Gabby laughed softly. ‘No fear of that, Granddad. I feel free, really free for the first time in my life. It’s as if I can finally breathe again. I paid her back for my boy, and for everyone she ever contaminated by her touch. So don’t worry about me, mate, I have never felt better.’

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-One

‘“No, officer, I haven’t seen or heard from her for days.” ’ Detective Sergeant Smith laughed as he spoke. ‘That’s all we hear, sir. It’s as if Cynthia Tailor has dropped off the face of the earth. There’s nothing at her house – she’s gone, lock, stock and barrel. The neighbours said a moving van turned up and was gone within an hour. It’s as if she never existed.’

Dectective Inspector Williams nodded. This was a really strange affair; he knew there was skulduggery afoot but actually proving it would be impossible.

DS Smith continued, ‘It seemed she had scammed quite a few men over the years, sir – it could have been one of them she was running from. A David Duggan made a criminal complaint against her but she seemed to have swerved that with ease. But, on closer inspection, she wasn’t what you would call a model citizen, if you know what I mean?’

DI Williams shook his head. ‘I know exactly what you mean. Cynthia Tailor, Callahan that was, could start a fight in an empty house. But the point is now, where the fuck is she?’

DS Smith laughed then as he answered. ‘Your guess, sir, is as good as mine.

‘What about the daughter? Didn’t she have her children at one point?’

DS Smith nodded. ‘From what we can gather, sir, the daughter is as baffled and bewildered as we are. Heavily pregnant now and lost her little boy in a fire. She seems to think her mother has done a moonlight flit. Her expression, not mine. She doesn’t seem unduly worried about her and, as for Cynthia Tailor’s father, he thinks she will turn up, as he said in his own words, like the proverbial bad penny.’

DI Williams sighed. ‘Leave it with missing persons then, we’ve done all we can.’

DS Smith nodded once more and left the office of his superior. He was in line for a forty-grand bonus for this little piece of work, and he was absolutely thrilled about it. He wondered what part of the new M25 Cynthia was now resting in. He would put his money on a slip road, but she might be holding up a flyover. Either way, there was no way she was ever coming back, of that much he was sure.

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Two

Vincent looked around his new house and smiled in satisfaction. It was lovely, and he knew that they would be very happy here. It was a new start for them, and that was something they needed desperately.