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

now. Can you come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her voice lowers. “Are you

I slip a glance, but Charlotte’s occupied with something on her

anything to her. Just

to look at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle. Can you keep yourself

dancing. “What, more of them? Course I can. Give me a buzz when you’re done, and I’ll come

kiss her forehead, squeeze her arm, then head

*****

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

is David, the

Charlotte’s uncle…

wouldn’t acknowledge

registered

Because of her mother…

time, I could have cheerfully punched the pair of them,

“Mr Summerford… Michael… May I call

on why

himself again. “First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else in the

to welcome this man who rejected my wife for events that had nothing to do with her. So, still standing, “As you wish. Why are you

my eye. “Yes, I couldn’t speak with Stephen there

have phoned me any time since then.

inflexible. Always has been. And he’s gotten more so with age… He wants to control

have you come

“Shelley called me.”

I look around the room. Beth and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’ eyes, all but black, bore into David.

home. She said she was frightened by something. Stephen wouldn’t even consider her returning. But she still rang from time to time. Stephen always hung up on

“And the last time?”

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