Maria shook her head so fast and so agitatedly that Andee put out a hand to steady her. “You did right to tell Fliss,” she said gently, “and you understand that I now have to contact the police?”

Maria wailed and nodded and bunched her fists to her mouth as she started to choke.

“I’ll take care of her,” Fliss said quietly. “You go and do what you have to do.”

Getting to her feet, Andee touched a hand to Maria’s wispy fair hair. Life really hadn’t showered this wretched little creature with blessings, and now here she was in the middle of even more horror than she could properly cope with. “I’ll be back soon and we can talk some more,” she promised.

Maria nodded, but didn’t look up until Andee reached the door. “Will I eff to talk to cops too?” she asked woefully.

Andee nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

Maria howled with alarm and buried her face again in her hands as Andee let herself out of the room.

Immediately after calling Gould she rang Leanne to warn her that an arrest was likely by the end of the day. “Do you know where Claudia is?” she asked.

“Yes, she’s just come back from the hospital. Don’t worry, I’ll break it to her and stay with her if she wants me to. Where are you?”

“At the Seafront Café. Gould’s on his way to talk to Maria so I’m going to stay.” After ringing off she was about to go back inside when Dan called.

“Hi, I’m wondering if we can put our meeting back half an hour tonight?” he said.

“We might have to postpone longer than that,” she replied, and after alerting him to what was happening, she added, “If it does turn out to be Maria’s son, and I don’t think she’s making this up, I’m going to try and get Gould to assign me to the case as Marcy’s victim support officer.”

“To replace the one they already have?”

“That’s right. She’s so overworked they’ve hardly seen her anyway. I can organize my schedule to give them more time. As soon as you’re free tonight give me a call, and if you’re able to come to the house that would be great. There could be a lot to talk about.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

So, it was my old lady who ended up turning me in. I was pretty hacked off when I finally found out, although I knew why she’d done it. She’d got it into her head that I’d be safer in one of Her Majesty’s houses than at home with her where she kept hiding behind the curtains and working herself into a state every time someone came near the house. She was convinced the bosses had a hit out on me.