Page 37

CHAPTER 37

MELANIE – D AY F OUR

In her dream Melanie is in the middle of an interview when the familiar trill of her phone interrupts. Sorry, sorry . She tries to silence the phone but the bleeping continues.

Her eyes snap open in panic. It’s dark. The bleeping continues: somebody’s trying to FaceTime. It takes a moment to realise she’s in the office in her sleeping bag, the phone on the floor alongside her glowing with each chirrup. Melanie stretches out her hand but cannot reach it. She sits up, eyes heavy with exhaustion and in no mood for a FaceTime with anyone until she sees who’s calling. Tom.

Barely 6 a.m.

Oh my God. What’s happened?

Melanie accepts the FaceTime to see her husband, grey and exhausted, full frame. He’s in unfamiliar surroundings. The background doesn’t look like the Airbnb. White with a flash of grey screen or some kind of curtain.

‘Right. So the first thing to say is George is OK. It’s all sorted. He’s right here listening. He’s had a little accident but he’s OK. We’re just out of X-ray and the plaster clinic. He’s sore but he’s going to be fine. George. Come here. Say hello to Mummy.’

A few seconds and George appears in shot, Tom gently lifting him on to his knee, and holding the phone further away so she can see them both on-screen. George is wearing a plaster cast on his right arm. No. Left arm. Mirror image.

For a beat, Melanie is filled with a mixture of both terror and anger. How could this happen? And why the hell didn’t Tom ring the very moment it happened? But George is staring anxiously into the screen.

‘Hey darling,’ she says, trying to appear calm. ‘It sounds as if you’ve been a brave boy. What happened?’

‘I fell out of the bunk bed. I’m sorry. Daddy said I was to stay in the bottom bunk but I wanted to try the top one. I needed a wee and I missed the ladder with my foot.’

‘Oh dear. So is it very sore, darling?’

‘A bit. Are you cross?’

‘No. Of course I’m not cross.’

‘Right. So the drama’s all over, Mummy,’ says Tom, ‘and the doctors say it’s a clean and simple break. It’ll mend just fine. George has been lucky. They saw him and treated him quickly. Another woman was telling me her nephew didn’t get a cast straight away a couple of weeks back. Just given painkillers and sent home to wait for plaster clinic. So we’ve done well in the circumstances. He just needs to take it easy, don’t you, buddy?’

George nods, eyes wide. Melanie wonders what drugs they’ve given him. He looks a little spaced.

‘So why didn’t you phone me straight away, Daddy?’

‘I was worried you would get in the car exhausted and drive straight here.’

Melanie feels a punch to the gut. That’s exactly what she would have done.

‘I didn’t want you driving when you’re tired. I decided to get George to the hospital and find out what was what before calling you. In fact, it was all way better and quicker than I expected. We were in a zone where phones aren’t allowed at first so I decided – and please don’t be cross, Mummy – that it was better to just get it all sorted out and then FaceTime you once I really knew where we are. If it had been more serious, any tricky decision or anything like that, I would have rung before.’

Melanie feels winded. ‘Right. So I’ll get on to the chief inspector and the super. Sort cover. Get down there as soon as I can.’

‘You can do that? Abandon the case?’ Tom’s expression is difficult to read. ‘It’s just we only have two more days here now. I was thinking let’s see how today goes. If it’s too tough for George, I’ll bring him home early. If he manages, we’ll come home as planned and see you then.’

Melanie notices that he doesn’t mention the original plan of her giving this case two or three days max and joining them belatedly. That boat long since sailed.

‘What do you think, George? Do you think you can manage, darling?’

‘I want to see you, Mummy.’

‘Yes, of course. And I want to see you too, darling boy. You’ve been very brave—’

‘Right. So Daddy’s calling this,’ Tom interrupts. ‘How about we have today here. You can show your cousins your plaster cast and get them all to sign it. And if you want to go home, we will drive home this afternoon. Mummy’s very busy with work but she can at least see you at home. But if you want to stay at the holiday house until tomorrow, that’s OK too. How about we let you decide, buddy.’ Tom is looking at George, holding him close and then kissing him on the forehead.

Melanie feels overwhelmed. Every ounce of her being wanting to just throw clothes on. Get ... in ... the ... car.

‘Is that OK with Mummy? We let George decide when we come home early. Later today or tomorrow. So either way we will both see you very soon.’

Melanie just nods, unable to speak. She blows kisses and George blows kisses back.

‘We’re going to go now but I’ll ring from the holiday house once George is settled back there and I bring everyone up to date.’

‘I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry, Tom. I wish—’

‘It’s fine. He’s been a very brave boy. We understand how busy you are. How important it is what you’re doing. I’ll ring you later when he’s back with everyone.’

‘Thank you. Love you both.’

‘We love you too.’

Melanie watches them disappear but keeps staring at the phone as the FaceTime home page sits there. A part of her wants to call straight back. Do the right thing. Get on the road.

But how can she? Melanie starts to go over in her mind an imaginary handover to another SIO. Manslaughter charges have been brought against three of the boys over the homeless man’s death. A decision’s still pending on what Zak will be charged with. Matthew’s breakthrough with the car park footage means five cars need to be traced. Their owners interviewed urgently. Adam Meadows is being brought down for interview. Dawn Meadows’ bank details are due in this morning. There’s more trouble from the vigilantes out on the Park Estate. They’ve had to find another safe house for the man on the sex offenders’ register. The list goes on. And on ... Trying to hand this over to another senior officer will be a nightmare. So much more, all the next steps and new strategy, is still swimming around in her head, not all of it on paper or computer.

Melanie realises that she’s crying. Which is rare. She crosses her arms and clutches her body tight, rocking to and fro. How she wishes George were right here. On her lap so she could cuddle him tight, tight. She’s never broken a bone. Doesn’t know how much it will hurt.

Suddenly she’s remembering all the conversations with Matthew about juggling work and family. Lately, while negotiating his return to the force to help her build a new team in Cornwall, it was his biggest worry. Doing right by Sally and Amelie. Melanie realises that up to this point, she has always found the juggling difficult. But doable. And only in this moment, does she fully understand why .

Tom.

She starts typing a text to him. This man, this beloved man who has shouldered so much over the years to let her pursue the career she loves. She writes several sentences before realising she’s rambling. Borderline incoherent. She deletes it all. Tries again.

I do not deserve you. xx