Carson banged on Don’s door.
‘If he’s got Williams, he’s not going to be here,’ Laura said.
‘I know that, but someone here must be able to talk,’ Carson snapped back, before banging again on the door.
There was a click as the door opened. It was Helen, Don’s wife.
‘Where is he?’ demanded Carson.
‘Who?’
‘Don’t piss me about. Your husband. Is he in?’
She stared at Laura, and then at Carson, and then shook her head. ‘He’s busy,’ she said and went to close the door.
Carson banged his hand on the door with such force that Helen was thrown back a few steps into the hall. He went inside, Laura right behind him.
They went into the living room. It was empty, but then Laura noticed the open bottle of vodka on the desk, next to a large bottle of cola.
‘It’s dangerous to drink on your own,’ Laura said, turning to Helen.
Before she could answer, there was a noise from the kitchen, and Angel, David Hoyle’s girlfriend, appeared.
‘She isn’t alone,’ Angel said.
Laura was surprised to see her, and she detected a slur to Angel’s voice. ‘What are you doing here?’ Laura said. ‘I didn’t know you were friends.’
Angel didn’t answer. She looked at Helen instead.
‘I get it,’ Laura said. ‘You’re here so that Helen can keep an eye on you, so that you don’t call me to tell me what David is doing, because you don’t look like the sort of person who hangs around with crooks and their families.’ When Helen folded her arms at that, Laura added, ‘And don’t you look so offended. We both know that more than hard work has given you all this.’
‘Cut the small talk,’ Carson said. ‘Sit down, both of you.’ Both women stayed on their feet, and so Carson pushed them, his fingers jabbing into their chests.
‘That’s assault,’ Angel shouted.
‘And I’m talking about murder, so leave your middle-class neurosis behind, and sit down,’ Carson snapped back.
Angel looked at Helen, and then went to sit next to her, her face set in a scowl.
‘What do you want?’ Helen said.
‘Your husband,’ Carson said.
‘I don’t know where he is.’
‘You’re lying,’ Carson said, before he looked towards Angel, stepping closer, making her cross her legs, protective, nervous. ‘You’d be popular in prison.’
‘Prison?’
‘Is there an echo in here?’ he said, tapping his knuckles on Angel’s head. ‘Yes, prison, and you’re a sweet middle-class girl, nice skin, nice figure. A step up from the usual druggies and angry dykes they get in there, so you’ll never get lonely, because it can be a killer in there, loneliness, when you’ve so much time to get through.’
‘Why would I go to prison?’
‘Assisting an offender,’ Carson said. ‘Maybe even conspiracy to murder, if we can sweet talk the prosecution into dragging everyone in. And you’re really fucked, because you promised to help us, but when it came down to it, you didn’t.’
‘You promised to help?’ Helen said.
‘Ignore her,’ Carson said. ‘Where is Don Roberts?’
Angel looked at Helen, and then back at Carson. ‘I can’t help you.’
‘Yes, you can, but this is your last chance,’ Laura said. ‘Call David. Tell him to call it off. Turn Williams in. David might even get a reward. But don’t kill Williams, or everyone’s life will be ruined. David’s. Don’s. Everyone.’
‘We don’t talk to the police,’ Helen said, her voice filled with a sneer.
‘You don’t, we know that,’ Carson replied. ‘But Angel isn’t like you. David dropped her here to make her stay quiet, and now David has gone with them to get revenge for Angel, but does she really want that?’ He looked at Angel. ‘Don’t side with Don. Let this end properly, and then David can go back to his life, doing what he does to make your life better. He’s crossed the line, but you don’t have to go with him.’
Angel’s chin was trembling, tears forming in her eyes. She looked at Helen.
‘Remember what we told you,’ Helen said, her eyes filled with menace.
Angel looked down and stayed silent. Helen folded her arms. They were going to get nothing else.