‘Mum … what’s going on? Seriously, I’ve not heard anything.’

‘Frank’s been shot.’

At first, Lucy was too stunned to coherently respond. She edged away from Sister Cassie, lowering her voice. ‘How … I mean, hold on a sec …’

‘I was just about to go to bed, but then it was all over the late evening news. I suppose someone at the hospital talked. Notorious Manchester criminal Frank McCracken … found dying from a gunshot wound at the entrance of St Winifred’s Hospital. I don’t know how badly hurt he is, or how he got there, but –’ Cora’s voice threatened to break ‘– but … that blonde trollop’s with him. I’m sure it’s her. They say he had a female companion, who’s also been shot …’

‘Okay, Mum … listen …’ Lucy’s panicky thoughts tumbled over each other. At first, no possible solution suggested itself, let alone made sense to her. But there was a question at least. ‘Mum … why are you going there?’

‘Why on earth do you think?’ Cora sounded shocked.

‘What good can you do?’

‘I can’t do any good. But I’m not just sitting around at home.’

‘They don’t even know you’re connected to him.’

‘I don’t care about that, Lucy. Like I say, I’m not sitting around at home. It’s not like anyone would call me with an update.’

‘Mum, listen …’ Lucy felt a growing sense of alarm. ‘Frank McCracken is not your concern any more. He’s not your husband. He’s not even your boyfriend.’

‘But he’s your father, Lucy. So, as I say, I’ll expect to see you there. As soon as possible.’

Chapter 28

As Lucy rode back towards Robber’s Row police station, there was plenty to occupy her mind. One might assume she would mainly be thinking about the new lead. Or perhaps might be feeling self-conscious about the nun riding pillion, clinging on for dear life, her voluminous skirts and cloak tucked carefully underneath her, her veil billowing out behind the spare helmet.

But it wasn’t either of these.

Yet again, it was the Frank McCracken situation.