Vincent went over and held her gently. She felt so frail, her body was so slender still, even with the pregnancy, and he knew that this had been coming for a long time. He blamed himself – if he had not been away so long, none of this would have happened. He should have been there for her and for his kids, instead of rotting away in prison. But that was the chance you took in his game, and you had to accept that or you would go off your head. His old cellmate used to say hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it was fucking foresight that people needed.

Bertie looked at young Vincent, as he still thought of him, and wondered at a man who could be so calm in the face of such carnage. Gabby had literally taken her mother’s face off – this was the act of someone who had reached the end of their tether.

He nudged Cynthia’s body with his foot none too gently; if she groaned he would finish the slag off himself. He smiled. Just as he thought – as dead as the proverbial dodo. Good riddance to bad rubbish, he was glad she was gone. He had had his own axe to grind with her; after all, she had taken out one of his closest friends. He cleared his throat noisily and said, ‘We better get this place cleared up before Lily Law comes a-snooping! You take her home and sort her out, son. I’ll deal with this little lot.’ He sighed theatrically. ‘Thank fuck she lived in this end house – bit more privacy, if you know what I mean!’

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty

Gabby was lying on the bed; such was her relief at the knowledge her mother could never interfere in her life again she almost felt lighter in her body. Even the pain of her hands couldn’t bother her. It was as if the heavy weight she had carried all her life had been taken away from her and, consequently, she felt better than ever, mentally as well as physically. She felt no remorse for what she had done. Thank God that Cherie was having a sleepover at her friend’s house; she was going straight from school, so no one would be any the wiser about Cynthia’s disappearance until tomorrow when she didn’t pick up Cherie from school. Vincent said it would all be sorted; all she had to say was that she went round there and she wasn’t in, so she had left her a voicemail message and then come home again.