‘I do? Thank you.’ She winked at him. ‘I’m no grass, unlike someone I could mention.’
‘I don’t grass, I just occasionally tell Ben stuff because you scare the shit out of me at times, and I think someone has to reel you in, so you don’t get yourself killed, although you still go and do stupid stuff regardless. That was reckless going into that water tonight, Morgan, brave but utterly stupid. The visibility was so poor you could have gone under, and nobody would have found you.’
‘Madds did.’
‘Yeah, lucky for you he did, he gave everyone a heart attack. I never knew he had it in him. It was a relief not to mention a surprise when he unzipped his body armour and kicked off his boots. You really must take better care of yourself though; I mean that as one of your best friends. I worry about you more than I worry about anyone else. Mainly because I don’t know anyone who is as crazy as you, but you know…’
She let go of his hand to punch him in the bicep.
‘Ouch, police brutality.’
‘You deserved that. Take me home, Cain, I’m frozen. I want to put at least five layers of clothes on. Can you wait for me to get dressed then I’ll go to the station with you.’
‘Of course.’
‘Thank you, I appreciate that you care so much even if you do insult me more than anyone else, I know.’
Cain’s laughter made her smile and her heart ached for her friend; she would maybe mention how he was feeling to Amy and see if Amy could suggest anything to help. He hadn’t deserved this. To lose Angela when they were so happy was the cruellest blow that life could have given him, but she was determined to help him through his grief the best that she could.
Morgan stared out of the window, her mind replaying what Tori hadn’t been able to finish saying before she got too upset. What hadn’t she wanted the killer to know? What was she hiding from her? Had the two girls not been as friendly as Tori had made out, was there some kind of rivalry going on? Morgan knew all too well the complications that teenage friendships could hide underneath the skin. She heard Scotty’s voice over the radio saying that Tori was being released and going home with her dad.
Morgan said to Cain, ‘We should go speak to her now, before she goes to bed. She might talk a little more freely now she’s not in the hospital and has her dad with her.’
Cain nodded. ‘Whatever you think.’
Morgan gave him the address and hoped that Tori and her dad got there before they did.
ELEVEN
Morgan felt awful that she had to go and speak to Tori again so soon, but she needed to know more. Plus, without Tori’s dad being present, it hadn’t been a proper statement just a first account.
She got out of the car and locked it; the family lived in a bungalow which surprised Morgan. She imagined them living in a trendy new build. As she approached, she heard a dog barking and scrabbling furiously at the front door. It was mainly glass and she felt relieved to see a small dog and not some huge Rottweiler. She didn’t need to knock – the door opened and Tori’s dad was standing there in a pair of red tartan lounge pants and a faded Aerosmith band T-shirt. He had obviously got changed the moment he walked in the door. The dog had been scooped up in one arm and was still barking.
‘Hi, I’m sorry to disturb you.’
‘I knew you’d have to come back at some point. I didn’t think it would be so soon though; there is no getting away with it. Have you found Scarlett yet? Shut up, Treacle.’ He growled at the dog.
She shook her head. ‘Unfortunately, not. How is Tori? Is she okay to give me a statement now she’s home in a familiar environment, do you think?’
‘She’s in her room, went straight up there when we got home. I’ve taken her favourite tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches up, but she’s barely touched them. It might do her good to talk about it with you because she told me to get out.’
Morgan felt bad for him; it must be difficult not knowing what to do or say, and teenage girls could be hard work at the best of times.
‘You know, it’s at times like this I wish her mum was here instead of living the high life in Las Vegas, but I suppose I should be grateful that she didn’t take her with her and leave me alone. That would have killed me. Come inside, it’s freezing out here.’
Morgan walked in and was surprised, the bungalow had been extended and was a huge open-plan living-dining room and kitchen. All tastefully decorated in muted tones of taupe and cream.
‘Wow, this is like the Tardis. It looked tiny from the outside; you have a beautiful home, Mr Mather.’
His cheeks flushed pink. ‘Thanks, I tried to make it as good as I could. I didn’t want Tori living somewhere she was embarrassed to bring her friends. Always trying to overcompensate for the fact that her mum left her.’
She felt bad for him and smiled. ‘Well, you’re doing a great job.’
‘Not that great, she thought it was okay to lie to me about where she was sleeping and then go running around in the middle of the night with her friends and not tell me where she was going.’
‘Kids, well teenagers, don’t see the world like we do. They have no idea of the evil that stalks it. Being an adult is the opposite, all we see is danger and worry in every mundane thing. I miss the innocence of being sixteen and carefree.’
He smiled at her. ‘Thanks, you’re right. Me too, I never expected my life to turn out the way it did. I was never gettingmarried or having kids, then before I knew it, I was a single dad, with a sixteen-year-old daughter who listens to no one.’
