Thomas looked at Sharon’s cigarette. ‘Can I have one?’

She passed him the packet and the lighter.

‘Dad, you don’t smoke!’

‘Your mother and I smoked before we had you and Jordan. We gave up. I’ve missed it every single day.’

She watched as he lit up and inhaled deeply.

‘Christ, that’s good.’

‘There’s whisky in the kitchen,’ Sharon said. ‘You look like you need it.’

He got up, taking his cigarette with him, and they heard him rummaging around and pouring something into a glass. He came back sipping it, then sat down and looked at them.

‘He found the Cotton brothers.’

Sharon and Millie gasped.

‘It was Adam Cotton and an associate of his who killed Ella – your mother. I don’t know how else to say it, Millie. I’m sorry. I thought I’d feel relief at knowing, but I don’t.’

Sharon squeezed Millie and the girl closed her eyes.

‘But where’s Jordan, Dad?’

‘It turns out he’s spent the last few days doing what I suspected: trying to track them down. He found them in some warehouse, but the police weren’t far behind.’

‘What did he do?’ Millie and Sharon waited.

‘It’s unclear. He got into a scuffle with Adam Cotton. I don’t think he intended to do it. I’m sure it was a mistake, or a flash of anger.’

‘Dad!’

Thomas jumped and stared at his daughter.

‘What did he do?’

‘Adam Cotton is dead. He was stabbed. Kelly Porter called me and I went straight over there. Jordan’s been arrested.’

Millie burst into noisy sobs. Thomas hung his head, and his shoulders sank lower as tears fell to the carpet. After a few moments, he composed himself and coughed, wiping his eyes.

‘I was able to be with him throughout the whole thing. He’s got a lawyer there. We’re waiting to hear if he’s being charged with murder.’

Chapter 56

Johnny clasped her hand.

She hated this place. The Penrith and Lakes was where her mother had died, where she went to watch autopsies, and where Ted now lay, in a critical but stable condition, having been beaten to the ground by mindless thugs getting off on the violence spilling over from events on the Beacon Estate.

She blamed Ormond. If he hadn’t given the order for Op Eagle, the young men on the estate wouldn’t have harboured such anger. None of the arrests from that night had given up anything useful. All it had done was alienate people further.

They sat in a waiting area on uncomfortable plastic chairs. Callum’s father had picked the two teenagers up and taken them home. Josie wanted to stay but Johnny explained there was nothing they could do.

‘So what will Counter-Corruption do?’ he asked. He was passing time for her.