15. Murray
“Do you want me to wait in the car?” London asked as soon as I parked outside the police station. “For Kelly’s sake? It might be weird for her if I walk in by your side.”
I considered it, but after what London had shared, I wanted to keep her with me. She made me feel like I hadn’t let Kelly down. That I could still make this okay for my daughter. “I’d like you there. Kelly could do with all the support she can get.”
My phone rang as we got out of the car, and I saw it was my mum. I dreaded explaining to her what was going on, but I’d rather I had all the information first, so I decided I’d call her back later.
London hurried to match my stride, and I felt a tickle on my palm and looked down only to see she was reaching for my hand. There was an uncertainty in her expression that tightened into determination before she threaded her fingers through mine.
I squeezed her hand in thanks and led her inside the station.
After I’d explained who I was at Reception, we had to wait a few minutes before a police officer arrived. Every second was torture. Someone might as well have been in the room dragging their nails down a chalkboard for how agitated I was.
“Mr. Shaw, I’m PC Brown. I was one of the officers who attended your ex-wife’s home this morning and I’ve been looking after your daughter Kelly,” the kind female officer around London’s age introduced herself.
“How is she?”
“She’s doing well. Impatient to see you. But I’d like to talk to you in private first.” Her dark gaze flickered to London.
“Uh, this is my … wife.” It still felt so odd to say it. “You can speak in front of her.”
“Of course. Come this way.”
We followed the constable into a private room, London’s hand tight in mine. I fought my impatience as the officer introduced another officer called DC McJennett and asked us to sit at a desk across from them.
“Is it bad?” I asked, my gut knotting. “What you found?”
“Mr. Shaw, this morning at 5:26 a.m., PC Brown and her colleague PC Frost attended a welfare check on your daughter Kelly at your ex-wife Jill Tinsley’s home,” DC McJennett relayed information I already knew.
“The scene they found was concerning enough for them to call it in. I and fellow officers attended the call, and we confiscated illegal drug paraphernalia. Some of it has been tested at the station and some of it will be tested off-site. We’ve found enough quantities of cocaine and money that indicate the premises were being used for dealing.
That and the fact that we arrested this individual from your ex-wife’s home.
Do you know him?” The constable slid a tablet across the table and on it was a photo of the bloke I threatened a few weeks ago.
My pulse picked up pace. “I met him when I dropped Kelly off at her Mum’s. He said his name was Dorian. He’s Jill’s boyfriend.”
“He is Dorian Walsh, the youngest brother of a well-known Liverpudlian criminal, Aaron Walsh. The brothers have spent the past few years branching out into Scotland. Finding vulnerable people whose homes they can take over and use to deal drugs out of.”
Jill … Jill had brought a criminal into the same house as my daughter? My whole body was suddenly too hot with my rising anger. “Did Jill know?”
“Jill tested positive for cocaine and cannabis.”
I turned to London, horrified. “How the fuck did I …”
“No.” London caressed my arm, her brow furrowed with concern. “Don’t put this on yourself.”
“I hired a private investigator. He told me there were people coming and going from the house. I should have …” I curled my hands into fists, pushing down the fury.
“Why did you hire a private investigator?” PC Brown asked.
“I wanted sole custody of Kelly. She told me Jill was leaving her alone for days at a time, bringing strange men over, drinking during the day … but no judge would give me sole custody without proof. I thought if I could get proof of her leaving Kelly on her own, then I could get an emergency court order.”
“You’ll get your emergency court order now, Mr. Shaw.” PC Brown gave me a reassuring nod.
“We just needed to know if you had knowledge of any of this?” her colleague asked. “Also, I’d like to ask for the footage your private investigator has obtained. It could prove very useful in our case.”
“No, I had no knowledge. Aye, I can get the footage for you. I just … what happens to Jill? I need to know what I should tell my solicitor.”
The officers went on to relay that Jill was now key to helping the police bring down a wider operation they were working on in conjunction with the Merseyside Police in Liverpool.
They had offered her a chance to cooperate to lessen her charge to possession rather than dealing.
But they said she appeared too scared to testify against Dorian.
Therefore, she could be released on bail.
A tiny part of me was concerned for Jill.
That she was in danger of Dorian and his brother …
but I had to put those feelings aside because Jill was a grown woman who knew what she was doing when she got into bed with Dorian.
My daughter was an innocent victim dragged into this mess.
I’d worked so hard to make sure my child had all the love, comfort, and security in the world, and I’d failed in the end, anyway.
“We have specialist officers here who we ask to talk to children in sensitive situations like this. Kelly has assured that officer that nothing untoward happened to her or has happened to her. She locked herself in her bathroom and has been doing that anytime there have been people she didn’t know in the house.
Of course, if Kelly does divulge any new information to you or your wife, you can call us directly.
” DC McJennett handed me his business card.
“PC Brown will take you to your daughter now.”
We found Kelly in a family room that had a comfortable sofa, toys, and a TV. She jumped up from the sofa as soon as I walked in and threw herself into my arms.
I breathed her in, shuddering with relief.
Then she started to cry quietly, and I lifted her up into my arms, even though she was long past that.
But Kelly didn’t seem to feel she was past it.
She wound her arms tightly around my neck as she sobbed into my throat.
She was still in her pajamas. I caught London’s pained look over Kelly’s shoulder.
“Let’s take you home, m’eudail,” I told her gruffly.
“F-for good?”
“For good,” I promised because there was no fucking way I’d ever let Jill near her now. She’d proven time and time again she had no mind to our daughter’s safety. And just like that, any concern I had for my ex-wife burned beneath the fire of my fury.
The officers brought me Kelly’s coat a few minutes later and then we had another twenty minutes or so of signing papers and the police helping me gather what I needed to send to my solicitor so I could get my emergency court order.
Finally, we got Kelly settled into the back of the car and that’s when she asked, “What about all my stuff at Mum’s house?”
Unfortunately, her mum’s house was still an active crime scene. I clipped on my seat belt as London clipped on hers, and I looked at Kelly in the rearview mirror. “You’ve got your stuff at home, and we can get you new things until I can get everything from your mum’s. Is that okay?”
“Aye, that’s fine.” She yawned, clearly knackered from a night of not sleeping and the goddamn ordeal her mother had put her through. Still, her sleepy gaze moved to London. “So, you’re my new stepmum?”
London threw me a panicked look she quickly covered as she turned to meet Kelly’s gaze. “I am. I know it’s a lot considering everything … but I want you to know I’m here if you need me.”
“I don’t.”
I blanched at my daughter’s cold tone.
“I don’t need anyone but Dad and Nana. But if being married to you will help Dad keep custody of me and get Mum out of our lives, then fine. I’m tired. Wake me up when we get to the ferry.” Kelly slammed her eyes closed, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Her cheeks were pale and tearstained.
I watched London as she slowly faced front. Her anxious expression made me cross the boundaries I’d put in place … and I patted her knee in reassurance.
Her eyes flicked to me in surprise.
“It’ll be okay,” I mouthed.
London didn’t look convinced, but she nodded and turned from me.
Kelly had always been a friendly, warm kid, which surprised me, considering how much Jill toyed with her emotions.
However, I think my daughter had been pushed over the edge, so no one could blame her for being cautious or resentful.
And she was fourteen. I was due the teenage ups and downs with her, and this latest event seemed like more than enough trauma to kick it off.
Marrying a woman my daughter barely knew didn’t exactly make me Father of the Year, even if I had done it partially for her.
Jill and I had both failed our daughter.
And now I’d put London in an awkward position too.
This was one giant clusterfuck, and I had no idea how to make any of it right.