I drive. James stretches out his bad leg in the passenger seat. “Well, that was weird,” I comment.

James grunts.

In the rear mirror, Charlotte stares out of the window. “You okay?”

She keeps staring. Tonelessly, “The same thing happened to him as to me. He was scared. He stabbed someone. He ran.”

James swivels in his seat, stabbing a finger towards her. “It is not the same, Charlotte. All aside from the detail that he was responsible for you being in that position, however bad a start to life you both had, you both had choices afterwards. You made choices that turned you into a strong admirable woman. He made choices that took him down the path of slaver and multiple murderer. He could have turned from it at any point and he chose not to do so.”

*****

Michael

I tap on her office door. “Hi, it’s only me.”

Charlotte looks up from her desk. “Is it that time already?”

“Yup. Ready for home?”

“Sure. Let me just…”

My mobile buzzes. It’s Beth.

Not like her to call me out of the blue…

“Hi, Beth. What can I do for you?”

“Hi Michael. Um, could you spare me some time?”

Oh, God…

Not more bloody papers…

Beth. When did you have in mind? I'm free tomorrow afternoon if

I mean right now, Michael. Right now. Can you come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her voice

but

anything to her. Just come

then, “Um, Beth’s got something she wants me to look at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle.

Course I can. Give me a buzz when

squeeze her arm, then head for

*****

are both there, wearing identical expressions. Arms folded, eyes

there, sitting by Beth, is David, the

Charlotte’s uncle…

they wouldn’t

registered

Because of her mother…

time, I could have cheerfully punched the pair of them, and it must show on

“Mr Summerford… Michael… May

on why

and seats himself again. “First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else in the family I'm here. Especially

nothing to do with her. So, still standing, “As you wish. Why

couldn’t speak with

could have phoned me any time since then. I left my

more so with age…

have

“Shelley called me.”

and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’ eyes, all but black, bore into David. “…

Stephen wouldn’t even consider her returning. But she still rang from time to time. Stephen always hung up on her and she called less

“And the last time?”

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