Gabby seemed to sense her auntie’s upset and she snuggled into her like she was trying to take it on herself. Celeste hugged her little body as if it was a life raft. James Junior watched them silently, and Celeste felt the tears prick once more, at the innocence of these children. The same innocence she had once possessed, and now it was gone from her. She had seen death in its rawest form, and it had blighted her life.

Crying silently, she didn’t see the look that was exchanged between her mother and sister. She didn’t understand that they thought it was time she let it go and sorted herself out. Celeste had never been strong like them, and that was why she couldn’t forget the sight of Kevin Bryant with half his head gone, the blood seeping out of his body and making a heart shape on the concrete floor. For the thousandth time, she wondered what his wife and children were going through, and how they would ever come to terms with his disappearance. Four little children and a wife. Everyone said Kevin Bryant’s wife was a nice girl. Why was it always the nice girls who had their hearts broken?

Gabby was trying to wipe her auntie’s eyes, as she felt herself being lifted off her lap. It was obvious her nana was going to take them back to her house, but Gabby wanted to stay here. So did James Junior, who was beginning to kick up his usual fuss. For once though her mum was being nice to him and wasn’t shouting at him. In fact, her mum was being nice to everyone and they were calling Cynthia a ‘Brahma’, and she knew that the way they said it meant it was something good. But Gabby allowed her nana to put her coat on, and take her and her sobbing brother back to her house. After all, she was a kid and she had to do what she was told.

Whether she wanted to or not.

Chapter Thirty-Six

‘Come on, Celeste, you have to at least look at the new house.’ Jonny’s voice was gentle but there was a steely undertone that wasn’t lost on anyone in the room. He had stopped the cajoling weeks ago, and he was getting more and more aggravated by the day. But Celeste, as weak as she was in many ways, was adamant about this one thing. She would not leave her sister’s house for anything. She had not stepped across the door since she had entered it that night, the night Bryant had been taken out.

Jimmy Tailor was heart-sorry for his sister-in-law, but he knew it would be futile to interfere. Also, in a selfish way, he wanted her gone from his home. It had been nearly three months now, and he wanted his wife back, though he never thought he would ever be saying that.