Mia opened the passenger door and handed Anderson his crutches. He manoeuvred his leg into position and hauled himself up. With her steadying hand he limped into the house. Felt good to be home.
Mia fussed around in the lounge, avoiding eye contact with her husband. ‘I’ll get you some water, then I’ve got to collect the boys.’
Anderson flopped onto a chair and watched her busying herself. He held out an arm as she passed. ‘Mia?’
She ignored him.
‘Mia. Please. Let’s talk.’
‘What about?’
‘Everything.’ Anderson’s voice croaked. No one had told him anything yet. He was desperate for information about what happened. Who were they? How old? And he wanted to tell Mia that he was sorry. He’d been doing a lot of thinking in that hospital bed. Was it too late? Was he responsible for the deaths of two people? Could he live with that knowledge? Was that why he wanted to make it work with Mia? Fear of having to cope alone? He braced himself: ‘Who were the people that died?’
Mia stopped and gave Anderson her full attention. ‘One was a five-year-old girl. Molly Granger.’
Anderson winced, too much to bear.
‘I thought you might know who the woman was?’ She asked more as an accusation than a question.
‘Why? What do you mean?’ Anderson was confused.
‘She was in your car.’
‘What?’ Anderson was stunned. ‘Who told you that?’
‘The police,’ she replied. ‘They wondered if I might know her.’ A tear rolled down her cheek. ‘I didn’t.’
‘What was her name?’ Anderson demanded, unable to disguise his impatience.
‘I can’t remember.’
They held each other’s gaze.
‘John, I want you to move out.’
‘What? Move out?’
‘You can have a week or so to get back on your feet.’
‘Mia, please!’
‘I’ve already told the boys.’
‘But I need you.’ As the words came out he realised how rare it was for him to say it. To express his feelings in words.
‘No, John. You didn’t need me before the crash and you don’t now.’ She got up to go.
‘I did,’ Anderson protested. ‘I just didn’t know it,’ he said, trying to get out of the chair. ‘Mia, please?’
‘It’s too late. Why couldn’t you have just gone to watch your son play football?’ She was crying now. ‘You’d rather have been with her. You bastard, John.’ She left the room.
Her? Who did she mean? Tilly?
‘Mia, wait, please!’ By the time he was up she’d gone.
For the first time in his life he felt like sobbing. It was all too much to take in: Mia, the crash, his injuries. He balanced uncertainly on his good leg as he surveyed the room, appreciating it for the first time. The family home. Trying to remember rolling around on the floor with the kids. Never seemed to be enough time. He tried to remember fun times with Mia. He couldn’t. Not even in the early days. It had always been about money, material things. What she wanted.
He caught his reflection in the mirror above the fireplace. The first time he’d seen himself since the accident. A beard, with grey flecks in it. The left side of his face had a large rectangular bandage over it. He shuffled closer and rested one hand on the mantlepiece. With the other he slowly removed the bandage. Anderson gulped. A deep red scar snaked down the side of his face. The stitches gave it the appearance of a fishbone. It would serve as a reminder, a marker − not just to him but to everyone – of when his life had changed forever. He quickly covered it.
A knock on the front door. Anderson pulled himself together and hobbled into the hall. He was out of breath by the time he managed to open the door.
Orlando West. ‘Hello, old chap.’
‘Orlando! Come in.’ West’s visit couldn’t have come at a better time. Just the lift he needed.
They made their way into the lounge.
‘You look a lot better than when I last saw you,’ said West.
‘You came to the hospital? I didn’t realise. I should’ve known you’d be there.’
‘The whole of chambers has been really worried about you, John.’
Anderson took it all in.
‘How’s Mia coping?’
Anderson wasn’t ready to tell him. Not yet. To announce her decision to separate would make it real. He shrugged. ‘You know Mia.’ Then he thought out loud: ‘I think I need to get back to work as quickly as possible.’ By way of explanation: ‘I need the money.’
‘First things first, old chap. You’re recovering from a very serious accident. You need to take it easy for a while.’
‘I need to read the papers in the Harrison murder.’
‘All in good time,’ West replied, chuckling at Anderson’s enthusiasm.
‘If only I’d gone back to chambers to collect the brief. And what was it you wanted to speak to me about?’
‘Oh, I can’t remember now. What do you remember about the accident?’
Anderson shook his head. ‘Nothing. Just leaving court with Connor and his pupil.’ He stopped. His heart beat faster. ‘Orlando, do you know anything about the lady that died?’
They heard the front door opening. Will and Angus hurtled into the lounge and leapt onto their father. ‘Daddy! Daddy!’
‘Ouch! My leg.’
They both jumped off and apologised, devastated that they had caused their father more pain.
Anderson bit his lip. ‘Boys, it’s fine, come here,’ he said, pulling the children to him. He held them tight, his eyes welling up. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t make the football match, Will. What happened?’
‘We lost,’ he replied. Then with more cheer: ‘But I’ve got another game tonight! Can you come?’
Anderson smiled. ‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’ll be there, won’t we, Angus?’
Both boys beamed.
West shot Mia a nervy smile.
Another knock at the door.
Mia showed two suited gents into the lounge.
Anderson thought he recognised them both.
The older man spoke: ‘John Anderson, my name is Detective Inspector Taylor and this is DC Waters. I am arresting you for offences of causing death by dangerous driving. You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say—’
‘It’s all right, gentlemen,’ Anderson interrupted, once he was over the shock. ‘I understand my rights.’
‘I’m sure it’s only routine,’ West offered unconvincingly, more for the wider family’s benefit. ‘Where are you taking him, gentlemen?’
‘Longsight police station, sir.’ DI Taylor saw the distress on the children’s faces. Sometimes he detested his job.
West quickly took control: ‘Right, I’ll have a solicitor there for the interview, John. I’ll try and get Dewi Morgan.’
‘Thanks, Orlando.’ Anderson hugged his sons and kissed the tops of their heads. ‘You might have to go to the match without me I’m afraid.’
They both nodded, understanding the solemnity of the moment.
Anderson thought he caught a flicker of empathy in Mia’s face as the officers escorted him out to the squad car.
He’d never seen the criminal justice system from this side of the fence before.
An intense sense of foreboding took hold.