Jill … Jill had brought a criminal into the same house as my daughter? My whole body was suddenly too hot with my rising anger. “Did Jill know?”
“Jill tested positive for cocaine and cannabis.”
I turned to London, horrified. “How the fuck did I …”
“No.” London caressed my arm, her brow furrowed with concern. “Don’t put this on yourself.”
“I hired a private investigator. He told me there were people coming and going from the house. I should have …” I curled my hands into fists, pushing down the fury.
“Why did you hire a private investigator?” PC Brown asked.
“I wanted sole custody of Kelly. She told me Jill was leaving her alone for days at a time, bringing strange men over, drinking during the day … but no judge would give me sole custody without proof. I thought if I could get proof of her leaving Kelly on her own, then I could get an emergency court order.”
“You’ll get your emergency court order now, Mr. Shaw.” PC Brown gave me a reassuring nod.
“We just needed to know if you had knowledge of any of this?” her colleague asked. “Also, I’d like to ask for the footage your private investigator has obtained. It could prove very useful in our case.”
“No, I had no knowledge. Aye, I can get the footage for you. I just … what happens to Jill? I need to know what I should tell my solicitor.”
The officers went on to relay that Jill was now key to helping the police bring down a wider operation they were working on in conjunction with the Merseyside Police in Liverpool. They had offered her a chance to cooperate to lessen her charge to possession rather than dealing. But they said she appeared tooscared to testify against Dorian. Therefore, she could be released on bail.
A tiny part of me was concerned for Jill. That she was in danger of Dorian and his brother … but I had to put those feelings aside because Jill was a grown woman who knew what she was doing when she got into bed with Dorian. My daughter was an innocent victim dragged into this mess. I’d worked so hard to make sure my child had all the love, comfort, and security in the world, and I’d failed in the end, anyway.
“We have specialist officers here who we ask to talk to children in sensitive situations like this. Kelly has assured that officer that nothing untoward happened to her or has happened to her. She locked herself in her bathroom and has been doing that anytime there have been people she didn’t know in the house. Of course, if Kelly does divulge any new information to you or your wife, you can call us directly.” DC McJennett handed me his business card. “PC Brown will take you to your daughter now.”
We found Kelly in a family room that had a comfortable sofa, toys, and a TV. She jumped up from the sofa as soon as I walked in and threw herself into my arms.
I breathed her in, shuddering with relief.
Then she started to cry quietly, and I lifted her up into my arms, even though she was long past that. But Kelly didn’t seem to feel she was past it. She wound her arms tightly around my neck as she sobbed into my throat. She was still in her pajamas. I caught London’s pained look over Kelly’s shoulder.
“Let’s take you home, m’eudail,” I told her gruffly.
“F-for good?”
“For good,” I promised because there was no fucking way I’d ever let Jill near her now. She’d proven time and time again she had no mind to our daughter’s safety. And just like that, any concern I had for my ex-wife burned beneath the fire of my fury.
The officers brought me Kelly’s coat a few minutes later and then we had another twenty minutes or so of signing papers and the police helping me gather what I needed to send to my solicitor so I could get my emergency court order.
Finally, we got Kelly settled into the back of the car and that’s when she asked, “What about all my stuff at Mum’s house?”
Unfortunately, her mum’s house was still an active crime scene. I clipped on my seat belt as London clipped on hers, and I looked at Kelly in the rearview mirror. “You’ve got your stuff at home, and we can get you new things until I can get everything from your mum’s. Is that okay?”
“Aye, that’s fine.” She yawned, clearly knackered from a night of not sleeping and the goddamn ordeal her mother had put her through. Still, her sleepy gaze moved to London. “So, you’re my new stepmum?”
London threw me a panicked look she quickly covered as she turned to meet Kelly’s gaze. “I am. I know it’s a lot considering everything … but I want you to know I’m here if you need me.”
“I don’t.”
I blanched at my daughter’s cold tone.
“I don’t need anyone but Dad and Nana. But if being married to you will help Dad keep custody of me and get Mum out of our lives, then fine. I’m tired. Wake me up when we get to the ferry.” Kelly slammed her eyes closed, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Her cheeks were pale and tearstained.
I watched London as she slowly faced front. Her anxious expression made me cross the boundaries I’d put in place … and I patted her knee in reassurance.
Her eyes flicked to me in surprise.
“It’ll be okay,” I mouthed.