After DI Riddick had left, Cherish avoided eye contact with the dangerous bastard in the room with her.
‘Everything all right?’ Neil asked.
She stared straight ahead, ignoring him.
‘You always had a bad attitude, Cherish.’
Out of the corner of her eye, Cherish watched Neil approach the incubator.
She turned her head to glare at him. ‘Get the hell away from her you dickhead!’
Neil widened his eyes and put a hand on the incubator. ‘Big words for a little girl.’
‘I swear to God if you touch Ariah, I’ll kill you.’
Neil shook his head, incredulous. ‘Bloody hell, it’s a good job Paul has left. Threats like that will get you in trouble.’
‘It was you, wasn’t it? You lied to me. You didn’t send me there to deliver something. You sent me there to… to…’ She couldn’t get the words out. Her face reddened. She paused for a deep breath.
‘Me?’ Neil touched his chest. ‘How could you think such a thing? I’ve done nothing but care—’
‘You’ve cared for no one since you walked into Mum’s house! And you’ve made a mess of everything, haven’t you? But I’m fine. Ariah is fine. We’re both fine. None of us need you any more.’
‘You’re crazy,’ Neil said, stepping around the incubator. ‘Delusional.’
‘You’re done. I know what you did. You need to leave.’
‘Know what I did? Really? Why would I send you out to be assaulted? Who’s going to believe that?’
‘Doesn’t matter about me. It’s what you did to Bradley, your own son, that’s going to catch up with you.’
Neil rolled his eyes. ‘You’re traumatised.’
‘I want you to leave our house tonight, Neil. I don’t want Mam by your side as they drag you through the courts. You can run now and spare her that.’
‘Jail? Are you sure you didn’t get hit on the head?’
‘I found the jumper, Neil.’
The colour drained from his face. His mouth opened, but nothing came out.
‘There was blood on it. Your own son; how could you?’
He shook his head. ‘You don’t understand! Where is it?’
‘In that plastic bag, Neil.’
He staggered backwards, and only stopped because there was a chair in his way. ‘You stupid bitch. You stupid, stupid bitch.’
‘It’s over Neil. The police have it. Run. Go away. Leave us alone.’
Neil shook his head. Then, his eyes widened. He clenched his fist, and red-faced, stormed forward—
‘Is everything all right here?’ It was the nurse.
Neil steadied himself against the bed, took a few deep breaths and stared into Cherish’s eyes. ‘This isn’t over.’
‘It is,’ she hissed.
He stood, turned and barged past the nurse. Cherish smiled and looked over at her beautiful newborn.