‘Danny was in a state. He lashed out at me, then I calmed him down. That was all. You always were really paranoid, Justine. I had nothing to do with any murders and everyone knows that now. Are you okay?’
She shrugged. Paranoid was her middle name because her husband was a cheat with an impulsive nature. ‘The police were just here. They’ll want to speak to you.’
‘I saw. I hid by the vending machine until they left.’ He paused. ‘I’m sorry about Pia and about running off like that. It was foolish but you know I had to protect Danny and myself. Then, when I saw those photos up in the apartment, I knewthe police would blame me for Kain’s murder. I knew about the video too. Danny would have been as much of a suspect as I was. There is something else, I went over to Maura’s and ended up arguing with Kain over what happened between him and Danny. Some of the neighbours saw me pinning him up against the wall. I thought one of them would tell the police and that they’d add two and two together and come up with five.’
Justine hated that her husband had pinned Kain against a wall and her son had kicked him. The violence had to stop. She needed to step up and stop Danny going down the path he was on and she would as soon as they were home. ‘Why were you hurting Kain? You didn’t even know him.’ She just wanted to go home.
‘There you go, thinking the worst of me and your son. You really are a piece of work.’
‘Oh, shut up, Craig. I’ve had enough of your bullshit. You attacked him and Danny attacked him. Just tell me what happened.’
‘There was an argument where Danny stuck up for Maura. You sent Danny over to Maura’s to help her with some jobs.’
‘Yes, she needed some help cleaning her shed out and Danny needed some money.’
‘Well while he was there, he heard shouting and when he went into the hallway, he saw your paralytic friend pushing Maura around and swearing at her. He knocked her off her feet. Danny told me she was crying and begging Kain to leave and come back once he was sober but he kept shouting at her. Maura told Danny to get him out the house because she was scared. He did as she asked then Kain started trying to hit him, but missed. Danny threw him to the floor and kicked him a couple of times. Our son has an anger problem, I know that. But he did what he did for the right reasons and that bastard had to film him and try to blackmail him.’
Justine stared, mouth slightly ajar. How could Kain have done that to his mother and her son, after all the help she gave him?
‘Anyway, I was angry after Danny told me what happened. I went over to tell Kain to delete that video and that he deserved what he got for treating Maura so badly but he refused and started to swing drunken punches outside the door, that’s when I pinned him there. I just wanted him to stop. The man was an animal. I thought that was it but he followed me outside, shouting his mouth off and the neighbours were curtain twitching.’
‘I guess we’re all to blame. I brought Kain into Danny’s life.’
‘You can’t fix everyone you know. Some people are beyond help.’
‘I know that,’ she scoffed, looking at her pathetic husband. ‘You have to know when to give up and I know I want to give up on you, Craig. You were ready to ditch our family for Pia. That flat was for you both to live in, wasn’t it? But she didn’t want you. Am I right?’
He looked away.
‘Where did our son stay on Friday night? He said he was at a friend’s but I know he wasn’t.’
Craig shrugged. ‘He told me he stayed at that derelict house.’
She huffed. ‘That’s where I found his bag last night. Simeon could have killed our son. He’d been keeping tabs on us all and he found Danny there.’ She fought back her sobs. ‘You did nothing to protect our son. How could you let him stay there? You’re all about yourself, aren’t you, Craig? You always were and you always will be. My mum was right about you.’
He reached out.
‘Don’t you dare touch me. And that night when you dragged me from the scarecrow garden, I ran away from you because I was scared. You were there because that’s where Danny hadbeen hiding out. Did you tell Danny to follow me, because I smelt his vape? I know it wasn’t Simeon and it can’t have been you. You turned my son against me and I will never forgive you for that.’
He shook his head. ‘I told him not to go but he was so angry at you introducing him to Maura and Kain. He was trying to turn his life around after the car theft but that set him back.’
‘Whatever. I want a divorce, Craig. We’ – she pointed at herself and then him – ‘are over.’
Her husband had failed her. They’d failed their son. She wasn’t going to fail herself any more.
EPILOGUE
Two Weeks Later
Gina pushed the paperwork on her desk aside. Tonight, she was going home. She wanted to run a long, hot bath and snuggle up in front of the fire with her cat. The forensics report had come back. Simeon’s DNA had been found under the cat’s claws at the scene of Kain’s murder. She’d heard from Brodie and he’d told her that Briggs would be back to work next week. She’d had no contact with him since that call. A message popped up from her daughter, Hannah.
Gracie wanted to know if you’ll be watching her in her Christmas play. I have to book family tickets soon. I know it’s early but I don’t want you to miss out if you want to be there.
She smiled and replied. Without a doubt she was going to be there. Hannah replied with a photo of Gracie asleep next to their dog. Gina sent a heart emoji reply.
So much had happened recently and she couldn’t help but think of everyone involved in the case. Pia had already packed up her house and gone to stay with her sister. She’d also put her house up for sale. Gina could understand why she needed to get away.
Justine had wasted no time in issuing divorce papers to Craig and she was helping her son face up to what he did wrong. She’d been worried that she might be in trouble for killing Simeon. A file of evidence had been prepared and submitted to the CPS. The scene had backed up what she had told them. It looked like she had killed him in self-defence so it wasn’t looking likely that she’d be prosecuted. As for Craig, he simply ran to evade arrest so he was in the clear too. He’d come in and they were able to interview him. Gina was glad that Danny wasn’t running from his part in all this. He’d admitted to assaulting Kain and that he’d done it to defend Maura. The video had done him no favours. He’d gone beyond reasonable force, kicking Kain while he was already down. Facing up to his crime was the only way to deal with it and she hoped he’d change for the better.
