The Cavanagh twins, Daniel and Dennis, were arrested for the two murders late last night after a major police operation. Dennis Cavanagh, better known as ‘Boysie’, died while attempting to evade police capture.

Liselle closed her eyes tightly. She had heard nothing from her Aunt Briony about this, nothing at all. This fact hurt her, while at the same time she wondered uneasily how her mother would be affected by this catastrophe and the newspaper coverage of the family.

Liselle leafed through the paper with trembling hands. Sure enough, there were pictures of her mother, herself and all the family, taken by the local Barking and Dagenham Post over the years.

Emblazoned across the top of the centre pages was a large headline reading: GOODNIGHT LADY.

Underneath was the story of Briony’s houses in London and Essex. A picture of Berwick Manor showed Briony and Kerry standing in the doorway, smiling. Liselle began to read again, taking in every word, her eyes seeking for her own name and her mother’s.

The Cavanaghs were born in Barking where their mother Eileen died shortly after their birth and they were given over to the care of her sister, Briony Cavanagh. Briony was a celebrated madam who ran many establishments with her friend and associate Mariah Jurgens. Her career began nearly fifty years ago, her first house bought when she was just fifteen years old. She is a well-known figure around London’s East End, and is generally described as a fair and generous woman. Many of the people we interviewed, including her parish priest, had nothing but good to say about the Cavanagh family, the twins included.

Kerry Cavanagh, sister of Eileen and Briony, is a well-known jazz singer who recently enjoyed a revival of her career when her recording of ‘Miss Otis Regrets’ was chosen to accompany a prestigious perfume advertisement.

Less widely known is the fact that Kerry gave birth to an illegitimate child forty-three years ago, the father being the black pianist Evander Dorsey, who now owns the celebrated Jazz Club in New York.

Liselle put her hands to her face. She wept as she looked at the photograph of $oysie, then, pulling herself together as best she could, she went to the telephone to ring her Auntie Bernadette. That’s where the family would be gathering. That’s where she and her mother would be expected to go.

As always, the Cavanaghs felt better when they were all together. It was as if their strength could ward off any trouble.

Only this time, it seemed to Liselle, the trouble was just too big, and too public.

Delia was lying in bed, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. The knock at her front door made her heart stop in her chest. She was straight, completely straight, which was why her mind was going over and over the events of her cousin’s death. She was reminded of Jimmy. It brought it all back.