that was how it had remained. The child, a girl called Lucy, was born in Crowley, where Cora made her new life. She grew up never knowing who her father was but, ironically, joined the Greater Manchester Police. It was only two years ago, in the very dramatic circumstances of Operation Clearway, an undercover mission she and numerous other policewomen had undertaken in order to catch a killer called Jill the Ripper, that Lucy had finally come into contact with McCracken – now a major player, of course.
When they became aware of each other, there was immediate distrust on both parts, though the man had been more intrigued than the girl, almost feeling proud that his daughter had overcome the difficulties of having a lone parent in a rough part of the city. Lucy, in contrast, was overtly hostile to him, but, by necessity, a truce had eventually been reached, both parties understanding that if word ever got out that they were related to each other, their careers would both be damaged, if not ruined. Even now, only four people knew about it, as far as Lucy was aware: she and her mother, and McCracken and his second-in-command, a psychotic bruiser called Mick Shallicker.
The truce had held, even though they’d had dealings with each other several times since then, but increasingly, Lucy felt, her father was becoming lax in his efforts to keep things secret.
‘There was even a signed card with it,’ Cora added, interrupting her thoughts. ‘Just so there couldn’t be any mistake. The card was so big, it wouldn’t have gone through the letterbox.’ Her voice was almost wistful. ‘He not only signed it, he put fifty-five kisses on it.’ She glanced up, her expression suddenly hard. ‘So, go on … if you’re going to start shouting and bawling, let’s do it now and get it over with.’
‘What’s the point shouting?’ Lucy asked. ‘You didn’t give him any encouragement … I’m assuming?’
‘Of course I didn’t.’ Cora whipped her napkin off the table, a bit too aggressively, and arranged it on her lap. ‘But I’ve not needed to. It’s not like he’s come back into our lives through ordinary circumstances, is it?’
‘Well … not exactly ordinary.’
‘But through no fault of ours.’
Lucy shrugged. ‘And what are you trying to tell me … he likes what he sees?’
‘Why shouldn’t he?’
‘For Christ’s sake, Mum!’ Lucy leaned forward, lowering her voice. ‘You’re in fab shape for your age, but he’s walking around with Supertramp on his arm. Or he was.’
Carlotta ‘Charlie’ Powell was Frank McCracken’s current squeeze, a Pamela Anderson lookalike, who had once been the most expensive hooker in Manchester.
‘I can’t explain his motivation,’ Cora said. ‘All I’m telling you is what’s happened.’
‘I take it you haven’t done anything daft in response … like sent him a thank-you note or something?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Not yet?’
‘Lucy … will you stop behaving as if you’re the mother and I’m the child?’ Cora said heatedly. ‘Or as if you have a monopoly on common sense?’
Lucy sat back again, feeling admonished.
‘For all the reasons that you constantly warn me against him, I dumped that man thirty years ago. And in the process I condemned myself to a lifetime of anonymous single-motherhood. All this happened before you were even wearing nappies. Now, some might argue, given the pillar of righteousness you’ve become, that my sacrifice was worth it … and that maybe I’m finally entitled to a little me time.’
‘Mum … you’re not actually thinking of getting back with him?’
‘Lucy … just because you don’t want a man in your life, that doesn’t mean I don’t.’
‘But he’s already with someone.’
Cora shrugged. ‘You think that’ll bother your father?’
‘What?’ Lucy was aghast. ‘You’d be happy to be the other woman?’
‘I …’ Fleetingly, Cora struggled with this dollop of common sense. ‘Of course not. It’s just that I …’ Again, she had trouble articulating. ‘I really liked Frank. Back then, I mean.’
‘You left him easily enough.’
‘The decision was far from easy, trust me.’
‘You’ve had loads of chances to get to know other guys. I know you’ve been asked out at least three—’
‘None of them measure up, Lucy. That’s the trouble.’ Briefly, Cora was wistful again, lost in a dreamy past. Only to snap out of it suddenly. ‘Anyway, it’s easy for you to talk. You’re young, you’ve got your looks, your health …’
‘So have you.’
‘But you’ve still got years ahead of you. The pages on my calendar are turning fast.’
Lucy didn’t know what to say. The idea of her mother taking up with a notorious gangster was intolerable, of course, the antithesis of everything she stood for. But ultimately this was her mother’s business, not hers. Did she really have a right to intervene?
‘If you want the truth,’ Cora said, ‘I think Frank’s feeling the years too. He might have that ex-porno queen, or whatever she is, in his bed, but she’s not like a real wife, is she? She won’t keep him a tidy home, she hasn’t raised his children.’
‘So now you’re saying Frank McCracken’s missing his family?’ Lucy scoffed. ‘A family he hadn’t even met until a couple of years ago?’
‘God, you can be harsh when you want to.’
‘I’m stating a fact. And I don’t want you to get hurt.’
‘You’ve a funny way of showing it.’ Cora threw down her napkin and stood up, much to the surprise of the waitress, who had just arrived with their first courses.
‘Mum … please!’ Lucy tapped the tablecloth placatingly. ‘Come on … don’t be silly.’
Cora sat down again but looked grumpy. Rather nervously, the waitress served their dishes. The twosome ate in sulky silence.
‘Obviously this means more to you than I thought,’ Lucy said when she’d finished her starter. She dabbed at her mouth. ‘But you know the situation with him and me. As soon as word gets out, we’re both finished in our respective careers.’
‘And do you really believe that, Lucy?’ Cora scrutinised her in a firm, motherly way, as though trying to wheedle the truth out of a deceitful child. ‘Do you? Honestly?’
Again, Lucy considered this. Coming clean to her bosses about who her father was would be a huge risk. How would they ever be able to take her seriously as a police officer again?
‘Just say, for the sake of argument,’ Cora ventured, ‘that I did start seeing him –’ Lucy suppressed a shudder ‘– do any of your lot even know I’m your mother? I can count on
