Page 94 of Her Last Walk Home

‘She’s the cat’s mother,’ Lottie said, marching into his space. ‘I asked what you’re doing in my house.’

Katie broke out of her stupor. ‘He came to see me. How do you know Jackson?’

Lottie laughed. ‘Jackson? That’s a good one. Are you a jack of all trades then?’

‘I have to go.’ He edged towards the door. ‘Sorry, Katie.’

‘Not so fast, Greg,’ Lottie said.

‘Greg?’ Katie didn’t know what was going on. But hearing her mother’s tone, dripping sarcasm and disdain in equal measure, she knew it wasn’t going to end well.

‘Greg Plunkett,’ Lottie said. ‘Markets himself as a modelling photographer to entice young women into his lair and then sets them up as part of his dating agency, which is really an escort agency.’

‘That’s absurd,’ Katie said derisively. In reality, she was still reeling from the fact that he’d lied about his name. She watched her mother round on him.

‘Oh, so you haven’t told my daughter what you do?’

‘You have it all wrong,’ he mumbled, his hand on the door. ‘I’m leaving.’

‘Without giving Katie an explanation? Have you tried to coerce her like you did Laura Nolan and Shannon Kenny?’

‘What? No, and I don’t coerce anyone.’

‘And what about Aneta Kobza?’

‘Aneta who?’

‘Don’t play the innocent with me, Mr Plunkett. Your business is nothing short of a prostitution racket and you’re the pimp.’

‘You’re insane!’

Lottie pulled out a chair and sat. Katie tipped the pot into the sink, potatoes and water, and switched off the oven. Her mother could starve, because she was being insensitive at best and obnoxious at worst. Did she not realise she was still standing there listening to those awful accusations?

Lottie must have seen the look on her face, because she said, ‘Check on your grandmother. I need to have a conversation with Greg here.’

He opened the door. ‘I’m leaving. You have no right to talk to me the way you just did. I’ve been cooperative with you from day one. I’ve a mind to report you.’

‘And I’ve a mind to lock you up. You’re trespassing in my home.’

‘I let him in,’ Katie said. ‘So you can forget about trespassing.’

The door behind Greg pushed in and he moved to one side. Rose stood on the threshold, looking all around. Her hair was matted to her scalp and a sheen of perspiration lined her forehead.

‘What’s all the shouting about?’ She waved her arms. ‘I want to go home.’

Katie rushed over and took her arm to lead her back to the sitting room. ‘Will you help me stoke the fire, Gran?’

‘What fire? Is the house on fire? I smell burned spuds.’ She pointed at Greg. ‘Who are you?’

Katie took her gran’s hand to lead her out, and glared at him thinking that that was a very good question.

There was shouting coming from somewhere in the house. Shannon wondered what was going on. She felt so ill and her skin itched all over. A wave of nausea travelled from her stomach to her throat. If I get sick now, I’ll choke, she thought. Her mouth was bound with tape again. She had to escape from this hellhole. The little girl, Magenta, might be her way out. But how? Was she as evil as the adults? Who were these people?

She groaned, twisting over onto her side. The door opened and a shaft of light pierced the ink-black room. She blinked and tried to see who had entered, but her eyes were as sore as the rest of her body. She couldn’t even cry out.

66

Lottie watched Greg shuffle from foot to foot in his shiny leather shoes. He could have left after Katie and Rose, but he’d remained. Did he think he was safer answering questions here without caution than at the station? She’d find out.

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