Chapter 86
‘I KNEW I couldn’t make the party,’ Knight’s sister-in-law explained quietly on the ride back into London while the children slept in the back of the car. ‘And, anyway, I thought meeting them there would make me feel better.’
They were nearing the garage where Knight kept the Range Rover.
‘Did it?’ Knight asked.
Pottersfield nodded and her eyes got glassy. ‘It seemed right, as if I could feel her there.’ She hesitated and then said, ‘I’m sorry. The way I treated you. I know it was all Kate’s decision to have the twins at home. I just …’
‘No more talk of that,’ Knight said, parking. ‘We’re beyond all that. My children are lucky to have you in their lives. I’m lucky to have you in my life.’
She sighed, and smiled sadly. ‘Okay. Need any help?’
Knight looked over his shoulder at his sleeping children. ‘Yes. They’re getting too big to carry that far by myself.’
Pottersfield took Isabel and Knight hoisted Luke, and they walked the short distance to his house. He heard the television playing inside.
‘The new nanny,’ he said, fishing for his keys. ‘She always arrives early.’
‘You don’t hear that much any more.’
‘It’s brilliant, actually,’ Knight admitted. ‘She’s a miracle, the only one ever to tame them. She’s got them helping to clean up their room and going to sleep at a snap of her fingers.’
He opened the door and Marta appeared almost instantly. She frowned to see Luke fast asleep on her father’s shoulder. ‘Too much excitement, I think,’ she said, took him from Knight and looked curiously at Pottersfield.
‘Marta, this is Elaine,’ Knight said. ‘My sister-in-law.’
‘Oh, hello,’ Pottersfield said, studying Marta. ‘Peter speaks highly of you.’
Marta laughed nervously, and bobbed her head, saying, ‘Mr Knight is too kind.’ She paused and asked, ‘Did I see you on the television?’
‘Maybe. I work at Scotland Yard.’
Marta looked ready to reply when Isabel woke up grumpily, looked at her aunt, and whined, ‘I want my daddy.’
Knight took her from Pottersfield, saying, ‘Daddy has to go to work for a few hours, but he’ll be back in time for the party.’
Marta said, ‘We’ll go and get cake soon. And balloons.’
Isabel brightened and Luke woke up. Pottersfield’s mobile rang.
The inspector listened closely, began nodding, and then said, ‘Where are they taking her?’
She listened while Marta came and took Isabel from Knight and shepherded the children down the hall towards the kitchen, saying, ‘Who wants apple juice?’
Pottersfield snapped shut her phone, looked at Knight and said, ‘A constable just picked up Serena Farrell wandering incoherent, filthy, and covered in her own excrement somewhere inside the ruins of the old Beckton Gas Works. They’re bringing her to St Thomas’s Hospital.’
Knight glanced back over his shoulder at Marta, who held Isabel and Luke’s hands tightly.
‘I’ll be back by five to help you put up decorations,’ he promised.
‘Everything will be under control by then,’ she replied confidently. ‘Leave everything to me, Mr Knight.’