Free No Mercy by Roberta Kray

it?’
    ‘What about Lucy Rivers?’
    Solomon splayed his palms on his wide thighs and gave her another sideways glance. ‘You want to ask me a question I
do
know the answer to?’
    ‘Mm, I may need a while to figure that one out.’
    Solomon huffed out a breath. ‘See you ain’t lost any of your charm since I saw you last.’
    ‘We aim to please.’
    ‘So why the interest? Who are these people, anyhows?’
    Maddie watched Zac bowl a few wide balls in the general direction of Winston. She leaned in towards Solomon, lowering her voice. ‘Oh, just something a bit weird that happened down the cemetery this morning. This grave I’m tending – a girl called Lucy Rivers – well, I was asked to take care of it by a guy called Cato. It was over the phone. We’ve never actually met. But it seems this man, whoever he is, isn’t too popular with a certain member of the office staff. I’m just curious, I guess. I wondered if you knew anything about him.’
    ‘You want me to ask around?’
    Maddie pulled a face. ‘Best not,’ she said. ‘It’s probably nothing. I don’t want to stir up trouble.’
    ‘I can do discreet. In the exalted circles I move in, I’m renowned for my tact and diplomacy.’
    ‘Exalted, huh?’
    ‘Don’t be fooled by my ghetto reputation.’
    ‘Ah, is that what you call it?’
    ‘You want me to check out this Cato guy or not?’
    Maddie hesitated, in two minds as to what to say next. She
was
curious – there was no denying it – but she was cautious too. ‘I don’t know. I suppose. I mean, can you do it without him finding out? I don’t want to get his back up. He might decide to get rid of me if he gets wind of the fact that I’m checking up on him.’
    ‘Don’t worry, babe. I won’t be shouting it from the rooftops.’
    ‘That’s reassuring.’
    ‘So that’s a yes?’
    Maddie hesitated again. ‘Well…’
    ‘Always useful to know exactly who you’re working for.’
    And she couldn’t argue with that. Hadn’t Delia Shields been less than complimentary about Cato? ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Go for it. And thanks. I appreciate it.’
    ‘No problem.’
    Zac bounced over to them again. ‘Why are you whispering? It’s rude to whisper.’ He frowned at Maddie. ‘You told me that.’
    Maddie smiled back at him. ‘We’re not whispering, love. We’re just talking quietly so we don’t put you off.’
    ‘You’re supposed to be watching.’
    ‘We are watching.’
    Zac narrowed his eyes. He seemed dubious, as if watching and talking were two quite separate acts and fundamentally incompatible.
    ‘Go on, then,’ she urged. ‘Don’t keep Grandpa waiting.’
    As Zac returned to his bowling, Solomon said, ‘Thought I’d take him to see the dinosaurs on Friday if that’s okay with you.’
    ‘At the museum?’
    ‘Unless you know someplace else we can find ’em.’
    Maddie grinned. ‘Now who’s asking the difficult questions?’
    ‘And then get something to eat, and maybe watch a movie in the evening. He might as well stay over.’
    ‘Are you sure? You want him for the evening too?’
    ‘Sure. I like spending time with him. It’s hard, you know, with the job and all, but I’ve got a few days off, so… But if you’d rather I brought him home…’
    Maddie shook her head. ‘No, no, that’s fine. If you’re up for it, I’m not complaining.’ Solomon, who’d previously been living in Chigwell, had moved back to Kellston about six months ago and got himself a flat in Barley Road overlooking the green. It was only five minutes’ walk from her house, close enough if any kind of emergency arose.
    ‘You could go out,’ he said.
    ‘Or stay in, slouch on the sofa and watch exactly what I like on the TV.’
    Solomon stared at her. ‘Jesus, hon, you twenty-nine or fifty-nine? You don’t want to be watching TV on a Friday night. Get out on the town, chill, have a few drinks.’
    Maddie was surprised that Solomon knew how old she was. She wasn’t sure of his exact age,