What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George Page B

silent and self-directed second one, for at the last moment, she told herself that these were not her children and technically none of them should even be her problem. Since they had an impact on her life, however, she tried another tack, without knowing her words formed the single query least likely to produce a positive result. She said, “What would your mum say, Vanessa, if she saw how you’re acting now?”
    Ness crossed her arms beneath her breasts. She would
not
be touched in this way, not by reference to the past or prognostication of the future.
    Although Kendra didn’t know exactly what Ness was up to, she concluded that whatever it was, it had to do with drugs and most likely, because of her age, with boys as well. This added up to news that wasn’t good. But beyond that, Kendra knew nothing aside from what went on on the estates round North Kensington, and she knew plenty about that. Drug purchases. Contraband exchanging hands. Muggings. Breakins. The occasional assault. Gangs of boys looking for trouble. Gangs of girls doing much the same. The best way to avoid putting yourself into harm’s way was to walk a narrow path defined by school, home, and nothing else. This, apparently, was not what Ness had been doing.
    She said to her, “You can’t do this, Ness. You’re going to get hurt.”
    “I c’n take care of myself,” Ness said.
    That, of course, was the real issue. For Kendra and Ness each had an entirely different definition of what taking care of oneself actually meant. Rough times, disease, disappointment, and death had taught Kendra she had to stand alone. The same and more had taught Ness to run, as fast and as far as her mind and her will would take her.
    So Kendra asked the only question left to ask, the one she hoped would get through to her niece and mould her behaviour henceforth.
    She said, “Vanessa, d’you want your mum to know how you’re behav-ing?”
    Ness raised her gaze from the study she was making of her chewing gum wrapper. She cocked her head. “Oh yeah, Aunt Ken,” she finally replied, “like you’re really going to tell her that.”
    It was a direct challenge, nothing less. Kendra decided the time had come to accept it.

Chapter 4
    While Kendra could have taken them by car, she opted instead for the bus and the train. Unlike Glory, who in the past had always accompanied the Campbell children to visit their mother because she wasn’t otherwise employed, Kendra had a job to go to and a career to develop, so the children were going to have to make the journey to Carole Campbell by themselves after this. To do that, they’d need to know how to get there and back on their own.
    Crucial to Kendra’s plan for the day was that Ness should not know where they were going initially. If she knew, she would bolt and Kendra needed her cooperation even if Ness didn’t realise she was giving it.
    She wanted Ness to see her mother—for reasons that Kendra could not express either to herself or to the girl—and she also wanted Carole Campbell to see Ness. For mother and daughter had had a bond at one time, even through Carole’s terrible periods.
    They began their journey on the number 23 bus to Paddington station. As it was a Saturday, the bus was overly crowded since the route would take them to the top of Queensway where, at the weekends, hordes of kids hung about the shops, cafés, restaurants, and cinemas.
    This, indeed, was where Ness thought they were going, and when they approached the appropriate stop in Westbourne Grove, the fact that Ness automatically stood and began to head for the stairs—for they’d crammed themselves into the upper deck of the bus—told Kendra a great deal about where her niece had been spending her time during the days when she was meant to be at school.
    `Kendra caught the back of Ness’s jacket as the girl started to negotiate her way down the aisle. She said, “Not here, Vanessa,” and she held on until the bus was moving again.
    Ness