that? Those are wise words. No police. We don’t
ever mention what happened last night to the police, you got that?’
‘But the car-’
‘The car, that’s OK. They’ll trace it to me, and I’ll handle it. No sweat.’
‘Someone died-’
‘The bastard who was planting the bomb! Good riddance!’ Maybe that would be an end to it. Maybe the bomber was Redmond, and it would all be over now? But deep down Annie wasn’t convinced. Bombs didn’t seem like Redmond’s style.
‘They’ll find it odd that you left the scene, won’t they?’
‘I panicked,’ said Annie.
‘You? I don’t think so.’ Layla folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself as if she were cold.
‘Look, here’s what’ll happen: you’ll stay off work-’
‘No, I-’
‘You’re staying off work,’ repeated Annie more firmly. ‘Until we know what we’re dealing with, you’re going to a safer place with secur-’
‘No!’ said Layla.
‘I don’t want any arguments about this.’
Layla was silent a moment, brooding. Her mother was repeating the same old patterns that had dogged her all through childhood. All Annie had ever done was send her away. She was an adult now, but nothing had changed: she was sending her away again.
‘The police will come soon, won’t they?’ said Layla. She doubted her own ability to front this out as her mother could. She was afraid she would crumble and confess everything.
‘You won’t be here when they do. Which is another good reason for placing you elsewhere.’
Annie was right. Layla could see that.
‘Get some stuff together, Tony will drive you, and I’ll get one of the boys to stay with you. And you don’t tell anyone, not even your closest friend, where you’re going. OK?’
‘I don’t know where I’m going.’
‘You know what I mean.’
Layla stood up. She didn’t have any close friends. All she had were work colleagues. When she’d been a child, it hadn’t taken long before the parents of other kids in her class got wind of the fact that the Carters’ wealth came from disreputable sources. Inevitably the rumours would begin circulate as the respectable parents – doctors, lawyers, academics – dug deeper. The gang rumours. The brothel rumours. So they’d steer their children away from Layla. This had gone on, all through school, through college, even into work.
‘OK,’ she sighed.
‘Good.’ Annie and Tony stood up.
Layla went to the door, and paused there.
‘I suppose I ought to tell you…’ she said.
‘Tell me what?’ asked Annie.
‘I phoned Dad.’