Tonight there was a big birthday celebration for Henry at the Crustacean, with all their closest friends invited. It had been her mother’s idea, and she was still fighting with Henry over who was going to pay for it. He’d lose because Claudia had already taken care of it, but she hadn’t bothered telling them that yet, since their squabbling was good entertainment. It was also the best feeling in the world to see her mother coming out of her shell again and even looking forward to things.

However, to say she was looking forward to Archie’s trial might be overstating it, but she’d been preparing for it with Helen for the past week or so, and remained determined to make an appearance on the stand on behalf of the defense. Naturally the prosecution had called her, it made sense for them to do so, but when she’d told them what she was, and was not, prepared to say they’d quickly dropped her. Quite why they hadn’t also dropped the attempted murder charge only they knew, although it presumably meant they remained confident of securing a guilty verdict.

Turning at the sound of a car coming through the open gates Claudia frowned into the darkness, trying to recognize it in the headlights.

“Who’s that?” her mother asked, joining her at the door.

“I don’t know, but whoever it is they need to stop . . . Now!”

The dark green Astra ended up inches from the driver’s door of Jasmine’s Mini, headlights blazing and causing sparks of alarm to shoot through Claudia.

Putting an arm across her mother she was about to push her back into the house when a scrawny little woman in a yellow parka and green wellies all but tumbled out of the Astra.

“Ell—oh!” she shouted, hurrying awkwardly toward them. “I’m Archie’s ma, Maria. Sorry to bother you. Ah you Ma-cee Kavnuh?”

As she came closer, they could see the twist of her mouth and crooked bones in her face, and realizing who she was, Marcy threw a surprised glance at Claudia as she stepped forward.

“Hello, Maria,” she said. “I’m Marcy. Is everything all right?”

“Yeah. Ev-thing fine. Just want to ask please can I clean fo’ you to say sorry fo’ wha’ my boy did, een tho he din mean to. No charge. Can come any day tha’ sues you.”

Marcy wasn’t sure what to say, could only connect with the strangeness of being approached like this.

“Maria, I think—” Claudia began.

“Is ma way to make up to you,” Maria interrupted. “He can’ do himself because of bein’ in prison.”

Claudia said firmly, “We’re about to go out, but we’ll discuss your offer and give you an answer soon. Is that OK?”