Chapters (87)
- Cover
- Praise
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgements
- Extract from To Keep You Safe
- About the Author
‘None of your business, you little shit. I’m just sorry I didn’t listen to your mother.’ He turns back to me. ‘Are you sure you’re all right? And why were you on the floor anyway?’
I don’t answer this question because it would do nothing to improve the tension in this kitchen, which is suddenly red hot. ‘What’s a stinger?’
‘A metal contraption deployed by trained police officers after drivers fail to stop. They’re only supposed to used after authorisation and following thorough risk assessment. They’re used to span a road, so a car who’s failed to stop, drives over a series of spikes. But they’re dangerous and our son has failed to consider the potential risk to road users. He has failed on all sorts of levels. Including keeping his nose out of my stuff!’
He turns back to our son. ‘Why was she on the floor anyway? What were you about to do to her?’
‘Nothing.’
‘You’re a liar. And a thief. I had to pack away that stinger and then I had to walk back here, in the dark, for two miles. You know what I was thinking as I did? That I’d be mad to let you take that child. I did always have a sense of unease, but now I’ve got something on you – theft; assault; criminal damage; intent to cause a traffic accident – I’ll throw the book to stop you from having sole custody. Assaulting your own mother – you’re an arsehole.’
I’m the shortest and, standing between them, they bookend me. ‘Nick! Don’t call him that!’
‘Why not?’ Nick looks at me, daggers in his eyes. ‘He tricked me. Jack called me, saying he needed help. I thought he was upstairs, not in Cleasong. But he asked me to get him from the village, said he’d explain. I actually blamed you, Lisa! I was cursing you on the drive out! But about two miles from here I drove over a stinger – out there in the dark. I get out, check all my tyres – shredded by the way, thank you very much – walk back, see the fucking thing, and I’m like, what idiot has left that out here? I’m about to call it in and . . . bam! I suddenly get it: I had one in my car . . . and yes, when I look in my car, sure enough, it’s missing from my boot!’ He jabs a finger over my shoulder into our son’s chest: ‘He took it. And he doesn’t have the decency to even admit why.’
Jack leans forward, his eyes narrowing, and there’s a darkness in his voice that I don’t like: ‘I just wanted a chat with Lisa on her own, if that’s all right with you? I needed you gone for a bit.’