After leaving the hospital, Layla went shopping. She wanted to buy something nice for Precious. Her two bodyguards trailed her around Bond Street as she struggled to find a suitable gift. Godiva chocolates? No good, the poor cow couldn’t eat solids yet. But later, she’d buy her some of those.
After much deliberation, she arrived at the solution: a pretty pink cropped cashmere cardigan to keep her warm when she was well enough to sit up. Precious was tough, she would heal fast.
Pleased with her purchase, Layla had the goons drive her home to Holland Park. As she hurried into the hall, passing Bri standing stony-faced on the door, Annie came out of the drawing room.
‘Hi,’ said Layla.
‘Come in here, Layla,’ said Annie.
What now? she wondered. ‘But I need a shower…’
‘It’ll only take a moment. Please, come in here.’
Curious, Layla did as she was asked. Her mother had stepped back inside the room, and as Layla passed her she closed the door behind them.
‘Has Dad seen Junior?’ she asked, dumping her bags on the sofa and sitting down.
‘What?’ Annie looked blank. She sat down too, on the sofa opposite.
‘Was Junior helping Rufus Malone?’ said Layla, barely able to get that name out without a strong surge of disgust and hatred. ‘Was Dad right?’
If Rufus had caught her, would he have done to her what he’d done to Precious? Or worse? She shuddered every time the thought crossed her mind, and it crossed her mind a lot. As for Junior, she couldn’t believe it. Would he really do that, betray them that way? They were family.
‘Oh,’ said Annie, rubbing a hand distractedly through her hair. ‘Your dad’s not back yet, I don’t know how it went with Junior.’
Layla pulled out the cardigan. ‘I got Precious this, do you think she’ll like it? Fuschia pink, she loves that colour, she’s a crystalline winter same as me, and it’s cashmere, soft as-’
‘Layla. Honey…’
Layla stopped. She was staring at her mother’s face now. A chill of fear settled in her midriff.
‘What is it?’ she asked.
‘I got a call from Mr Westover.’
‘Who?’
‘Precious’s dad.’ Annie took a breath. ‘He said… she died an hour ago.’
Layla’s face was a frozen mask.
Annie swallowed hard. ‘I’m so sorry. He said the internal bleeding had started up again. That it was bad. Really bad. They did everything they could, but they lost her on the operating table.’
‘But she can’t have died,’ said Layla, letting out a wild laugh of disbelief. She was holding Precious’s present in her hands. She had been speaking to Precious only a few hours ago. Sure, she was a mess, but she was talking, she…