She thought he might congratulate her on a good outcome, no further loss of life but all he said was, ‘Reckon they’ll prosecute her?’
‘Hard to say. I’m not pushing for it. More good would come of letting her raise that baby.’
‘And Breeley?’ Richard said.
‘He caused John’s death – then he covered it up. Put his son’s body in a drainage tunnel,’ Janine sighed. ‘If he’d come clean straight away, things might have been different.’
Millie came in then, her coat on. Nodded to them both.
‘Five minutes?’ Richard said.
‘Fine.’ Millie turned to Janine, ‘Congratulations. Great copy.’
‘Thanks,’ Janine said. The shadow of the previous evening still made her embarrassed.
‘See you down there,’ Millie said to Richard.
Once Millie had gone, Richard took down the remaining items and put them in the box files. He picked up his jacket and laptop.
Janine didn’t want him to go without trying to make the peace. ‘Last night,’ she said, ‘I was out of order. Everything-’ she stopped herself from trying to justify her behaviour. ‘No excuse.’
‘No,’ Richard agreed.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
‘Maybe you should tell that to Millie,’ he said unsmiling.
‘I will. She’s coming for a drink?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’ll talk to her,’ Janine said.
‘ OK.’ He put his jacket on and walked to the door.
‘But there is something.’
‘What?’
‘Not an excuse, more a sort of explanation with a big apology attached. I was kicking the cat. I know you don’t really get it, the baby thing but it’s… let’s just say that for me it’s a biggie. I was struggling and you seemed a million miles away, not even on my side anymore and Millie, well, she seemed to be the reason. But I was unfair and I was a cow and I’m really sorry. It was just with Pete and Tina-’ She sighed, began to close down her files. ‘She’s nice.’
‘Tina?’
‘No, not Tina, Tina is a bloody nightmare. Millie.’
‘I know.’
‘I’m still not convinced,’ Janine murmured.
‘What’s that?’ he stopped.
‘That she’s your type.’
‘I don’t have a type.’ Richard took the bait, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. ‘What’s my type? Go on.’ He was laughing. Almost.
‘You’re going to be late,’ Janine said and turned back to her screen.
She would join the team, down a tonic without the gin or maybe an orange juice. And then she’d head off. Home to her kids.
She might put off explaining about the divorce until there was a bit more time to field questions and deal with the inevitable upset. But she’d tell them that it would be OK. Pete could still have them every other weekend and holidays. The baby would come along and everything would change a little bit but life would go on.
She saved her files and powered down the computer.
We’ll be fine she’d tell them – don’t worry.
Janine paused at the door, looked back at the notice boards which looked bare now, vacant.
We did it, she thought. After all that mess and confusion we did it. Solved the murder and found the missing child. John could be laid to rest and Sammy was back with his mum and dad. We did it, she thought, as she snapped off the lights. We bloody did it!
Acknowledgements
Thanks to everyone involved with Blue Murder at Granada and especially to Anna Davies – a brilliant script editor.
About the Author
Cath Staincliffe is an established novelist, radio playwright and the creator of ITV1's hit series, Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin as DCI Janine Lewis, which attracted an audience of 8.4 million viewers. Cath’s books have been short-listed for the Crime Writers Association Best First Novel Award and for the Dagger in the Library and she is a winner of the Short Story Dagger. Looking For Trouble launched private eye Sal Kilkenny, a single parent struggling to juggle work and home, onto Manchester’s mean streets. Crying Out Loud is the eighth and latest title in the series. Cath’s newest novels, Split Second and Blink of an Eye examine hot topical issues and tell stories of ordinary people, caught up in the criminal justice system, who face difficult and dangerous choices. Cath writes the Scott & Bailey novels based on the popular ITV1 series. She lives in Manchester with her partner and their children. Cath is a founder member of Murder Squad see www.murdersquad.co.uk
www.cathstaincliffe.co.uk
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