Its outskirts were even worse; a grid-work of uniformly drab housing estates, punctuated here and there by short rows of purpose-built retail units which usually consisted of a greasy chippie, a tanning salon and a boarded-up pub.
At least Cranby Street retained some old-time character.
Heck’s sister, Dana, lived at number twenty-three. She answered the door in flip-flops, cut-off jeans and a sleeveless blouse, an outfit which suited her. Aged in her early forties, she was very attractive, with long, dark hair and a slim, shapely figure.
Her eyes initially lit up at the sight of her brother, but then her mouth dropped open in shock. ‘Good God, what’s happened?’
‘Is Sarah here?’ he asked.
‘She’s … she’s in France with school.’
‘Good. That means we can come in?’ He shouldered his way inside, awaiting no invitation. ‘This is Lauren. She’s helping me with a case.’
Dana, still looking stunned, turned and followed him in. Lauren brought up the rear. They entered a small, neat lounge, where a television was tuned to one of the satellite movie channels and a half-drunk glass of wine sat alongside the remnants of a salad.
‘What happened to you?’ Dana asked, switching the TV off. ‘You had an accident, or something?’
‘We ran into a spot of trouble.’
Dana glanced at Lauren, who’d cleaned her face with her sleeve, but had found it impossible to hide the dried blood spattered down the front of her sweater.
‘You sure you aren’t better off at casualty? You both look terrible.’
‘If it’s any consolation,’ Heck said, ‘you should see the other lot.’
Dana shook her head as she went fussing into the kitchen, returning with a first-aid kit and handing them each a wad of antiseptic wipes.
Heck peeled off his jacket. ‘Don’t suppose you’re expecting company this evening?’
‘Yeah, by nine I’ll have gentleman callers queuing down the street.’
He nodded, ignoring the sarcasm.
‘Do you want to tell me what happened?’ Dana asked again.
‘No.’
‘At least give me some clue. You never even said you were coming north this week.’
‘It’s nothing important.’ He handed her his jacket. ‘Trust me.’
She held it at arm’s length, gingerly. ‘This is ruined. In fact all your clothes are ruined. I can wash and iron them, but they won’t be ready by morning.’
‘Doesn’t matter, we’ve got spares in the boot. We were planning to be up here for a couple of days.’
‘And you weren’t going to tell me?’
‘There was no need to involve you.’
‘You mean until you got so beaten up that it became obvious a hotel wouldn’t let you past the front door?’ Dana glanced around at Lauren, who couldn’t meet her gaze.
The atmosphere was far more awkward than the ex-squaddie had anticipated when Heck had told her that they were going to his sister’s house. Okay, even where members of family were concerned, it wasn’t the done thing to turn up unannounced and battered to the point where you were almost unrecognisable. But there’d been no apology from Heck, or even a reasonable attempt to offer an explanation.
‘I don’t suppose it really matters,’ Dana said. ‘I’m guessing you’re staying over now?’
‘If it’s convenient,’ Heck replied.
‘At least I get to see you again. What’s left of you.’ She glanced back at Lauren. ‘Lauren, is it?’
Lauren nodded, smiled.
‘Nice to meet you. I’m Dana Black, Mark’s sister.’
‘Hi,’ Lauren said.
‘Why don’t you go and get yourself a bath?’ Dana suggested. ‘There’s plenty of hot water, and fresh towels in the airing cupboard on the landing.’
Lauren nodded and moved gratefully into the hall. Heck followed her out. ‘Go on up,’ he said. ‘I’ll get the stuff from the car.’
When he came back indoors, carrying Lauren’s backpack in one hand and his own holdall in the other, Dana met him in the porch. ‘You two together?’ she asked quietly.
‘What?’
‘You know … together?’
‘Oh … no.’
She looked disappointed. ‘She a police officer too?’
‘A witness.’
Dana’s disappointment changed to visible concern. ‘And this is why you were attacked?’
‘It’s a bit more complicated than that.’
‘It always is.’ She followed him to the foot of the stairs. ‘Tell Lauren she can have the spare bedroom. You can use Sarah’s. But make sure you have a bath first. I don’t want her coming home from holiday and finding blood everywhere.’
He nodded and made to ascend, but Dana stopped him with a hand on his arm. ‘Just out of interest, Mark … are you going to keep punishing me forever?’
‘Don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Don’t give me that. Never responding to my calls, never getting in touch – not even at Christmas. You’re only here now because you’ve nowhere else to go.’
He gently detached himself from her hand. ‘I haven’t got time for this.’
‘No, you haven’t got time for anything. Not even your own niece.’
He’d put a foot on the bottom stair, but now swung around. ‘I always send Sarah a card and money on her birthday.’
Dana smiled cynically. ‘Correction. You sometimes send her a card and money. The years when you forget, I give it to her and say it’s from you. That’s why she still adores you … not that you’d notice.’
Heck shrugged. ‘I just don’t like living the lie that everything between you and me is okay.’
‘No, but you’re happy to live the lie that you’re right and everyone else is wrong.’
He grinned to himself. ‘Hell of a time to have this conversation, Dana …’
‘Well, you kind of limit the opportunities, Mark.’
‘What do you want from me, eh?’
‘I
