Chapter 1 –
It was a rather cold February morning as a girl of roughly fourteen years entered Sun Hill police station. As she entered the foyer she was greeted by Reg Hollis who was working on the front desk this shift.
Perfect by nature
Icons of self indulgence
Just what we all need
More lies about a world that
"Can I help you?" He asked smiling at the girl. She looked a pretty creature however she covered her face with a scarf and a pair of sunglasses.
"Yeah," She tried to sound tough but she couldn't, she was too scared of what she was doing. "I'm here to report a big turf war that's going down today. Biggest names in London, drugs and all!"
Never was and never will be
Have you no shame don't you see me
You know you've got everybody fooled
"Right. I'll go and fetch some officers to take a statement, go and sit in that interview room over there and they'll be with you shortly." Reg smiled sweetly as he watched the girl nod and enter the interview room.
5 minutes later
Phil Hunter and Terry Perkins sat in the interview room facing the girl, they were very interested to hear what she had to say so they pressed record on a type-recorder and began the interview.
"Name?" Terry asked.
Look here she comes now
Bow down and stare in wonder
Oh how we love you
No flaws when you're pretending
But now I know she
"Grace." She replied.
"Grace what?" Terry asked. "And can you remove your sunglasses please.
"I'd rather stay at Grace thank you and no I don't want to remove them" Grace muttered nervously.
"I'm sorry but for your own protection you need to remove your sunglasses and tell us your surname, so that we can protect you later." Phil interrupted not really looking at Grace.
"Ok," Grace said nervously, it seemed Phil hadn't recognised her yet but he soon would. She took off her sunglasses only to reveal a nasty black eye occupying her right eye.
"Grace Hunter-Webb" She muttered and Phil looked up.
"Grace!" He snarled angrily, "What are you doing here?" He spat.
"Please Phil, I had to come!" She pleaded with him but he got up and stormed out of the room.
Phil stormed all the way back up to CID where he found Mickey Webb. "Hey up Phil, you don't look best pleased." Mickey joked seeing Phil coming towards him.
Never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled
"When was the last time you heard from that sister of yours?" He snarled.
"Grace?" Mickey asked and Phil nodded. "The last time I heard from i our /i sister was about 18 months ago. Why?" He asked eying up Phil suspiciously.
"She's downstairs!" He snarled.
"Why? Is she ok?" Mickey asked concerned about his little sister.
"She's going to dob someone in! Did you put her up to this?"
"No Phil! Like I said I haven't heard from her since my dad… for almost two years!" Mickey changed his mind mid sentence he wasn't sure if Phil knew what his father did to Grace.
"You better not have!" He snarled.
"Look where is she now?" Mickey asked,
"Zain and Terry are interviewing her."
"I'll go and speak to her when they have finished ok?" Mickey tried to keep the peace.
"Fine." Phil muttered but he had other ideas.
Without the mask where will you hide
Can't find yourself lost in your lie
30 minutes later
"Have you finished interviewing Grace Hunter-Webb?" Mickey asked Terry as he was coming up the stairs.
"Yes but Phil's talking to her." Terry replied passing Mickey. "Why?" He asked turning round.
"What's he done that for?" Mickey muttered to himself. "Oh no reason." He said leaving Terry and heading to the foyer. He was going to enter the interview room but instead he went in search of Phil's brother Steve.
"Steve!" Mickey exclaimed as he found him in the canteen.
"Hey Mickey, what's up?" He smiled as Mickey pulled up a chair.
"Erm, Grace is here." Mickey told him.
"Our sister?" Steve asked,
"Yes. She's let us know about some drug type turf war."
"Where is she now?" Steve asked, he wasn't sure whether he should be worried Grace may have dobbed in his dad.
"She's with Phil." Mickey replied.
"Oh dear," Steve muttered, his brother only talked to Grace when he was forced to or he was going to…
"We have to find them now." Steve stood up coming out of his thoughts.
"Why?" Mickey was confused.
"Do you know where they are?"
I know the truth now
I know who you are
And I don't love you anymore
"Front interview room." Mickey replied trying to keep up with Steve as he took off.
"Is Phil in there?" Steve asked Reg pointing to the interview room when he reached the foyer
"Yes but he's with someone." Reg tried to tell Steve and Mickey but they had already burst into the room.
"PHIL!" Steve cried as he entered the room. Phil was leaning over Grace with his fist raised as she cowered on the floor.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Mickey yelled at Phil rushing over to his little sister.
"Bloody rat!" Phil spat at Grace.
"I'm sorry Phil." Grace muttered quietly as Mickey came over to her.
"Gracie? Why are you sorry?" Mickey asked pulling Grace into his arms.
"So you should be." Phil spat.
It never was and never will be
You're not real and you can't save me
Somehow now you're everybody's fool
"Phil!" Steve hissed.
"Shut up Steve! You know how this family deals with rats." Phil smirked.
Grace sighed and began to get up. "I'll be going." She muttered as she pulled away from Mickey and picked up her sunglasses from the floor.
"Grace you don't have to go." Mickey stood up trying to get his sister to stay.
"Oh yes she does Mickey!" Phil shouted grabbing Grace by the hair and pulling her towards the door.
"Phil stop!" Mickey screamed, he had never imagined that Grace would be treated this way by Phil; her brother. "Why are you doing this?"
"Stay out of this Webb!" Phil snarled and Mickey was seeing a completely different side of him.
"No! You are hurting my sister; i our sister /i ." Mickey retorted.
"Funny that! I don't see you raising her, disciplining her, looking after her!" Phil snapped.
"Phil stop this please!" Steve tried again he could see that Grace was getting more and more distressed.
"Get out of my sight Steve! This is between me, Mickey and i her /i " Phil spat the last part.
"At least let me take Grace, so you and Mickey can talk." Steve suggested, "I'll take her home?" At that point Phil let go of Grace and before anyone could say anything she ran onto the streets and away from her brothers.