Life of Crime: The gripping, epic new thriller from the No 1 bestseller. Kimberley Chambers

Carol kept cracking jokes to keep Johnny’s spirits high. She was petrified of water, couldn’t swim.

      ‘Next nice sunny day we’ll definitely go strawberry picking, and I’ll give that guest house in Cambridgeshire a bell tomorrow, book us in for a couple of nights. We can go back to that tea shop you loved. I’ll treat you to those homemade scones with the cream and jam again,’ Johnny smiled. He actually felt like sobbing, but kept a stiff upper lip. He would save his tears for when he was alone, that was the manly thing to do. Johnny stared intently at the sun going down. ‘If you had one big wish, you know, something to happen before the cancer wins, what would it be, Carol?’

      ‘To be at those school gates at Donte’s first day, but that isn’t going to happen, is it? Breaks my heart to think I won’t see him grow up. But I’ll be looking down on you all, watching from heaven.’

      ‘What else?’ Johnny asked. If he could grant his wife her final wish, he was hoping it might ease his own guilt. He rued the day he’d ever met Shirley Stone, he truly bloody did.

      ‘To see our Melissa settled and happy. My biggest dream ever was to see her get married. As you know, I do love a wedding and I would’ve made a great mother of the bride. I just hope she stays with Jason and he treats her well in life. Not going to see her get hitched now, I know. But I want you to promise me you will give her a wonderful wedding. No expense spared. I want our Mel to have the best.’

      ‘I promise,’ Johnny whispered, kissing his wife on the cheek. A plan was forming in his overactive brain, but he wouldn’t mention it just yet. He needed to speak to Jason first.

       CHAPTER SEVEN

      ‘Dad, Dad, wake up.’

      The prodding on the arm finally woke Jason and he sat up, rubbing his bleary eyes. Three nights on the spin he’d been out on a mission to find a suitable mother to raise Shay but none he’d met had fitted the bill. Getting it wrong wasn’t an option; he had to get it right or he might as well carry on as he was.

      ‘Nan’s got a man in her bed, Dad,’ Shay announced.

      Jason jumped up. His mother had brought a nonce home last year who’d touched Barbara inappropriately. Jason had gone ballistic when his sister had admitted what happened, and had told his mother if she wanted to get laid in future she should go round the bloke’s gaff. In Jason’s eyes, putting your kids at risk was an unforgivable act of selfishness.

      Elton was sitting on the sofa, eating crisps. ‘Mum’s having sex,’ he said bluntly.

      Hearing grunting noises coming from his mother’s bedroom, Jason banged on the door. ‘Get that geezer out of ’ere now before I fucking sling him out.’

      ‘Mind your own fucking business, you. My flat and I’ll do what I like in it,’ Debbie yelled.

      Jason opened the bedroom door and immediately wanted to vomit. His mother was kneeling on the bed, her arse looking bigger than the moon, with some no-mark giving her one from behind. Jason grabbed hold of the bloke by the neck. ‘There’s four young kids in this flat. Get dressed and get out, you worthless piece of shit.’

      Debbie leapt off the bed and flew at her son. ‘You got no right barging in ’ere shouting the odds. Fuck off, go on. I want you outta my home and take your bastard daughter with ya,’ she screamed, punching Jason hard.

      ‘Don’t you hurt my brother,’ Kyle yelled, squaring up to his mother. Babs was sobbing she was so scared. Elton and Shay watched the events unfold in silence.

      Jason was laid-back as a rule, rarely lost his temper. But when he did, he completely saw red.

      The bloke said nothing as he got dressed and sloped off. He had a wife indoors, didn’t want any grief.

      Deborah put on her filthy dressing gown. To say she was livid was an understatement. Who did Jason think he was, her keeper? She marched out the bedroom and into her son’s. ‘Take your shit and go. Go on, I want you out,’ she shouted, taking Jason’s clothes out the wardrobe and throwing them on his bed. She would miss the money he brought home, but she wasn’t being dictated to by anyone. Especially a brat she’d spent ten hours giving birth to.

      ‘You’re a disgrace as a human being and a mother. Bringing blokes back ’ere when you’re pissed and letting your kids hear all sorts. Have you no bastard shame? It weren’t that long ago you dragged a nonce home that mauled Babs while you were comatose in your stinking pit. Them little ’uns deserve far better, and so does Shay. If Social Services were to find out what you’re really like, they’d take ’em away from you, in a flash.’

      ‘That a threat, is it? Gonna grass on me, are ya? Only I’m sure the Old Bill would be interested to know you once robbed the Paki shop at Dagenham East, and now sell snuff and porn films to weirdos and perverts.’

      Jason stared at the mess of a woman who had given birth to him. She stank; a mixture of sweat and the stale smell of sex. ‘Start packing your toys and stuff, Shay,’ he shouted. ‘We’re outta this dump.’

      ‘That was Jason on the phone. He’s on his way over with Shay,’ Melissa said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. It was now a whole week since she had last seen her boyfriend and she’d been terribly worried he’d gone off her. He hadn’t phoned as much as he usually did either, and she’d wondered if he was avoiding her because of their failed attempt to have sex. Perhaps he felt embarrassed, poor sod.

      ‘See, I told you you’d hear from him soon, didn’t I?’ Carol smiled. She hadn’t been well yesterday, had suffered the migraine from hell, but felt much better today.

      ‘I think Jase has had a few problems at home. He told me he’s had a big row with his mum and walked out with Shay. She sounds awful, his mum. Nothing like you.’

      Johnny looked over the top of his newspaper. ‘Perhaps a man-to-man chat might help. I’ll take him out for a couple of pints later.’

      ‘He’s coming over to see Melissa, not you,’ Carol quipped.

      ‘I won’t keep him out long. Just want to make sure the lad’s all right.’ This was the opportunity Johnny had been waiting for.

      ‘If he hasn’t got anywhere else to stay, Dad, can he stay here tonight in one of our spare rooms?’ Melissa asked. She had sorely missed Jason and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.

      ‘I’m not sure about that, love. Your mum’s not well enough to have strangers wandering about the house.’

      ‘I don’t mind and Jason’s hardly a stranger, he’s our Melissa’s boyfriend,’ Carol said. Jason had a happy-go-lucky attitude and Carol would welcome some company. When she and Johnny were alone, the conversation always veered towards her cancer. Telling her son Mark earlier this week that she was dying had been one of the hardest things Carol had ever had to do. She still hadn’t mentioned the time frame she’d been given to Melissa, would rather her daughter be kept in the dark.

      ‘OK,’ Johnny said. ‘I’ll speak to the lad alone first, find out the score.’

      Jason Rampling felt thoroughly miserable as he drove towards the Brooks’s house. He couldn’t look after Shay properly all by himself and he had nowhere to go. He had a few pals he might be able to doss with, but they all lived on the Mardyke and their flats were shitholes. His nan would probably suffer them temporarily if push came to shove. But she’d made it clear she was no fan of Shay.

      Jason thought about Melissa and was glad he hadn’t been too hasty in dumping her. None of the other birds he’d chatted up had a wealthy father like Johnny. Most openly admitted they were skint and their family didn’t have a pot to piss in.

      He parked on the Brooks’s driveway and grinned as Melissa ran out of the house to greet him. ‘Had the morning from hell, I have, babe. Sorry I didn’t see you all week but I’ve been having murders indoors and