Murder on Morrison: A Rose McLaren Mystery by Liza Miles

Author:Liza Miles [Miles, Liza]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2021-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Four years earlier

The hostel was clean enough and Rose was glad to at least have her own room after three years of sharing a tiny cubicle. This space wasn't much bigger, but it was hers. The rules weren’t bad either and so long as she was back by ten, she could please herself, but she was serious, she wasn't going back to prison, ever. She looked at the various programmes on offer and kept coming back to the same idea. She wanted her own business. She had the head for it, she’d learned enough about running things efficiently from her father. But there were barriers to everything and for the business programme she needed support, a guarantor. Rose knew it was a long shot when she wrote to her father asking him if he would support her application for a grant.

The letter he sent back was crude. Once again he accused her of causing her mothers death, and made it clear this was the last letter he’d ever write to her, and that she should never write to him again. She was dead to him. Who would buy cakes from a vulgar slattern. Take off the rose-tinted glasses. Look at yourself. You are a disgrace. A wasted offspring that should never have been born.

Rose had torn up the letter. Her fury mixed with hurt ignited her, and over the next six months she poured her energy into attaining her new dream, despite everything. No more ‘no’s’ she had said to Marion who was also staying at the hostel on a mandatory release permit.

It was Marion who encouraged her, even helped her with the paint colours “What would a shop run by a vulgar slattern look like?” Rose had asked her.

“Oooh, now you’re asking, red and black, with gold trim.”

“So the opposite, if it sold cakes?”

“Fondant fancies, those sort of pastel colours.”

“You’re brilliant,” said Rose, “I’ll be an undercover vulgar slattern.”

The two women laughed uproariously.

“Can I help Rose? I have money if you need it.”

“Thanks, but I need to do this myself, if dad won’t guarantee me, I’ll find someone who will. Maybe that chaplain, he was the one who told me about this programme.”

“Alright, but if you need anything, ever, get in touch. I mean it Rose.”

“What are you going to do Marion?”

“Well, I’m not going back that’s for sure, and I’m not going to work for anyone else either, I have a business to re-ignite Rose, only I won’t be selling cake.”

Rose nodded. Marion had looked after her and shown her the ropes for surviving prison. Rose hadn’t realised until later just how powerful Marion was. She was safe so long as you were on the right side of her. In the end it was Marion who made sure Rose got the references and signatures she needed for her grant.

“We can still sort out that loser for you, if you change your mind,” Marion told her on their last day at the hostel, as they exchanged contact information.

“I’m hoping Karma will do that somehow,” said Rose.

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