From the Dead

FORTY-SEVEN

The swings were every bit as rusty and the goalposts still had no nets, but the small park in Seven Sisters now felt a little more like a place where someone might actually want to stroll or to sit for a while. The weather helped, of course. A spot of sunshine and a few clumps of daffodils always made things look better, no matter how much pain people were in.

'I'll wait for her, you know,' Kate said.

She and Thorne were on the same bench that he, Donna and Anna had chosen almost three months earlier. The day Anna had confronted the man with the dog. Thorne couldn't even hazard a guess as to when Donna might have the chance to sit there again. She was on remand in Holloway Prison, awaiting trial for the manslaughter of Alan Langford.

'You might be waiting a while,' he said.

'It's fine,' Kate said. 'Least I can do.'

'You shouldn't feel guilty.'

'Shouldn't I?'

'None of it was your fault.'

'If I'd told her, things would never have gone as far as they did.' She leaned back. The tattoo was partially visible above the collar of her black T-shirt, the first few letters of Donna's name. 'If I'd told her what a bitch her daughter was.'

'She would've been devastated,' Thorne said. 'And she would've hated you for it.'

'If I'm honest, that's what I was really afraid of. I keep telling myself that I kept my mouth shut to protect her, but really I was trying to protect the both of us.'

'Nothing wrong with that,' Thorne said.

Three boys ran on to the grass from the other side of the park. One of them kicked a ball high into the air, and there was a good deal of swearing as they argued about who would be going in goal.

'Your friend might still be alive as well,' Kate said.

Thorne said nothing. He was not interested in blaming anyone but himself. Anna was his scab to pick at.

'Donna was really upset about that. She really liked her.'

'There was a lot to like.'

Kate looked at him. 'You two were close, yeah?'

'She was a friend, that's all.'

'And that was all you wanted, was it?'

'Yeah, I think so. I don't know.' Thorne watched the kids playing football, two Arsenal shirts and one bare-chested. 'I didn't know her long enough for it to be anything, really. It was all just… silly.'

'You should have said something.'

Thorne shook his head.

'Best to be honest, trust me.'

'Maybe,' Thorne said. Whatever his feelings for Anna had been – and beyond a few moments of sheer fantasy, they had never been overtly sexual – they had been a symptom of something else. It was time to be honest with himself… and Louise. 'So, what are you going to do?' he asked. 'While you're waiting.'

Kate shrugged, smiled. She looked much older than the last time Thorne had seen her, and she would be a damn sight older still before she and Donna could be together again. 'Go to see her. Make sure she knows I'm not going anywhere, you know?'

'She knows,' Thorne said. He believed it, but he also believed that prison was exactly where Donna wanted to be right now. It was the only place where she felt she truly belonged.

'Fancy a drink?'

'When?'

'Now? The pub, or I've got a bottle indoors.'

Thorne glanced at his watch and said that he needed to be getting back. Kate told him that was fine, that she had things to do herself. It was clear that she knew exactly where he was going. The case against Donna was still being prepared, with statements being taken from all those present at the killing and Thorne himself as the main prosecution witness.

He would not lie about the shooting, of course, but nor would he hold back when describing the extent of the provocation Donna Langford received from her ex-husband and daughter; the mental torment that drove her to pull the trigger.

Best to be honest…

'What about tonight?' Kate asked.

'Sorry, I can't,' Thorne said. Andy Boyle was down from Wakefield and Thorne had promised to take him for a drink. It was likely to be a heavy session. 'I'll call you and we can fix up a night next week, maybe.'

'It's fine,' Kate said. 'I know you're busy.'

They sat for a few more minutes, then stood up and shook hands.

'I meant to say sorry,' Thorne said. 'That day when I was going on about what you did twenty years ago.'

Kate nodded, uncomfortable.

'You said I was out of order and you were right.'

'Just doing your job.'

'I shouldn't have dragged all that up.'

'It's not like I'd forgotten it,' Kate said. 'First thing I think of when I open my eyes in the morning.' She took a step away, then stopped. 'Maybe the second thing, now…'

Thorne was halfway back to Colindale when his mobile rang. Brigstocke told him he was in Jesmond's office and suggested, if Thorne were not hands-free, that he might want to think about pulling over. Thorne laughed and said it sounded serious. Then Jesmond cut in. His voice was tinny on the speaker-phone, but the severity of his tone came through loud and clear as he calmly told Thorne that Andrea Keane had walked into a Brighton police station at ten-thirty the night before.