“I have a secret Daddy. It’s a big bad thing.”
Tom tried not to smile.
“Well honey, you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone. Cross my heart and hope to die. That’s what daddies are for, to tell all those things. Then the badness is wiped away.”
“Alright so.”
She took a deep breath, looked around, then with her head down, she began to tell.
“I told Mummy a big fib... I said the man..., did things to me... like we were told about in school... you know... girls and touches... to always tell a grown up. So... I pretended and told Mummy the man did.”
Tom was stunned. Thoughts chased each other in mad sequence.
“... Robbie hadn’t touched her
... they taught this at school?
... she didn’t call Robbie her daddy!”
He lent over and put his hand under her chin, lifted her face gently,
“It’s okay, Kendra, it’s okay... no one’s going to punish you.”
Tears rolled down her small face. Between sobs, she said,
“Will Mummy be very cross, I only said ’cos I thought she’d send the man away and you could come home.”
He wanted to weep himself, to stab somebody... anybody. To hide her away so the world would never touch her. But already she was drying her eyes and asked,
“Do I look terribly Daddy?”
“You look beautiful.”
When they got back, Liz was waiting at the door, an expression of gravity clouding her.
“The police are here.”
On cue, two plainclothes officers and WRC appeared. They were producing warrant cards. One said,
“Might we have a word Mr. Kenny, I’m Superintendent Barnes, this is Sergeant Woods. The WPC will look after the little girl.” All moved inside.
“What’s going on?” asked Tom.
“Your wife says, I’m sorry... your ex-wife says you picked up the little girl at 12. Is that correct?”
“Yes it is.”
“And you spent the full day with her? Did you leave her at any stage?”
“What do you mean leave her? She’s seven years old for God’s sake. Do you know the animals that are out there.”
The WPC turned and had a brief word with Barnes. He nodded.
“Well Mr. Kenny, your child confirms what you said.”
“You questioned the child?”
“It was necessary Mr. Kenny. We’re only doing our job. You’ve been inside I believe?”
“Yes I have.”
“Staying clean are we?”
“Well I dunno about you but I am.”
The policemen exchanged a look.
“You wouldn’t possess a handgun, would you Tom?”
“Ah, the Christian name now. No, I don’t have a gun. You said, I’m an ex-convict... What’s going on?”
“Between one and two o’clock today, Mr Robert Colbert was shot to death.”
“Jesus,” said Tom.
“Any idea as to who might wish harm to him?”
“Just about anyone who ever came in contact with him... he was that type of individual. Half of London I should think. Does that help?”
“We’ll be in touch Tom, keep yourself out of trouble, there’s a good lad.”
After they left. Liz walked right up to him.
“Did you have anything to do with this Tom?”
“No.”
“You’re sure?”
“Look, I’m not shedding any tears over him but I had nothing to do with it... okay. Is Kendra alright?”
“She’s exhausted, I put her to bed.”
As Tom turned to go he said,
“One thing Liz, if I’d gone after Colbert they wouldn’t have been round here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“There wouldn’t have been enough of him left to identify. Do you understand that.”
On his way home, Tom thought about Bridie.
“She couldn’t have, no way. I mean she’s crazy but is she pathological? God Almighty, what am I doing... blaming my own sister.”
Back and forth the inner debate raged in him and he stopped at a call box. Her answering machine said,
“I’m not home right now and if my luck holds, I won’t ever be. Whatever your position in the world, you have a right to be here.”
For an awful moment, he thought she was going to recite the whole of the Desiderata but the bleep stopped it. He left a message for her to get in touch — urgently. He thought about Colbert and didn’t think the world was dimmed by his passing. Then he moved to Kendra and that was the usual mix of joy, pain and regret.
Terry and Bill were drinking gin. As to whether it added to their air of depression was debatable, but it didn’t inspire levity. They were sitting in their usual pub at a corner table.
Terry said,
“I suppose we should drink that Pernod piss as a momento mori.”
“Fuck ’em.”
“Yea, do you think the convict had ’owt to do with it? Would he have the bottle to kill Colbert... What cha fink?”
“I think maybe tomorrow we should call on the convict anyway. Shake him up for a few sobs.”
Bill had an ex-wife to support and money was a constant preoccupation. He’d recently sold his car and had to rely on Terry’s. Marriage or such considerations never entered Terry’s plans. He kept budgies and his own company.
Bill looked over Terry’s shoulder and said,
“There’s a woman at the bar, keeps looking at you... looks like you’re about to score again.
“What’s she like?”
“Got a body on ’er. I’ll give her that and worth a few bob I’d guess.”
Terry had a knack of getting women. This he saw as further evidence of his all round superiority. Bill was envious to the point of hatred.
“You’ll have the knickers off that I suppose.”
Terry stood, stretched so’s the woman could have a full eyeful and walked slowly over, his smile in place. He had practised the smile to syncronize with the walk in his full length mirror. As he neared, the smile deepened.
The woman gave a tiny smile.
“Gotcha,” he thought and said,
“You are one beautiful lady but I expect you’re sick of hearing that. What are you drinking?”
“Would a vodka and slimline tonic be okay?”
“You don’t need slimline, you’ve the perfect figure.”
“Yo Fred, let’s get some service over here, large vodka for the lady, a bucket of gin for morose Bill over there and a large Gordon’s... fresh lemon.”
The woman looked at him with shining eyes and laid two fingers on his arm.
“I like a masterful man. It’s so rare.”
He casually brushed her knee.
“You gotta let the buggers know what’s what, if you’ll pardon my French.”
“Oh no, I like a man who lives life to the full. Who’s not afraid to take what he wants.”
Terry thought, “Bingo!”
Bill came over a little later and said,
“I’m going to call it a night, Terry. I’ll be round early so’s we can call on our friend.”
Terry saw no point in introductions. He nodded and said,
“Mind how you go Bill, it’s a jungle out there.”
He ordered more drinks and felt lust grow in proportion. A little after ten, he suggested they leave. The woman agreed. Outside, he pushed her against the wall and rammed his hand under her skirt.
“No” she said, “not here, do you have a car?”
He smiled and led her to it. They got in the back and she said,
“Just turn your head a moment while I take my knickers down.”
He did. Then he unzipped his fly and put his hand behind her head...
“Here’s what you want bitch.”
He forced her down and threw his head back in anticipation of the pleasure. A coldness hit his groin and a sharp pain... it was a few seconds before he realized it was the barrel of a gun, he shouted,