‘Luce, call my lawyer. Call Mickey Fisher.’
Lucinda reached for her mobile phone, glared at him and dropped it on the sofa.
‘Call him your damn self.’
Fifty-One
Stacey pushed the computer away and glanced over at the sofa. The boss had called to say they had a suspect in custody. Joe Butler. That development did nothing to help the little girl who was pretending to watch the film they’d put on the TV.
Devon had had to leave for her late shift half an hour earlier, and Ava had barely uttered a word since.
Stacey’s heart ached for the child, who was being incredibly brave. She had accepted every move with grace and obedience. There was no crying, no shouting, no tantrums, just a silent resignation that her life was in the hands of the adults around her.
Stacey took a seat on the sofa beside her. She’d been right. Ava wasn’t watching the TV. She was just staring at the screen.
‘Not keen on this one?’ Stacey asked, reaching for the remote control.
‘It’s fine,’ she said quietly.
‘You know, you’re very well behaved,’ Stacey said.
‘Because it might work.’
‘What might work, sweetie?’ Stacey asked.
‘Mummy always tells me that I’ve got more chance of getting what I want if I’m a good girl.’
Stacey felt the emotion travel up to her throat as Ava met her gaze.
‘So, if I’m a really good girl, Mummy won’t be gone any more.’
Stacey hid the rage that surged through her. This child was accepting everything being thrown at her in the hope it would bring her mum back. Grief was difficult enough for a seven-year-old to navigate, but she didn’t even have her dad to help her through it.
Her heart physically ached as she weighed how to handle Ava’s continued denial.
She took Ava’s hand. ‘Sweetie, you’ve been so brave, but Mummy isn’t coming back.’
‘Never?’ Ava asked.
Stacey shook her head and pointed to Ava’s chest. ‘She’ll always be with you in your heart, and you’ll remember how much she loved you and all the fun you had together. She’s watching you from heaven now, and she’d be so proud of the courage you’ve shown.’
‘I want Daddy,’ she said as her lip began to tremble.
‘I know. I’m sure he’s missing you too.’
The tears escaped from Ava’s eyes, and sobs began to wrack her body as she finally allowed the truth to sink in.
Stacey was at a loss as to how she could ease this girl’s pain. She couldn’t make it all better.
The only thing she could do was hold the child while she cried.
Fifty-Two
‘Stop the car,’ Kim cried as Bryant headed through Colley Gate.
‘Jesus Christ, what’s wrong?’ he asked, pulling over to the side of the road. ‘You sick again?’ Sarcasm dripped from his voice.
‘I wanna go in there.’
