred to her as Cathy’s mother. Was she mellowing now that her relationship with Nathan was working out? Or had she given in to the inevitability that Ruby wasn’t going away?

‘I’m sorry,’ Cathy said ruefully. ‘But you’re bang out of order, Nan. I’m in my twenties, a grown woman. I should be allowed to see who I want.’

‘And you are, just not him,’ Frances said, her face growing taut. ‘You’ll thank me one day.’

Ruby frowned as she took a seat in the living room. Dust motes danced in the generous shafts of sunlight beaming through the large sash windows. It was a beautiful space, complemented with expensive artwork and tasteful furnishings. Ruby glared at Cathy, unable to believe her ears. She was in a relationship? This was news to her. ‘Who?’ she said, expecting the name of some underworld gangster to roll off her tongue.

‘Darren. You know, from the block of flats where you used to live?’

‘Oh,’ Ruby said. She was aware of their friendship from when Cathy had visited her in the past. ‘I didn’t realise you were an item.’

‘Not any more,’ Cathy sulked, her mouth turned downwards into a childish frown. ‘Which is why I’m moving out. Sorry, Frances, but I’ve made up my mind.’

‘Hold up a minute,’ Ruby said. ‘What’s the problem with her seeing Darren? He’s a nice kid; he works hard. He’s a bit tied down looking after his mum but…’

‘His mum’s dead and buried,’ Frances said. ‘Silly bitch overdosed on smack last month.’ She raised a hand as in self-defence. ‘And before you say anything, she didn’t get that shit off my boys. We don’t sell gear to the likes of her.’

Ruby’s mouth dropped open as she turned to her daughter, now perched on the sofa across the way. ‘I didn’t know any of this… why didn’t you tell me? I would have gone to the funeral at the very least.’ It wasn’t that Ruby was particularly friendly with Darren’s mum, but she had a lot of time for the young man who worked so hard to make something of his life. Gang violence was rife in the estate where he lived, yet he had grabbed the chance of an apprenticeship when Nathan called in some favours from the owners of an up-and-coming Shoreditch hotel.

Cathy shrugged. ‘Because I thought you’d kick up a stink too. So you don’t mind me seeing him?’

‘Of course not.’ Ruby frowned. ‘Why would I? He’s not a user. It’s not his fault he had such a rough start in life.’

Cathy glared at Frances for the answer. ‘Tell her, Nana. Tell her why you don’t want me seeing him.’

Looking distinctly uncomfortable, Frances placed her cup on the table after taking a delicate sip. The contrast in her actions made for an amusing picture as the working-class woman in her fought for dominance. ‘Oh, for Gawd’s sake,’ she said, reverting back to her true self. ‘I don’t mind Darren, he seems a nice enough lad, but he’s just not good enough for a Crosby girl.’

Ruby winced as she realised where this was going. She pursed her lips as she tried to contain her disgust, reminding herself whose home she was in. But Frances was still talking, trying desperately to dig herself out of the hole she had just found herself in.

‘There’s lots of nice lads interested in Cathy. I just want her mixing with the same sort.’ She appealed to Ruby, her face falling as she caught her look of disdain.

Ruby took a deep breath as she tried to calm her response. ‘Are you saying you don’t want him seeing Cathy because he’s black?’ she said, placing her cup on the coffee table and pushing it away.

‘Wot?’ Frances said, looking from Ruby to Cathy. ‘No! Of course not. What do you take me for?’

Cathy interjected. ‘It’s because of his mum. Can you believe the hypocrisy? She thinks Darren’s not good enough because he’s got no money and his mum took drugs.’ She folded her arms, scowling at Frances. ‘I’m not saying we’re getting married or anything, but I’m old enough to make my own decisions about who I see.’

‘I see.’ Ruby nodded in understanding, trying to voice her opinion as diplomatically as she could. Sure Frances was as sweet as pie now, but she had seen her turn without warning in the past, and the last thing Ruby wanted was to be thrown out by her goons – the hired help who were never very far away. ‘Cathy’s right. What’s more, we’re very fortunate to have her in our lives. As she said, she’s a grown woman. She’s managed to get by in life so far without us. We don’t have any right to tell her what to do, much less inflict our personal… beliefs on her.’

‘I disagree,’ Frances said, her temper rising as the two women shot her down. ‘Just because you don’t care about what she gets up to, doesn’t mean I can’t have a say.’

‘A say which is very outdated and not helping in the slightest,’ Ruby cut in. ‘Do you want to lose your granddaughter, is that it? Because that’s what’s going to happen. How do you think Nathan’s going to react to this?’

‘It was Lenny that said it was a bad idea,’ Frances said. ‘He told me I had to intervene.’

Ruby’s frown grew at the mention of his name. She knew Lenny could never resist the opportunity to stick the knife in. ‘And what does Lenny know about parenting for that matter? What do any of us?’ she said. ‘Cathy’s not twelve. The family dynamics are different and we’re all just settling into it. Don’t you remember what happened when Nathan and I got together? How you tried to split us up? What was the result of that?’

Frances paled, unable to reply.

‘Yes, that’s right. We gave Cathy up for adoption. Because we couldn’t see a way we could stay together.’

‘I didn’t know about the pregnancy,’ Frances said. ‘Things would have been different if you’d told me.’

‘We were too scared to approach you, terrified of what Jimmy might do,’ Ruby said, the mention of Nathan’s father releasing a sense of oppression into the room. ‘You go laying down the law with Cathy then history is going to repeat itself. And if she ever has kids, you’ll never get to see them. Is having your own way really that important to you?’

Frances sighed. ‘Of course not. I just want what’s best for Cathy. For all of us. Look, Ruby, I know I’ve been hard on you. It’s taken me a long time to get over you joining the filth. But you and Nathan… well, it seems to be working, and I don’t want to come between you.’ She looked at her hands, now clasped on her lap, her fingers glistening from the diamond-encrusted rings bought from the proceeds of crime. ‘I’m not getting any younger. I just want us to be a family. Is that too much to ask?’

Ruby’s voice softened. ‘Of course it’s not. But you’re not a dictator. You can’t impose your views on others, no matter how strongly you feel.’ She turned to Cathy. ‘What is it you want?’

Cathy smiled, regarding her mother with new-found respect. ‘I want to see Darren. To be able to make my own choices. I’ve had my own way for a long time. Coming here… it’s been nice to be around people who care but I need my freedom too.’

‘Which is?’ Frances said.

‘I’d like a place of my own. Somewhere Darren can come and visit. I have a job now, and I’m applying for a better one once I finish my college course. I can’t afford all the rent but Dad won’t mind helping me out until I can.’

Ruby bit back her smile. She still couldn’t get used to Nathan being referred to as Dad. ‘I’m sure he will, but he’s still very protective of you. I’ll broach the subject with him if you like? I know you’ve had a tough time. I think Nathan likes the idea of you being looked after for once.’ Ruby sighed, the memory of her flat in the tower block still fresh in her memory. ‘Living on your own isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, believe me. And this house is huge enough that you can have your privacy… as long as there’s no limitations on who you can see.’ She looked at Frances pointedly.

‘Very well,’ Frances said. ‘You can see who you want. But I don’t want you bringing back fellas here. Not while Lenny’s around anyway. It’s not worth the grief I’m going to get.’

‘Why don’t we compromise?’ Ruby said. ‘Cathy stays with me Saturdays and Sundays and lives here during the week. My flat’s virtually empty at weekends as they’re my busiest times at work. You can see Darren at my place and be close to work here.’

‘OK,’ Cathy said. ‘But I’d still like a place of my own soon.’

‘All in good time.’ Ruby smiled. ‘Just let us mollycoddle you a bit longer. What do you say, Frances?’

Frances gave her a grateful smile. ‘Sounds good to me. I’m sorry about our… misunderstanding. Let’s hear no more about it.’

‘Good,’ Ruby said, checking her mobile phone for any missed calls. A sense of relief filtered through when she saw there were none. Why was she here, sorting out her domestics when she should have been supporting her team? A sense of guilt rose from within as the urgency of her case hit home. ‘I have to get back to work. I’ve got a double murder case on the go.’

‘Sorry about the dramatics,’ Cathy said, following her to the door. ‘I’ll think before I text next time.’

‘Make sure you do,’ Ruby said, giving her daughter a quick hug before saying goodbye.

---

Speeding back to the police station, she was grateful to have made progress in her home life at the very least. Perhaps there was hope for their family after all. Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel as she took the shortcuts destined to cut time off her journey. Cathy’s problems were dwarfed by what lay before her, and she admonished herself for her knee-jerk reaction that took her away from the case. The ring of her phone broke through her thoughts as it flashed up on the car hands-free display. Ruby stiffened. It was DCI Worrow. As she answered her call, she prepared her excuses about where she had been.

‘I’m glad I caught you,’ Worrow said, as Ruby answered the phone.

‘I’m just heading back to the station now, Ma’am,’ Ruby said, flicking on her windscreen wipers as a sudden shower blurred her vision of the road ahead.

‘Then make a diversion,’ Worrow said, her voice clipped. ‘They’re expecting you at the prison. I want you to pay another visit to Mason Gatley. Don’t leave until you have answers. Time’s running out and the command team are asking questions. We’ve got just hours to save Cheryl Barber’s life.’