'Tango just means target. It means they were looking at him, it doesn't mean he's done anything wrong.'
'There's no smoke without fire.'
'Yeah, and an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Are we going to swap cliches all night? Den's Den and that's the end of it.'
'I know, love, and I think the world of him. And Robbie. But I don't want us to get caught up in the middle of something.'
Laura took her legs off her husband's lap and sat up.
'Like what?'
'I don't know what. But Vicky's got a temper and you know what Den's like.'
'What, you think they're going to come in here with guns blazing?'
'You know that's not what I mean, but there's going to be one hell of a court battle over Robbie. They'll both want custody.'
'She got caught sleeping around, Mark. It'll be open and shut.'
'It's never open and shut in British courts. It'll be a dirty fight, thousand-pound-an-hour lawyers at thirty paces.'
'That's not our problem.'
There was a scuffling at the doorway and they both jumped. Laura's hot chocolate slopped over her knees.
It was Robbie, rubbing his eyes.
'I can't sleep,' he said.
Laura put her mug on the coffee table, and went over and hugged him.
'What's wrong, Robbie?' she asked.
'I had a bad dream,' he said.
She led him over to the sofa. Mark shuffled over to make room for them. He put a hand around Robbie's shoulder.
'You'll be okay, Robbie.'
'Where's Dad?'
'He's coming,' said Laura.
'I want my dad,' said Robbie, and the tears started to flow again.
'I know you do,' said Laura. She looked across at Mark and he shrugged. There was nothing either of them could say or do to make things any easier for Robbie. All they could do was to wait for Den Donovan.
Laura put her cheek against the top of Robbie's head and whispered softly to him. After a while the tears stopped and a few minutes later he was snoring softly. Laura smiled at her husband.
'I'll put him in Jenny's room. I don't want him sleeping on his own tonight.'
'Good idea,' said Mark.
'Shall I take him up?'
Laura shook her head.
'He's not heavy.' She carried him upstairs. Seven-year-old Jenny was fast asleep on top of her bunk bed. Jenny had shared a room with her sister until Julie had declared that she was too old to be sharing and had insisted on a room of her own. At the time Julie had been all of four years old and Jenny had been three. Jenny had insisted on her own list of demands including keeping the bunk bed for herself, and a change of wallpaper.
Laura eased Robbie into the lower bunk and pulled the quilt up around him. She bent down and kissed him on the forehead.
'Sleep well, Robbie,' she whispered.
As she straightened up, the phone rang. There was an extension in the master bedroom, but Laura headed downstairs, knowing that Mark would pick it up. As she walked into the sitting room, he had the receiver to his ear.
'Is it Den?' she mouthed.
Mark shook his head.
'You'd better speak to Laura,' he said into the receiver, then held it out to her.
'It's Vicky, he said.
Laura took the phone.
'You've got a damn cheek, calling here,' she said coldly.
'Is Robbie there, Laura? I've been trying his mobile but it's switched off.'
'He's asleep.'
'For Christ's sake, Laura, I just want to talk to him.'
'I don't think that's a good idea.'
'I'm his mother, for God's sake!'
'He's had a bad day. He needs to sleep. He's in a state, Victoria. I don't think you talking to him is going to help. Where are you anyway?'
There was a brief pause.
'I can't tell you. I'm sorry.'
'You're in London, right? I went around to the house but you weren't there.'
'What were you doing at my house?' Vicky asked quickly.
'First of all it's Den's house. Second of all, it's none of your business. Whatever rights you had you forfeited when you screwed Sharkey in Den's bed.'
'Will you stop saying that!' shouted Vicky.
'You make it sound so bloody sordid.'
'Victoria, it was sordid. Sordid and stupid.'
'You've spoken to Den, haven't you?'
'What if I have?'
'What did he say?'
'What do you think he said?' asked Laura.
'He's coming back, isn't he?'
'No, Victoria, he's going to stay out in Anguilla for a few months. Of course he's coming back. Like a bat out of hell.'
'What am I going to do? This is a nightmare.'
'Why did you empty the safe?' asked Laura.
'I didn't steal anything. The money was for me, for running the house.'
'And Robbie's passport? Why did you take that?'
'What the hell's going on, Laura?' shouted Vicky.
'Why were you in my house?'
'Den wanted Robbie's passport. And the money. He knows you cleared the safe, and he told me to change the locks. He doesn't want you back in the house, Victoria.'
'He's planning to take Robbie back with him to Anguilla, isn't he?'
'I'm going to hang up now,' said Laura. Mark stood in front of her, trying to listen in, but Laura twisted away from him. She hated her sister-in-law for what she'd done, but she didn't want Mark to hear how upset she was.
'Please, Laura, let me speak to him. I just want him to know that I love him.'
'No. Not tonight. Call again tomorrow.'
'Laura .. .' sobbed Vicky.
Laura replaced the receiver. Her hand was shaking and her knuckles had gone white. She hadn't realised how tightly she'd been gripping the phone. Mark put a comforting arm around her shoulder.
'I'm sorry, love,' he said.
She rubbed her head against his.
'If I ever catch you in bed with your accountant, I'll disembowel you with my bare hands,' she whispered.
'And that's a promise.'
