Dead Wrong. Noelle Holten
over to unlock it. But if you have a strong padlock spare, it might be a good idea to put that on, just in case.’
‘I’ll sort it.’ He scratched his head.
‘Was Scrappy around when you left?’
‘Pretty sure he was; he usually goes out his flap when I leave. But I can’t say for definite.’
‘OK. So, how was your day?’
‘Fine. Same shit, different day. I’m thinking of maybe looking for something in the building trade. I’m getting sick of the monotony of it all in the factory and the shifts can be draining. You know how I feel about starting my own business. Any experience would be good at this stage.’ He looked deflated and Maggie frowned. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Just something to think about.’
‘Phew! I had a mini panic then. There’s still so much to do on the house!’ She grinned and then fiddled with her hair. ‘Do you have a minute to chat?’
‘Sounds ominous. Let me jump in the shower and put some dinner on. Have you eaten?’
‘Not yet. What are you making?’
‘Might use up the veggies and do a stir-fry or something.’
‘Perfect! I’ll start chopping.’
He paused at the doorway. ‘About this little chat. Do I need to be worried?’
‘Don’t be silly. It’s just a conversation that we probably should have had two months ago.’ His frown deepened and she tried a reassuring smile. ‘Seriously,’ her voice sounded forced. ‘It’s nothing to worry about, now go.’ She imitated whipping a tea towel at his backside as he left the room.
Andy wouldn’t be in the shower for long and Maggie knew she had to get her words and thoughts together before she broached the subject with him. She regularly spoke to her mother on the telephone and tried to visit her parents in Glasgow at least twice a year. They understood that her job was important, and her mother had once told her how proud her father was of her – though he never told her that himself.
When it came to her brother, however, both of her parents had reached the end of their tether. Recalling her last conversation with her mother, Maggie sighed.
‘Have you forgot what he was like growing up? Always in and out of all levels of trouble. Granted, he never brought the police to the door, but he was close enough at times.’
Maggie had put the phone on speaker and carried on reading.
‘Always wanted to have the better things in life, and even though your dad and I tried our hardest, the ungrateful sod wanted more … are you listening?’
‘Yes, Mum …’
‘That brother of yours … hmph … turning to gambling and each time he won a little, he wanted more. Selfish, Maggie. Not a care in the world about any of us. And no shame in taking our money, our savings.’
Maggie could almost see her mother’s head shaking.
‘Yes, I was foolish. Giving him money behind your dad’s back. You wouldn’t believe the rows that caused when he eventually found out. Your father can’t stand the sight of him now.’
Maggie felt bad for her parents. She had always suspected their mother gave him more money than even she or their father knew about.
She shook her head and focused back on chopping the vegetables for dinner. It was about time things changed on that front. Her plan was a welcome distraction from the crap that her work life had brought with it.
Maggie was proud of Andy and how much he had turned his life around since their initial head to head a couple of months ago. He was paying off his debt, steering clear of gambling and attending Gamblers Anonymous. All of this in such a short period of time might win their parents over. Hope fluttered inside her.
She looked up and saw his gangly legs as he stomped his way down the stairs. He popped his head in the doorway, drying his hair with a towel.
‘Do I have time to make a cuppa before this lecture? Do you want one?’
She laughed. ‘Behave! It’s just a chat. And yes, I’d love a coffee.’ The wine was making her feel a little light-headed. She returned to the living room and sat down.
When he joined her, he held her coffee out, handle towards her, something he used to do as a kid to show how hard he was as the cup burned his hand. Rather than messing with him, she took the cup and thanked him.
‘OK, so …’ she took a deep breath, ‘I wanted to talk to you about Mum and Dad …’ She waited for the protestations and when none came, she went on. ‘Nothing definite at the moment but they may be coming down next month to stay—’
‘And you want me out? That’s OK, no need for any explanations. I’ll start looking in the morning.’ He pressed his lips together.
‘Fuck sake, Andy. Would you let me finish? I don’t want you out. In fact, I’m really glad that you’re here. Getting to know you after so much time apart has been nice, and the work you’ve done has probably saved me a small fortune, though maybe I shouldn’t point that out.’ She saw a smile form on his face.
‘Well, that’s good. I know I’ll eventually have to move out, but I think this is the perfect set-up for me at the minute. Your work ethic and, frankly, your bitchy attitude, and I mean that in the nicest possible way, is what’s driving me to do well for myself.’
‘Aww. Now don’t be getting soft on me. Look, I just wanted to give you enough notice and I guess I’m going to have to do the same with the folks. I don’t want to drop a bombshell on them, but they need to know. I just think that now is the time to burn down some of the barriers that have been up for far too long. I know it’s early days, but you’ve done incredibly well.’
‘Now who is getting soft …’
‘Oi! I can still kick your arse both verbally and physically if I really wanted to, never forget that.’ She raised her fist and shook it at him.
He held his hands up in surrender. ‘OK, copper. Calm down. So how are you going to approach this with Mum and Dad?’ He turned the mug in his hands and stared at the floor. ‘I’ve put them through a lot. And I’ll never be able to afford to pay them back, but maybe if my new venture works out, I can at least show willing and make a start.’
‘I think that would be a great idea, but like you said, small steps. You still have a long way to go before you can say you’ve kicked your habit, you know. Relapse usually happens when a person feels they have beat the problem.’
‘Trust me, I’m done with all that shit. I’m a whole new person. There’s no such thing as a little bet for me these days.’ He paused, caught Maggie’s eye and took a deep breath. ‘If it wasn’t for you giving me yet another chance, I’m not sure where I would be.’ His eyes glistened.
Maggie wasn’t one to handle emotion easily, especially since she rarely saw her brother cry. If her memory served her correctly the only other time she witnessed any emotion from her brother was when their grandfather died and that was twenty years ago. She immediately changed the subject. ‘Hey. Well will you look at us now. Two adults having an adult conversation. So, we’re good then? Now all I have to do is convince Mum and Dad …’
DI Abigail Rutherford looked around the open-plan office. ‘Anyone seen Maggie?’
The small team of officers that formed Staffordshire’s Major and Organised