AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Slate – no, sleight, is it? – of ’and? She was good at it,’ said Abigail. ‘I’d seen magicians on the telly, I knew what she mus’ be up to, but the ovver kids fort she could really do magic. They didn’ call it magic, though. Pure spirit,’ said Abigail, her lip curling.
She glanced over her shoulder in time to see Baz leaving the pub.
‘Good,’ she said, getting up immediately. ‘Wan’ anuvver beer?’
‘No, you’re all right,’ said Strike.
When Abigail had returned with her third wine and sat down again, Strike asked,
‘How soon after you moved into Chapman Farm was your sister born?’
‘She was never born.’
Strike thought she must have misunderstood him.
‘I’m talking about when Daiyu—’
‘She wasn’ my sister,’ said Abigail. ‘She was already there when we arrived. Mazu ’ad ’er wiv Alex Graves.’
‘I thought—?’
‘I know what you fort. After Alex died, Mazu pretended Daiyu was my farver’s.’
‘Why?’
‘Because Alex’s family tried to get custody of ’er, after ’e killed ’imself. Mazu didn’ wanna give Daiyu up, so she an’ my farver cooked up the story that Daiyu was really ’is. Alex’s family took it to court. I remember Mazu going berserk when she gotta legal letter sayin’ she ’ad to provide Daiyu’s DNA samples.’
‘This is interesting,’ said Strike, who was now taking rapid notes. ‘Were the samples ever taken?’
‘No,’ said Abigail, ‘’cause she drowned.’
‘Right,’ said Strike, looking up. ‘But Alex Graves thought Daiyu was his?’
‘Oh, yeah. ’E made a will and named Daiyu as the sole bene – ben – what’s it?’
‘Beneficiary?’
‘Yeah… tole you I never ’ad no education,’ Abigail muttered. ‘Should read more, prob’ly. Sometimes I fink abou’ tryin’ to do a course, or somefing.’
‘Never too late,’ said Strike. ‘So there was a will, and Daiyu stood to get everything Graves had to leave?’
‘Yeah. I ’eard Mazu an’ my farver talkin’ abou’ it.’
‘Did he have much to give?’
‘Dunno. ’E looked like an ’obo, but ’is family was wealfy. They used to come an’ see ’im at the farm sometimes. The UHC weren’ as strict abou’ visitors then, people could still jus’ drive in. The Graves was posh. My farver ’ad Graves’ sister eatin’ out of ’is ’and. Chubby girl. My farver’d try an’ get in wiv anyone ’oo ’ad money.’
‘So after Daiyu died, your stepmother—’
‘Don’ call her that,’ said Abigail sharply. ‘I never use the word “muvver” for that bitch, not even wiv “step” in front of it.’
‘Sorry,’ said Strike. ‘Mazu, then – she presumably inherited all Graves had left?’
‘I s’pose,’ said Abigail, with a shrug. ‘I was shunted off to the Birming’am centre not long after Daiyu died. Mazu always ’ated the bloody sight of me, she wasn’ gonna let me stay if ’er daughter was dead. I ran away from the street in Birming’am when I was out collectin’ for the church. The day’s takings paid for a coach ticket to London an’ my mum’s mum. It’s ’er flat I live in now. She left it to me, bless ’er.’
‘How old were you when you left the church?’
‘Sixteen,’ said Abigail.
