‘No,’ she repeated, ‘he never. It wasn’t any of them.’ Shirelle was adamant.
‘You know who, then?’
‘No.’
Rachel held her gaze, tried to see beyond the cuts and the bloodshot eye.
‘That’s the truth,’ she said, ‘I swear.’
‘What do you know about Greg Tandy?’ Rachel asked.
‘Who?’ But there was a false note to the question.
‘He was staying at Keane’s. Connor’s dad. You know Connor?’
‘I know Connor,’ she said, ‘I don’t know his dad.’
Rachel wasn’t sure she believed her. Aware that when any probing came close to Williams or his grubby little empire, Shirelle watched her step.
‘What was he like, Victor?’ With no family, no records, any information on the man was patchy to say the least. They probably knew more about Richard Kavanagh. Didn’t even have any photographs.
‘He was a big kid.’ She paused, but the temptation to talk about him must have won her over. ‘Like when we were together, he was still friendly with Lydia and I said, “I don’t share,” but he just fooled about, like it was a joke. He never grew up.’ For the first time, behind the words blunted by her injuries, Rachel heard grief in what Shirelle was saying.
Most of them don’t grow up, Rachel thought. Would Sean? Had he? This, the marriage, pushing Rachel to meet her mother, was that grown-up behaviour? He still found farting and cock jokes totally hilarious.
‘Is there anything else you wish to add?’ Rachel was ready to wind things up, they had enough to charge her with possession with intent to supply.
‘The Paradise,’ Shirelle said, ‘it’s been OK.’ A sliver of remorse.
‘I know,’ Rachel said, ‘and then it wasn’t.’
The café, self-service, was cheap and cheerful, not too greasy, ideal for a quick lunch.
‘What are you getting?’ Rachel said.
Janet looked at her watch, they hadn’t long but she needed something hot and filling. ‘Macaroni cheese.’ Rachel ordered the pasta and a steak and mushroom pie. They took their meals to an empty table in the corner.
‘So, what’s wrong with Her Majesty?’ Rachel said.
Janet shook her head. ‘None of your business.’
Rachel gave a heavy sigh.
Janet didn’t care, there was no way she was going to betray Gill’s confidence. Friendship was rooted in trust. Sometimes she wasn’t sure whether Rachel understood that.
‘How’s Elise?’
Janet told Rachel the same she’d told Gill earlier, including the fact that Ade blamed Janet and Olivia’s mother had turned on Elise.
‘You want to tell her what’s what,’ Rachel said. ‘If it was Olivia egging Elise on, Olivia lying about the party, then…’
‘There’s a time and a place,’ Janet said. ‘She’s mad with shock.’