Free Unti Lucy Black Novel #3 by Brian McGilloway

her I’d pay her for it. A few pounds to help her through. A girl at that age needs something to keep her going.”
    Lucy smiled gently. “I hope your kindness wasn’t misplaced.”
    â€œI don’t believe she’d have stolen from me,” Doreen repeated. “I don’t believe it for a moment.”
    Despite that, Lucy reflected, Doreen had still called her, and had still revealed that Helen had access to her house.
    â€œI’ll have a word with her,” Lucy said. “See what she has to say.”
    â€œDon’t,” Doreen said. “She’ll think I don’t trust her.”
    Lucy considered a moment. If Helen had managed to build a proper, healthy stable relationship with an adult, the last thing Lucy wanted to do was damage it unnecessarily. Then again, if Helen had progressed from stealing second-­hand clothes to stealing jewelry, then that would need to be dealt with.
    â€œWhat was the value of your jewelry? Ballpark figure?”
    Doreen shrugged. “The watch cost Bennie over eight thousand when he bought it and that was fifteen years ago.”
    â€œLook, don’t touch anything upstairs. I’ll have someone come out and see if they can find any fingerprints on the jewelry box and that. How about I hold off on speaking to Helen until I get word back on that first. Okay?”
    Doreen smiled, gratefully.
    â€œHave you anyone who could stay with you tonight? Keep you company?”
    Doreen shook her head, smiled apologetically. “Helen would have been the obvious one to call.”
    â€œBest not, eh?” Lucy said. “Lock the doors. If you’ve any problems, call me directly rather than the station. Here’s my mobile number,” she said, handing Doreen her card.
    â€œDo you think whoever did it will come back?”
    Lucy shook her head. “Is there anything else in the house worth taking as much as your jewelry?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen I’d say whoever it was won’t be back. Can you make out a list of as many of the stolen items as you can remember? Mention any distinctive features. Someone will be out with you to collect it and to take prints.”
    The woman looked around the room as if seeing it for the first time, her lower lip shivering.
    â€œI have to go out to the shops. The fridge is empty with my being away,” she explained. “I’ve no dinner in. Will the house be okay if I go out?”
    â€œI’m sure it’ll be fine,” Lucy said. “Look, any problems, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll be in touch.”
    S HE PUSHED THE key into the car’s ignition, then, looking back toward the house, made up her mind.
    Doreen looked surprised to see Lucy again so soon, not least because she bore the bags of shopping she’d got in the supermarket.
    â€œWe can’t have you not getting your dinner, now, can we? How does spaghetti Bolognese sound?” Lucy asked, stepping back inside.

 
    Chapter Sixteen
    F IONA AND J ENNY were in the changing room of the pool by the time Lucy arrived. She’d just had time to shave her legs and grab her swimsuit and towel on the way back from Doreen’s. Her legs stung, spots of blood reddening the skin.
    Fiona smiled when she came in, fixing the straps on her suit. She was thin, small-­breasted, with an erect carriage that reminded Lucy of an Irish dancer’s. Jenny, though not heavy, did not have the same slim build, no doubt as a result of having three children. Or four. Lucy couldn’t remember how many she had.
    â€œSorry I’m late. Work,” Lucy explained.
    â€œNo problem.” Jenny smiled. Lucy sensed she was relieved, perhaps that her sister would believe that they had been planning on swimming anyway.
    â€œThis must be a busman’s holiday, then,” Fiona said. “The last thing I’d feel like after training all day is swimming.”
    It took Lucy a beat to remember that as far