Fifteen minutes later Marcy and the others returned to the meeting room, passing the guard outside who nodded stiffly as they went in. Dan and Archie were already seated at the table, as though they’d not left it. They had probably spent the entire time discussing what the next hour or more might bring.
Although Dan’s expression was relaxed as he looked up, Marcy noticed that Archie’s remained tense; he seemed paler now, and even edgier than before.
As they resumed their seats Claudia and Andee opened their tablets to the notes they’d made while preparing for today. During the break they’d added to them, but Marcy didn’t need any prompts to guide her through the next few minutes. She knew what she wanted to say, and had informed the others while they were outside, so after Andee had spoken a few words to set them back on course, Marcy began her piece, speaking quietly yet clearly.
“It’s been explained to us,” she said to the top of Archie’s head, bowed, she understood, in shame, “that we can take this opportunity to tell you how your actions have impacted our lives. We can go into as much detail as we like about how the fire and my injuries have made us feel as individuals and as a family, and about how afraid we’ve been and remain because of the person we believe to be behind what you did.” She paused, allowing her allusion to Marcus to sink in, and to see if Archie might respond.
When he didn’t, she continued. “I will admit that a part of me—a strong part of me—has an almost constant need to express all the anger and hatred bottled up inside me, all the resentment and self-pity I feel about what’s happened to me, especially when I look in the mirror. It’s my own personal horror show, one I can never escape, and never will be able to. Somehow, I have to learn to live with it and it isn’t easy. I don’t talk about it with my family, because I don’t want my negative feelings spilling over them and turning our lives into a perpetual struggle with bitterness and spite. I do discuss it with my therapist, and together we’re working on helping me get to a better and calmer place. He was—is—fully supportive of my decision to meet with you, and he’s advised me not to hold back. I really didn’t think I would, but after listening to you I’ve decided that you already feel bad enough about what you did and making you feel worse isn’t going to help any of us.”
As his head came up, she met his confused and wary expression with one of cool compassion. She’d meant it, they didn’t need to make him squirm with guilt and shame—he appeared to be doing that without any help—and she certainly didn’t need to indulge herself in a diatribe of self-pity. This meeting, as they’d been advised, must be about how they could go forward in a way that was going to benefit them all, and attacking him verbally and emotionally simply wasn’t going to achieve that.
What could, perhaps, was to be mindful of the fact that he’d probably never had anyone to believe in him before, at least not in the way he needed.
If she gave him a chance, would life give her one?
She knew it didn’t work like that, but how on earth would it help either of them if she turned her back on him?
Now it was Claudia’s turn. “I realize,” she began, sounding more composed than Marcy knew she felt, “that you didn’t know who we were before you broke into our home and then set fire to it, but I think you do now?”
Seeming baffled by the question, he glanced at Marcy and Jasmine before saying, “Yeah, I guess so.”
“I don’t mean just our names,” Claudia told him, “I’m talking about who I really am.”
He frowned, but she knew he was aware of her true identity, because Dan had told him in the hope of getting him to admit that Marcus was behind the crime.
Her mouth was dry, her heart beating too hard, but she needed to try and break through his defenses. “You said just now that you thought it was a shame someone had it in for us because we seemed like nice people. Do you know who that someone is?”
He shook his head, but she knew he wasn’t being truthful.
“Have you considered,” she said, “that he could harm us again using someone else? That’s why we need to be certain about who gave you your instructions.”
His head went down, and when it became clear he wasn’t going to respond Jasmine suddenly said, “We all know it was my stepfather, and he’s due to be released in a few weeks. If you can confirm that he gave you the orders . . .”
“I’ve already said in my letters, it was BJ,” he told her.
“But BJ was acting for him?” Claudia prompted.
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”
Claudia sat back in her chair, allowing Andee to take over.
“Why don’t you tell us who BJ is?” Andee said encouragingly.
He took a short breath and gave a shrug. “He’s just BJ. It stands for Big John.”
“But he has another name. A real name.”
He didn’t answer.
“Jason Colbrook,” she stated. “He shares your surname. I thought at first he might be your father, but he’s your mother’s brother, isn’t he?”
Still he didn’t respond.
“BJ is your uncle,” she continued, “a man who regularly beats up his disadvantaged sister, procures her for other men, steals from her, and who recruited her son, his nephew, into drug dealing and worse. This is who you’re trying to protect?”
“Not him,” Archie protested, “my ma. If he ever found out about any of this, she’s the one he’d go for.”
“But he can be stopped, Archie. If you help us with this, we can make sure he doesn’t go near her again.”
“If you’re talking about locking him up, he’ll just get someone else to do it. That’s how they work.”
She regarded him skeptically. “Do you really believe that? Think about it. He’s not a big player from what I hear, so why would anyone want to be involved in his business if he’s no longer of any use to them?”
Archie swallowed dryly.
“There are any number of offenses he can be charged with,” she told him, “that don’t need to include his involvement in the fire so there would be no reason for him to link you to his arrest. All we need are a few words about the drug dealing that a dozen or more others would know about, or the trafficking. It’s all known, Archie, we just need dates, times, locations. Doesn’t matter if they’re historical. It’ll take him out of circulation and make your mother safe.”
He still didn’t speak, but the fear was retreating from his stare.
“The same goes for Marcus Huxley-Browne,” Andee continued. “Your bosses, the gang members who run your uncle, aren’t interested in him anymore. As soon as it was discovered that none of their names were in the attaché case you were ordered to steal—meaning it contained no proof that they’d supplied Huxley-Browne with illegal substances—he lost all his leverage.”
Archie was looking wary again. “He’s a PC. It means he knows at least some of the bosses’ business model, and who they are. He can still do damage.”
Marcy tensed. This might not be an admission of Marcus’s involvement, but it was close.
“His knowledge gives him power,” Archie added.
Andee said, “So the order did come from Huxley-Browne?”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” he protested. “I don’t know who was behind it. I only know what BJ told me and he never mentioned no names.”
“If you can link Marcus Huxley-Browne to the crime you committed he will be charged and kept in prison pending trial. Can you do that?”
He shook his head. “I’m not saying he had nothing to do with it,” he told her, “but I’ve got no way of proving it. Like I said, my instructions came from BJ.”
“Did you ever make deliveries to Marcus Huxley-Browne?” she asked.
He stiffened, but ended up giving a short nod.
“To his home, or his office?”
“Mostly his office, but a couple of times to his home.”
“The one in West London?”
He nodded again and looked suddenly panicked. “Listen, I’m not telling anyone I delivered to him . . . I don’t need any more on my rap sheet . . .”
“This isn’t a police interview,” Andee reminded him. “We’re just establishing that you know who Huxley-Browne is and that you and your uncle had contact with him over a period of time for reasons unconnected to the fire.”
Looking panicked again, Archie said, “You’re asking me to be a snitch and I just can’t do that. Sorry,” he said to Marcy, “I get where you’re coming from but if you knew what happened to snitches in here . . . Someone would put the word out and . . .” His voice trailed off as his eyes returned to his hands, leaving them to imagine what kind of horrors and abuse he might face if he helped them.
Andee was not ready to give up yet. “If we can’t keep Huxley-Browne in prison by connecting him to the fire, he’ll be free in a few weeks, and if he does still wish Claudia harm, he could try to approach her. We have to do what we can to stop him. Would you agree with that?”
Archie’s eyes went to Claudia, his face pinched with anxiety and indecision.
“Archie, look at me,” Marcy said softly.
He flinched, clearly knowing why she wanted him to meet her eyes, but he couldn’t do it.
“I understand about your mother,” Marcy told him, “but if your uncle is taken into custody, we really believe she can be kept safe. We just need you to do the same for us by admitting that my son-in-law was the one who ordered the crime you committed . . .”
“I can’t because I don’t know . . .”
Andee said, “But you do believe it was him?”
He said nothing.
“If I can persuade you to confirm that you’ve had dealings with Huxley-Browne in the past,” Andee continued, “I can talk to a detective . . .”
“No, just not going to happen,” he cut in, jerking back in his chair.
“The detective I’m referring to,” Andee pressed on, “knows all about Claudia and why she left her husband. He hasn’t in all this time revealed her whereabouts, because he considers her safety to be more important than exposing why she left. This means there’s no evidence that Claudia was ill-treated, so he can’t do anything to protect her once Huxley-Browne comes out. But if there’s even the slightest suspicion that her husband was behind the fire it should be grounds for an investigation at least, and could also be enough to get a restraining order put on him.”
To Claudia Archie said, “It’s not that I don’t want you to be protected, I swear I do, but if it ever got out that I . . .”
“Archie,” Andee interrupted, “you need to get your head around the fact that the people you’re afraid of are no longer a threat. They’re not interested in you anymore. You’ve served your purpose, and as long as you don’t drag any of them into this they won’t care if you take down Huxley-Browne.”
He didn’t look convinced.
“You know how these people work,” Andee reminded him, “so you’ve got to know that whatever knowledge Huxley-Browne has, he can never use it, not if he wants to stay alive.”
Taking some time to digest this, Archie said, “Why should I believe you about my ma?”
“Because,” Andee replied, “your uncle’s the only one who ever posed a threat to her. No one else has ever come after her, have they?”
Archie’s wide eyes confirmed this was true.
“So as soon as we get him off the streets she’ll be safe. Now we need to do the same for Claudia and her family and make them safe too.”
Archie clasped his head in his hands and Dan said, “Can we give him a few minutes? There’s a lot to take in and . . .”
“Sure,” Andee said at once. “We’ll wait outside. Just let us know when you’re ready.”
AS THEY WAITED, Marcy sensed so much stress and frustration building up in Claudia that she was afraid of what might be said when they went back into the room. She wished she could soothe it, that she could sort herself out too, but time out for Archie wasn’t proving to be a good time out for them.
As though sensing Marcy’s agitation, Andee said, “I understand how difficult this is, but please try to remember the kind of life he’s led. Just about every minute of it has been spent living in fear of one sort or another, and it won’t be any different for him where he is now. It’s probably worse. He has trust issues the like of which we can’t begin to imagine, hang-ups, anxieties, complexes, but I think you’ll agree that he seems to want to do the right thing. He just has to find his own way there.”
To Marcy’s relief Claudia nodded, and closed her eyes as Jasmine put an arm around her.
Marcy said to Andee, “If you hadn’t found out about his uncle . . .” She shuddered. “What he’s done to his own sister and nephew . . . If ever anyone deserved to be taken off the streets . . .”
“Mum, you’re making this about Archie,” Claudia protested, “when it’s about us, and what’s been done to us. He’s the offender, remember, we’re the victims. OK, I understand he wants to protect his mother, but after what happened to you, don’t you think we should be making ourselves a priority, not him?”
“Of course,” Marcy agreed, “but isn’t the purpose of us being here to try and make some sort of peace with what’s happened, so that we can all move forward?”
Claudia was about to respond when the door opened and Dan beckoned them back inside.
Once they were seated Dan murmured something quietly to Archie before Archie fixed his eyes to Marcy’s. “I’ll tell whoever needs to know,” he said, “that I’ve had contact with Marcus Huxley-Browne in the past and I’ll also say that I think he was behind the fire.”
Marcy gave a blink of surprise; beside her Jasmine hissed a yes under her breath; she didn’t know how Claudia was reacting, because her gaze was still on Archie.
“I can’t say it for certain,” he continued, “because I don’t know. I’ve never had any direct contact with him over it, I just reckon you’re right, it was him.”
After clearing her throat, Marcy said, “Thank you for that, Archie. It means a lot to us that you’re willing to help keep us safe from my son-in-law—and I hope you believed Andee when she told you that everything will be done to make sure your mother is safe too.”
His eyes went down, and seeing the way his mouth twisted and tightened she realized he didn’t believe it, but he’d given them this anyway.
Dan said, “I think we’ve accomplished what we set out to do today. Does everyone agree?”
They all nodded, apart from Archie, who didn’t look at anyone as he got up to leave the room.
A WHILE LATER, as Andee drove them away from the prison, Marcy realized she was feeling so low that she almost regretted coming. It had been a strain on them all, but on Archie too, she thought, and how was he feeling now about giving them this tenuous connection to Marcus?
She sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead. “So, we all get to go home to our comfortable lives and families, while he goes back to a prison cell with no one to talk to or even to care how he’s been affected by the day—or to bother about what harm comes to him.”
Jasmine murmured, “I know what you mean. I’m having a problem with it too.”
“But what can we do?” Claudia demanded. “We could hardly take him with us, and at least he has the solace of knowing he did the right thing in the end.”
“If he believes that,” Marcy said.
“I think he does,” Andee assured them.
Marcy sighed again and her thoughts drifted to the way he’d looked when he’d left the room, young, lonely, trying to put a brave face on it all . . . He was nineteen, for heaven’s sake—a young man, but in some ways still a boy. Moreover, this was probably the only time they’d see him; there was no reason for any more letters and why would there be any further RJ meetings? As Dan had said, they’d accomplished what they’d set out to, so there was no reason for any more contact.
“I’m not sure,” she said, “what I was expecting at the end of today, but it feels like . . . there ought to be more.”
Jasmine said, “So you don’t think we’ll visit him again?”
“I think you need to give it some time,” Andee advised. “These meetings often take a while to process . . . Hang on, it’s Dan,” and clicking on to answer her phone she said, “Hi, is everything OK?”
“Fine,” he replied, his voice clearly audible over the car’s Command system.
Marcy asked, not able to help herself, “How was Archie when you left him?”
“Pretty subdued, but I’m sure he was glad he’d managed to try to make things up to you in the end.”
“While we,” Claudia said, “are feeling bad that he did.”
“Does he believe his mother’s going to be safe from the uncle?” Jasmine asked.
“He won’t be fully on board with it until there’s been an arrest.”
Marcy said, “Is that likely to be soon?”
“Over to Andee for that. She’s the one with the police contacts,” Dan pointed out.
“I still haven’t spoken to anyone,” she reminded them, “but I will as soon as I drop you guys off.”
“And what about Marcus?” Claudia asked. “Do we know what’s going to happen with him?”
“That’s more complicated, but now Archie’s saying he thinks the orders came from him it could start an investigation. What will come of it . . . Well, I guess we’ll find out.”
After a moment Marcy said, “Wasn’t today supposed to be about forgiveness?”
“If you wanted it to be,” he answered, “although Archie made a point of not asking for it.”
“I know.”
Andee glanced at her.
“I’m realizing,” Marcy said, “that it’s easy enough to say the words, but . . . I can tell you that I don’t feel any hatred toward him now, or a need for vengeance, but as for forgiveness . . .” She only had to remind herself that he could have walked away, turned the job down . . . “Maybe I need to work out what it really means before I can be sure it’s something I’m able to offer.”