32

"Hello there Missus."

"You can't do this!" came the snarled reply. "I have rights ya know!"

"Barbie. Can I call you Barbie? Look at that blonde beehive… proper do that."

"How dare you! My name is not…"

"Look love, I don't think you quite get the situation here. You are in a wee spot of bother and if I want to call you Barbie, your fucking name is Barbie. Right?" Mayes snarled into Mother Harkness's face.

Her mouth, which had been open to speak slowly closed. Finally she started to realize she was in deep shit here, the men who had come to the house wore suits were officious and demanding like they were police or something. She didn't question the large black SUV she was bundled into and it was not until she began to see the route being taken that she realized it was not towards the station.

"Where are we going?" she had asked with annoyance, ready to give a mouthful of abuse but the large men bookending her in the backseat had simply turned to glare at her, then both look forward again like she was being dismissed. It sort of felt surreal.

Now she sat in this room that was white, sterile with just the table and two chairs. Sort of like an interrogation room but it felt… off.

"I am mister Mayes. My son, Colin is currently living in the Glass House. He is in the early days of dating sweet Miss Rose."

Mother Harkness blinked slowly, then looked around "What?"

"You see… you pissed in the wrong pool there missus" he smiled in a predatory way, a scary fucking way then added "And the men you hired for the job… really didn't know what they were getting into. You know, I am impressed actually. I think I have been underestimating those men, I might have to look at the possibility of hiring them my own damn self for my own security. Fuck… savages."

She decided it was best to stay quiet.

"So… what to do now. Eh? What are we to do about this little mess, hmmmm?" he leaned across the table his eyes boring into hers "You know… I don't think I trust you. You've got beady little eyes, you. Haven't ya!"

Her eyed widened and she again went to speak but the plastic bag descending over her head stopped that possibility.

Mayes stood impassively watching as the fat old hag struggled against the bag, the man who had lifted her out of her chair by her neck now stood as she struggled more feebly against him, finally ceasing movement as an audible click filled the room.

There was no more talking to be done.

This decision was final.

Mayes protected the family he had come to see as his son's future happiness. A future part of his family too.

And he trusted them.

Not her.

.

.

"Mister Franklin Harkness?"

Franklin looked at the police officers standing on the doorstep of the Glass Huse with confusion "Yes? Can I help you?"

"Sorry sir but can you possibly come with us? There has bene a situation and we need… ah…."

"Andy?"

Andy Davidson turned from the bottom of the steps behind the other two officers to see Ianto approaching and gave a sigh of relief. "Toto"

"What's happened Andy Pandy."

"Your mother-in-law, we found a body and we think it's her. We need him to come and identify her but… it's not nice, ya know?" he grimaced.

"Franklin" Ianto stepped around Andy "I will go with them."

"What's going on" he asked Ianto, still confused.

"There has been a death, and they need an identification to be made." Ianto said calmly, even as he felt a flip-flopping in his stomach.

"A death?" he frowned back, then paled "You mean…"

"Dorothy. Yeah. They think it might be her" Ianto nodded, "But they don't know for sure. I will go see."

Franklin nodded mutely, totally overcome wit the unexpected visit and Ianto headed back to get a jacket, Andy following him into the log Cabin.

"Is it her?" Ianto asked quietly, looking for his phone, "Jack's in town already for a case."

"Well, I met her a few times and I remember her wedding bullshit… it's her. I am about ninety percent sure." He shrugged.

"Fuck. How?"

"Bathtub."

"Bullshit. She didn't do the bath, couldn't get out by herself and Franklin wasn't there. She only had a bath with him there to help her get out." Ianto frowned.

"Yeah, maybe why it happened?"

Ianto shook his head as he didn't believe that at all but… at the same time… he was more surprised by the feeling of relief. Hope. How horrible, to hope it was her.

Ianto walked confidently to his car and followed them, the kids OK with Franklin and the others.

And he followed the police car back to the city and the morgue.

And the start of something new.