Page 83 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

“Don’t believe everything Cole tells you.” He said and she laughed then.

“Are you saying I shouldn’t trust him?” She teased glancing up at Cole who was deep in conversation with his father.

“Oh you can trust him Maddie, just not when it comes to tales about me.” He said grinning.

“I think you might be as bad as he is.” Maddie stated.

“With respect, I’m not going to answer that.” He said and she laughed harder then.

“Maddie tell us about yourself.” Jenny said loud enough for a few of the other conversations to die.

“There’s not much to tell.” Maddie said shrugging.

“Where did you grow up? What university did you go to? How did you end up working for BlackWater?” Charles asked.

“I grew up in the East End. I didn’t go to University. I joined the army at sixteen and Homewell when I was twenty six. I worked abroad for a bit and then a case brought me to BlackWater.”

“You didn’t go to Uni?” Jenny said surprised and Maddie frowned. That was what she wanted to focus on, she thought.

“What about college?” Nicholas asked.

Maddie shrugged. “I got GCSE’s I didn’t need anything else to join up.”

“So you joined as a squaddie?” Charles asked giving her a look that she was more than used too. That she was somehow lesser value, because she hadn’t gone in as an officer.

“Maddie got promoted through the ranks.” Brandon said before Maddie could answer.

“Sounds like you’re a very determined young lady.” Cole’s uncle stated and she shrugged.

“I’m a hard worker that’s all.” She replied.

“And your parents, what do they do?” Charles asked.

“My mother died when I was sixteen. I don’t have any contact with my dad.” She said wincing slightly because it wasn’t exactly true now was it?

“So your parents were divorced?” Jenny asked.

“Something like that.” Maddie muttered. She wasn’t a hundred per cent sure Brandon knew the details but she definitely didn’t want to be going into it with a bunch of strangers.

“Charles can you pass the carrots?” Brandon said even though they were near enough for him to reach. “So how are things with your work Jenny? I hear you opened up a new gallery…?”

“Yes, in Peckham. It’s going great.” Jenny said suddenly becoming very animated and going into all the details of it.

Maddie breathed a mental sigh of relief because at least now the attention was off her.

“Ignore them.” Brandon muttered quietly. “They’re a bunch of snobs who’ve never worked a full day in their lives.”

Maddie nodded giving him what she hoped was a grateful look and took the opportunity to actually eat now the attention was finally off her.

“How was it?” Cole asked when the dinner was finally over and they slipped away after just a couple of drinks.

“It was fine.” Maddie said.

“I doubt that. I heard some of what Charles said.” He replied.

“It doesn’t matter Cole. I’m used to it. The comments, the judgement.” She stated.

Cole shook his head. “They don’t live in the real world. They were born into money and judge everyone that wasn’t.”

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