Janine shook her head. Connie had gone on to talk about her intention to take an evening course in business management. She had nannied while in Hong Kong but had always wanted to live in the UK. ‘It’s my favourite place,’ she declared. Janine liked her energy. With three kids and a baby, stamina was important. She just hoped Connie wouldn’t sail through her business course too quickly; she could just see her setting up her own nannying agency and making a go of it.
‘I can’t expect her to manage a baby all day long and then be on tap for babysitting.’ Janine told Pete.
‘Well, I’m on days,’ he offered, rising to get his coat.
‘And what about Tina?’ It still stung her to say the name though she hid it well.
‘Tina knows the score,’ he told her.
She was relieved. She knew just how crazy her hours might get and it would be impossible without Pete to call on. No need to show too much gratitude though. After all he was their father; his spending time here was good for them all.
As Janine headed upstairs, Eleanor pounced. ‘Mum, there’s a girl been knocked down at Tom’s school.’
‘I know,’ Janine said.
‘What happened?’ Eleanor’s eyes were bright with interest. ‘Did you see it, it was this morning?’
‘Yes. A car went straight over the crossing, and then they drove off.’
‘That’s awful. Is she going to be all right?’
‘No,’ Janine said quietly. She saw Eleanor’s face fall, her mouth part then close again. A tiny frown. ‘What?’
‘She died this afternoon.’
‘That’s awful,’ Eleanor repeated, a sudden glint of tears in her eyes. Any hint of morbid curiosity vanished.
Janine hugged her. ‘I don’t want you to say anything to Tom, OK?’
‘You’ve got to tell him; she was in his class.’
‘I know – but don’t say anything till I’ve had chance.’
‘Why didn’t they stop?’ Eleanor stepped back, an edge of outrage in her expression.
‘They didn’t want to take responsibility for what they’d done.’
‘Will you catch them?’
‘We’re trying. It was a stolen car so it’s a bit more complicated.’
‘That is so mean,’ Eleanor said, shaking her head, her face miserable. Janine nodded. You couldn’t protect children from the grim realities. Maybe they heard more than their fair share because of her job though she made it a habit not to bring home stories from work – or only the funny ones. But even if she hadn’t been in the job, the daily news was still saturated with examples of cruelty, inhumanity, death and strife. Most of the time people compartmentalised the two worlds: the safe, private, domestic one and the big bad place out there, where awful things happened to other people. But with something like Ann-Marie’s death the two spheres collided, the divisions dissolved. The wolf wasn’t at the door, he was in the house.
