The Ladykiller by Martina Cole

Author:Martina Cole [Cole, Martina]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780755350711
Google: aeDDG3CpU1kC
Amazon: B003ETP3KG
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2009-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

‘My mum’s worked on lots of murders, haven’t you, Mum?’

Kate felt quite embarrassed. ‘Well, not lots, a few. Murder is not as common as you might think.’

‘Have you any idea who the Grantley Ripper is?’

Kate looked into the girl’s green eyes. ‘No. To be honest we have no idea. But we’re working on it.’

The dark one brought her back a cup of coffee and the two girls left. Kate sensed they knew she and Lizzy wanted to be left alone.

‘They call this quality time, Mum. When you have a visitor the others have to go away.’

‘Why are they in here?’ Kate sipped her coffee.

‘Well, the dark girl is Andrea. She tried to kill herself because she had a lot of problems. She was studying for her A levels, and everything just got on top of her. She’s really nice, you know.’

‘What about the little blonde?’

‘She’s a nurse, Mum! It’s hard to tell the difference, isn’t it?’

Kate laughed. ‘It is! Now then, how are you?’

Lizzy sighed, lifting her fringe as she exhaled.

‘I feel much better. I saw the psychiatrist again today. He’s really nice, Mum. He said that I was having a personality conflict. That I tried to be one thing when I wanted to be another. He said that my behaviour was caused by insecurity. I wanted to belong but I sort of rebelled against everything.’

‘Do you think he’s right?’

Lizzy looked into her mother’s eyes and nodded.

‘I am sorry, Mum, for what I did. When I knew that Gran had read the diary, I just wanted to die. I know you love me, Mum, I love you and Gran too, but I’ve felt at times like I was second best, you know. Your job always took precedence over me. Dad was never really there. I know that he’s a user. He uses me, I’ve known it for a long time, but I still love him. He’s my dad.’ Her eyes were pleading for understanding.

Kate nodded.

‘My job came first because I needed the money, to be honest with you, Lizzy. Your father never once contributed to your keep. He left me with a mortgage, a child and a broken heart.’ Kate smiled to take the edge off her words. ‘I had to make some kind of life for us, I had to work. I went for promotions because it was more money. I bought the house we live in today, and I still have to pay the upkeep, your gran only gets a small pension . . .’

Kate grasped Lizzy’s hand tightly across the table. ‘I never meant to make you feel left out, Lizzy. You were my reason for working. I wanted you to have the best that I could provide. That’s why I never had a personal life.’

‘Dad’s told me about your boyfriend.’

Kate felt coldness wrap itself around her heart, but when she looked at Lizzy, she saw that the girl was smiling.

‘Don’t look so stunned, Mum, I think it’s great. I saw him once, that Patrick Kelly. He came to my school to give a donation.

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