Page 17 of Her Last Walk Home

‘I’ll need her friends’ names and details. One of them might be able to help us fill in the blanks.’

‘I… I don’t think she had many friends. Things had been difficult for her since Aaron came along.’

‘Who was she meeting, then?’

‘I’ve no idea. I never pried too much. I think I got on her nerves enough as it was.’

‘Did Laura work outside the home?’ Boyd asked.

‘Yes. In Lidl. Checkout and shelf-stacking. She dropped out of college when she got pregnant. Ruined her life, so it did.’ She must have caught Lottie’s look, because she added, ‘I don’t meanit that way. Aaron is a sweet boy and I love him to bits. So did Laura. I just wish she’d gone back to college and then she could have set herself up in a decent career.’

Lottie had thought the same thing about her Katie.

‘Had she a laptop?’ She’d love to see Laura’s calendar. It might give them some idea if she had a date. Her online activity could also help.

‘No laptop. She kept her life on her phone, like all the young ones.’ Diana raised her chin. ‘You have her phone, haven’t you?

‘Unfortunately, we haven’t found it. I’ll need her number and we’ll try to trace it. Did she have a handbag with her?’

‘Yes. A tiny thing. Only held her phone, a few cosmetics and a bank card. Not that she had much to spend… You said you got her details from the bank. How did you manage that?’

‘Her card was in her jeans pocket. No handbag. No phone.’

‘I can’t get my head around all this. Are you sure it’s Laura?’

‘Yes, I’m afraid so. When did you last hear from your daughter?’

‘She was in her bedroom finishing her make-up. We had words. The state she left the bathroom in.’ Diana dropped her head as if realising how inconsequential it was now. ‘Our relationship was strained to say the least. But isn’t that always the way when mothers are disappointed with their daughters’ choices?’

‘What choices made you disappointed? Her decision to keep her son?’

‘No, that was my decision,’ Diana said, sadly. ‘I wouldn’t allow her to give him up. She loved her child. She was a brilliant mother to Aaron. It was our relationship that wasn’t the best. I was too hard on her and… now she’s gone.’ She folded in on herself and sobbed loudly. Lottie could see that the woman was horribly broken. ‘I want her home. I want her back. I’m so sorry for everything I ever said to her and it’s too late to tell her.’

‘What about Aaron’s father?’

‘I don’t know who he is. Laura never said, though I probed enough about him. He was never on the scene. I’m a widow myself. Not long after Laura was born. And now she’s…’ Her sobs blotted out her words.

‘Diana?’ Lottie said. ‘Can I look at her room, please? I won’t remove anything unless I deem it essential to our investigation, and if there is something I need, I’ll ask you first.’

‘Sure.’ Diana waved her hand towards the door. ‘Upstairs. Can you tell me how she died? Did she suffer?’

‘We need to have a post-mortem in order to answer your questions.’

As Lottie stood, a little blonde-haired boy scampered into the kitchen.

‘Nan, where’s Mammy? Is she at work?’ Then he seemed to notice the two strangers standing there and leaped up onto Diana’s lap.

‘I’ll have a look upstairs so,’ Lottie said, and she nodded at Boyd for him to stay in the kitchen.

17

‘Where the hell do you think you’re going at this hour of the day?’ George shouted before Shannon had one foot over the threshold.

She ducked under his outstretched arm. ‘Couldn’t find my key.’ She had no idea where she’d left it. Now she’d have to get one cut. More expense. And her head was swimming.

‘You missed work again. They phoned me wondering where you were. I was about to call the guards. Jesus, Shannon, you can’t keep this up. You need to slow down.’

‘What? And be piss-boring like you? Feck off, George. I need a shower.’

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