The Half Truth(60)

Chapter 31


Tina was at her parents with Dimitri. John had taken her straight there after leaving the beach that morning and before heading back up to London for his meeting with Brogan. Tina was glad to be able to sit with her parents and talk of normal mundane things. She wanted to put all thoughts of Sasha and what he was involved in right from her mind.

‘Stay for some tea,’ said Tina’s mum. ‘I’ve made plenty.’

‘Yes, stay, love,’ said her father. ‘Your mother is happiest when you are all eating.’

So Tina stayed and although she thought she had no appetite, once her mum had put a plate of shepherd’s pie in front of her, Tina realised she was actually very hungry. She was heartened to see Dimitri tucking into a second plateful. He always said it was one of his favourite dinners his nana made.

‘Are you all right?’ said her mother as Tina helped clear away the empty plates later on. ‘You don’t look yourself.’

‘Oh, I’m fine, mum,’ said Tina. ‘Don’t worry about me. Just a bit tired.’

‘No, you don’t look tired.’ Her mother began to rinse the plates. ‘You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. I can always tell when there’s something wrong.’

Tina went to protest but changed her mind. There was little point. Her mother was right. Pam had always been able to tell when something was bothering Tina, right from when she was a young child, coming out of class, upset because she had been told off for talking too much, as a teenager when she had first falling out with a boy and through to adulthood. The strain of the past few weeks was clearly evident to her mother.

‘I’ve got a few things I’m trying to sort out at the moment,’ said Tina. Might as well tell her mother the truth, or as near to the truth as she dared.

‘Anything I can help you with?’

Tina took the rinsed plates from the drainer and began loading the dishwasher. ‘Not really. Not yet, anyway. But thank you.’

Pam turned off the tap. ‘You know where I am if you need me. Or your father, for that matter.’ As if on cue, a screech of laughter came from the living room.

Tina raised a questioning eye to her mum. ‘What are those two up to?’

‘You know what your dad’s like – he’s as big a kid as Dimitri. They were like this the other night when Dimitri stayed – laughing their heads off at cartoons.’

Tina looked fondly back towards the living room. ‘I hate to be the one to break up the party, but I really should be getting back home. Dimitri has school tomorrow and I’ve got work, plus I’d like to look in on Mr Cooper.’

‘Why don’t you leave Dimitri here? He can stay the night. In fact, why don’t you stay as well?’

Tina looked at the concern etched on her mother’s face. A simple yes would take away the worry lines of the older woman. ‘But I haven’t got any of our things and I need to feed Rascal.’

‘Why don’t you nip home, do what you have to and then come back?’

It was a tempting offer, but Tina knew if she said yes now, it would be too easy to continue saying yes. One night would turn into two, then three, then four, then … well, she’d be moved in before any of them knew it. She was aware her parents would be most pleased at this – they regularly asked her if she wanted to move in with them. And, yes, it would make life a lot easier, more convenient and, at times, a lot less lonely, but Tina had thus far refused. She needed her own space and she didn’t want to become a burden to her parents. She had always envisaged that one day she might meet someone again. She hadn’t envisaged, however, that it would be the investigating officer of the secret criminal past of her husband who had faked his own death.

It occurred to her that Sasha might be waiting for her. She was his only hope of getting the money he needed for his other son. She gulped at the thought. Another son. Dimitri’s half-brother. She had to be there for Sasha, no matter what she felt about his deceit, his lies, their life built on lies. The truth was, there was a child’s life on the line.

‘Look, I’ll go home,’ said Tina. ‘If Dimitri could stay, that would be great.’ The concern in her mother’s eyes took on a fiercer glow. ‘It’s okay, Mum, honest. There’s nothing to worry about. I just need a bit of time to sort a few things out.’

‘Anything I can help you with?’ said Pam.

Tina hesitated. Could she bring herself to tell a lie to her mum? In the end she settled for a white lie, or rather, an adaptation of the truth. ‘It’s John. I’m quite fond of him, but I’ve been thinking about Sasha a lot these last few weeks and it’s all getting to me.’