Free Parallel Life by Ruth Hamilton

Escort, opened the passenger door and climbed in. There were small toys and sweet wrappers all over the place. Lisa’s feet rested on a battered teddy bear in the footwell.
    â€˜Do you smoke?’ asked the driver.
    â€˜I’d kill for one.’
    They lit up, inhaled deeply, then both laughed nervously.
    â€˜I’m Annie Nuttall.’
    â€˜You know who I am.’
    â€˜Aye, I do. Now, don’t say anything. If you don’t tell me anything, then I don’t know anything – OK?’
    Lisa nodded.
    â€˜Saturday – is it about money?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Right, set your ears on red alert because I’ll say this only once.’
    â€˜As in ’Allo, ’Allo ?’
    â€˜Exactly. First, sorry I showed you up in that café. I lost my rag, and I’m not proud of myself, only I can’t undo it. But I might be able to save you from more grief. Understand?’
    Lisa inclined her head again.
    â€˜We have to work together on this. We need each other. He fits alarms – right? He knows the ins and outs of some pretty big houses and businesses. In plainer words, he knows how to be in and out like a bloody shadow. I think he leaves it a few months after fitting the alarms – he’s clever like that. So first, get another firm to do your shop – and your house, if he fitted that one.’
    â€˜OK.’
    â€˜Then –’ Annie took another drag of nicotine – ‘if he’s done stuff like storing bits and pieces with you, get rid. Because, as sure as eggs are pointed at one end, he’ll be in jail by the end of the year. I don’t want you going down. You’ve suffered enough.’
    Tears brimmed in Lisa’s eyes. This, from her supposed greatest enemy, was a huge act of kindness. ‘I don’t know what to say to you.’
    â€˜Best say nowt, love. The less I know about what you know, the better, if you get my drift. I’ll have to be off soon because my mother’s got the kids and my twin lads are a caution.’ The short neck stretched itself in a gesture of deliberately assumed pride. ‘I’ll be leaving him, going back to my mam. It won’t be easy on me or her, but it has to be done. I don’t want the boys turning out like him.’
    â€˜I understand.’
    Annie smiled. ‘Look, give us your phone number. I’ll be careful – I’ll call you from phone boxes. Bear in mind that the cops are on to him. Well, that’s what the private dick says, any road. The less contact we have, the better. They’ll find out that you knew him, of course, but you can avoid being his partner in crime, eh? He fitted your alarms and, if the worst comes to the worst, you stored stuff for him. Family heirlooms and the like.’ She grinned impishly. ‘Mind, have you seen his mother’s ornaments? They don’t need a safe, eh? Anyway, you should be OK.’
    â€˜Thanks to you, yes.’
    Annie squeezed Lisa’s hand after taking her card. ‘When it’s all over, maybe we can have a cuppa together, eh?’
    Lisa blinked hard. ‘He told me he was single, said his fiancée died. I suppose I needed to believe him, needed to be needed.’
    Annie tutted and shook her head. ‘Oh, and, by the way, you’re not an old bag. You’re the best-looking bird he’s had so far.’
    â€˜Thank you.’
    Annie’s eyes, too, were wet. ‘Go on. Bugger off and get sorted.’ She turned the key, and the engine came to life. ‘Er . . . it might be an idea if you spoke to the cops yourself. Just say you’re worried about a few things you’ve minded for him. Stay ahead of the game, and tell nobody else. Just me, you and the coppers. If you need help from your family, though, get it.’
    Back in her own car, Lisa sat and waved as the Ford sped away. Her mind was in a whirl, but why should she be surprised? She hadn’t