He shook his head as he threw a chicken bone into the ashtray.
‘But she called you sometimes?’ Penn pushed.
‘Just at Christmas. Don’t know why she bothered.’
Yeah, Penn was unsure about that too, but sometimes you had to touch base with the only family you had.
‘You ever call her back?’
‘Nah, got nothing to say to her.’
Or not, in some cases.
‘You saw her a couple of weeks ago though?’
Lyra’s mouth hung open unattractively.
Warren shifted uncomfortably as he lit a cigarette, despite the fact his wife, just inches away, was still eating.
‘You met her after netball. One of the other players saw you,’ Penn continued, to avoid the man issuing a pointless denial just to stop his wife finding out.
‘Oh yeah, I remember now. Just happened to bump into her. Yeah, I’d forgotten about that.’
Penn liked to think he gave everyone a fair crack, but this couple were doing nothing to endear themselves. This was a couple that had fallen into the Benefits Britain stereotype and had no wish to leave it.
‘And she gave you money?’ Penn asked.
‘She what?’ Lyra cried.
‘Just a few quid. Don’t get your knickers in a twist. Just for some sweets for the little ones.’
‘Where’d that go then?’ she asked, wiping her face with a napkin.
‘Shit, I can’t remember. It’s been ages. I just bumped into her, and she offered me some pocket money for the kids.’
‘Which they never saw and you never told me about.’
‘It bought you a fucking curry so leave it alone, woman.’ His tone had hardened, and Lyra clearly thought better about pushing it any further.
‘Our witness felt things were a bit hostile between the two of you.’
‘Why’s that?’ he asked. ‘We were just talking. Ain’t nobody gonna prove anything different now, is there?’
‘Did you threaten her, Mr Chance?’
He sat back and smirked. ‘Now, why would I do that? She was my sister and she wanted to give me money. Why would I refuse?’
‘You didn’t feel bad for taking her money when you don’t like her?’
‘Why should I? We’re family, and families share. And she must have been raking it in. She could spare it.’
‘I don’t think her job paid as much as you?—’
‘Not just that though, is it? She must have been getting a few quid from the social for her crippled daughter.’
Penn tried to hide his shock at his description of his niece.
The man turned to his wife. ‘Don’t you get more for kids who are?—?’
