18.Murray
Iwas fucking dumfungled. I’d barely slept a wink and … everything was a mess.
While I made Kelly French toast last night, she’d suggested London and I no longer needed to be married, now that we had enough proof against Jill for sole custody. I’d tried to explain that we’d get in trouble if it looked like we’d married just to get Jill off the company’s books and Kelly had forlornly nodded in understanding. I’d felt at once guilty for letting her down again and guilty for not explaining how much London needed this marriage too. But it was not my story to tell, and frankly, I didn’t want Kelly’s head filled with any more darkness. It was bad enough my fourteen-year-old was strategizing her guardianship like a war general.
I’d gotten up early, checked on Kelly, saw she was out for the count, and then ventured upstairs to find London had already departed. She must have left before it was even light outside. It was only when I checked my phone that I realized London had sent a text explaining she’d left early to catch up on work at the B and B, but I knew she was trying to give me and Kelly space.
I felt shite for her too. I hated the idea of London feeling like she wasn’t wanted.
Mum showed up an hour later to look after Kelly so I could go into the office to meet this thug who had infiltrated my company.
“Where’s London?” Mum asked as we walked into the empty kitchen. “Murray, you said I could properly meet this woman you’ve married and she’s not even living here?”
“She is,” I’d assured Mum as I made her a cup of tea. “She had to leave early to make up for missing work yesterday.”
Mum harrumphed under her breath. “Well, I’m staying for dinner tonight so I can have a proper conversation with her.”
I handed her the tea. “She might not show. Kelly … Kelly made it clear that she doesn’t trust anyone but you and me, and while she understands why London’s here, London isn’t welcome.”
“Kelly did that?” Mum looked horrified. “Our Kelly?”
“Aye. You can’t blame her. She’s been through hell with Jill. The fact that she’s kept on a brave face and a sweet disposition for this long is a miracle. She’s finally snapped and I won’t reprimand her for that. I just … I wish she hadn’t chosen London as an easy target.”
“No matter what a child has gone through, it doesn’t give them the right to treat people unkindly.” Mum was stern. “You don’t let her get away with it. She’s pushing boundaries because Jill put none in place and it’s your job to treat her normally. If she behaves badly, there are consequences.”
“Not today there aren’t.”
“Murray Shaw, I might not be happy with your decision to marry a woman you barely know. But what’s done is done. And when you decided to marry London, you invited her into your home. She is now your responsibility. You can’t let Kelly chase her out of what is now her home too, no matter what Kelly’s been through.”
“Mum—”
My mother waved her hand to end the conversation. “I’ll talk to my granddaughter.”
A mountain of guilt rode my shoulders as I left Mum to watch my daughter and head into the office. I hadn’t heard back from my solicitor yet, but I hoped once it hit nine o’clock, I’d get a call informing me the emergency order had gone through and Kelly was mine permanently while they investigated Jill.
First, I had to deal with this Joshua Hughes person.
Fraser met me at the office and proudly revealed his wee puffin statue. Sure enough, no one would know it was a camera unless they got a good look at it. We faffed about with it on my desk until we felt it looked like it belonged there.
“I told everyone to come in half an hour later,” Fraser said as we waited anxiously for this prick to appear. “So you could have privacy and a better chance of a clear recording of the conversation.”
We weren’t just relying on the puffin camera. I had my phone strapped under the desk on the side Hughes would be sitting and as soon as we saw his car pull up, I’d hit record.
“What’s the plan here, cuz? I mean, the big-picture plan?”
Stubborn fury steeled my voice as I replied, “To take this to the police and let them deal with it.”
“These guys are seriously fucking dangerous. They planted one of their own in Jill and Kelly’s life.”
Aye, and it was the very reason I couldn’t sleep last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I thought about having stood in the kitchen with Dorian Walsh, walking out of that house, leaving my daughter there with a criminal. Asociopathiccriminal for all I knew.
The sound of gravel under tires cut off whatever Fraser was about to say next. I rounded my desk and hit record on the phone as my cousin went to let Joshua Hughes into the office.
He was younger than I expected. Probably only in his early twenties. Good-looking, clean cut. There was an arrogant swagger to his walk as he followed Fraser into my office. The arsehole had the audacity to hold out his hand to me to shake.
I stared at it like it was filth and turned my back on him, silently telling him I wasn’t afraid of him.
I sat down and gestured to the seat in front of my desk. “You wanted to talk. Talk.”
