It was amazing really – if her mother had just kept out of it, she would be happily ensconced with her daughter now, and it would all be in the past. But that hadn’t been her mother’s plan. Right from the start, she had been determined to get the child, and she would stoop as low as she needed to make sure that happened. She had not allowed for the fact that Gabby was as stubborn as she was, when necessary, and so they were still playing this game.

‘Has he got his release date, then?’

Gabby smiled, and Cynthia saw what a very beautiful young woman she was. It pained her to see herself as she had been twenty years earlier. She envied this girl her youth, and they both knew it.

‘Yep.’

Cynthia would not lower herself to ask when that was; she would find out soon enough. ‘Bet you can’t wait.’

‘Nope, I can’t. You wait till you see him, Mum, you’ll get the surprise of your life.’ It wasn’t exactly a threat as such, but she knew her mother was worried at the implication. ‘Now come on, Cherie – I’ve got the car outside and we are going to Mackie D’s for our dinner!’

Cherie was thrilled; she loved a McDonald’s. Her nanny said they were too fattening and full of crap, but she didn’t care. She was happy now to put her coat on and go with her mother, especially when she promised, ‘Then we are going to watch whatever you want on TV.’

As her granddaughter got herself ready, Cynthia fought back the urge to take her daughter by the hair and batter her to death.

‘Say bye bye to Nanny, darling.’

Cherie kissed and hugged her nanny, but it was obvious she was impatient now to be on her way.

‘Don’t let her watch anything frightening, she’s too small.’

Gabby sighed heavily; this was a constant refrain. You’d think she let the child watch horror films day and night. ‘As if I would.’

Cynthia replied, all self-righteous in her anger, ‘Well, if I find out she’s been glued to those American detective shows there’ll be murders.’

‘Well, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Mum?’

Cynthia was fuming at the inference, and the fact that her daughter felt confident enough to say it spoke volumes. The news of Vincent’s return had given her girl an edge, an edge Cynthia would take great pleasure in blunting. She still had a few tricks up her sleeve.

Gabby smiled. ‘See you.’

Cynthia smiled back, adding nastily, ‘You can guarantee it.’

Chapter One Hundred and Eight

‘He’s going to want a bit of work at some point.’ Derek Greene was glad Vincent would soon be out.