Page 95 of Her Last Walk Home

‘Sit down.’

He sat at the table, folding his arms. She sat opposite him.

Taking out her phone, she scrolled and then turned it towards him. ‘Know her?’

‘What? Who is that? Is she dead?’

‘Yes.’

‘I don’t know who she is.’

Lottie scrolled to the last image on her photo app. The photo she’d taken from the personnel file at Cuan. ‘This is her alive.’

He scrutinised it. ‘I can’t say I’ve ever seen her before and that’s the truth.’

She sensed he was sincere, but with McKeown having access to his database, it would be easy to check. That was if Aneta had used her real name.

‘Can I leave now?’ he asked.

‘What are you doing with my daughter?’

‘I didn’t know she was your daughter. I met her at Fallon’s the other night. We had a few drinks and I took her out for a meal last night. That’s it. She’s a lovely person and I like her. End of.’

‘I don’t think it’s anywhere nearend of. Stay away from her.’

‘Don’t you think that’s for Katie to decide?’

She had enough on her plate without interfering with her daughter’s love life, but she didn’t like Plunkett or his business. No matter what she did, though, she’d incur Katie’s wrath.

‘Go on, get out.’

When he’d left without another word, she ran her hand through her hair. A headache was taking root and she was starving.

Katie returned with Louis wrapped up in his jacket and with a small rucksack on his back. ‘I’m taking Gran home. We’re staying the night with her.’

‘We need to talk.’

‘Not now, Mam. I can’t take much more of your interference. We can talk tomorrow. Come on, Louis.’

Lottie watched them leave, without even a kiss from her grandson. She was about to switch the oven on when Sean loped in. ‘What’s for dinner?’

‘I’m about to rescue these goujons. I’ll throw on a few chips and call you when it’s done.’

‘You okay, Mam?’ Sean asked.

‘No, but am I ever?’

‘Good point. How’s the case going?’

She looked at the suitcase, then realised he meant the investigation. ‘Going round in circles. Be a star and bring in the cardboard box from my car.’

‘Sure.’

She spread frozen chips on an oven tray and put them in to cook. Glancing at the mess of potatoes in the sink, she was about to clear it up when Sean deposited the box on the table.

‘Do you want me to watch the chips?’ he said, pointing at the oven.

‘Not at all. I’ll give you a shout when they’re done.’

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