The Devil in Love (A John Mulligan Story)

Epilogue

Epilogue: Five years later

Karena was in her study, organising some renovations to John's latest purchase, when the front door bell rang. She opened it to a man dressed in a Hell's Angel jacket, specific her fathers chapter. She wondered if he was a friend of her fathers, but she didn't recognise him.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

He just stared at her for a moment, and Karena began to think that there was something familiar about him.

“It's me,” he said. That clearly wasn't enough for Karena though so he continued. “Stu.”

She tried to remember if she knew anyone called Stu or Stuart, then finally she twigged. Twenty four years ago, she had lost her virginity to him behind some bushes. He was Tess's father.

Her posture straightened and as she became defensive, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What do you want?”

“Just to talk, that's all.”

“Sorry, not interested.” She made to close the door but he put his hand out to stop her.

“Please, just five minutes?”

There was a gun kept by the door, taped under the table beside it which housed their keys. That was probably a little too drastic a reaction though, so she decided to hear him out.

“So talk,” she said.

Karena's look had changed in the past five years. She still wore utilitarian clothes and on the whole, shunned short skirts and low cut tops, but now her clothes were designer and her image was much sharper, in keeping with both a property tycoon and a drug dealer. She had never been easily scared, it was hard to work in prisons if you were, but now she radiated power when she wanted to, and Stuart faltered slightly.

“Can I come in?”

Karena hesitated for a moment, then stood back so that he could enter. She as led him through to the kitchen, she noticed his gaze linger on a family portrait of her, John and Tess, that hung by the staircase.

“Forgive me if I don't offer you a drink,” she said. “You won't be staying long.”

Stu sat at the kitchen table and looked around him, appreciatively. He still lived in a council house and opulence like he saw here was beyond his wildest dreams.

“The clocks ticking,” she said when he hadn't got to the point quickly enough for her liking.

“I heard that... well, that Teresa was getting married.”

“She is.” He had probably found out through Karena's father as her parents had been invited to the wedding.

“Is that her, in that photo in the hallway?”

“Yes.”

“She's a beauty.” Stu smiled.

“Yes.” Karena was beginning to tire of this.

“Your Dad's been keeping me up to date on your life,” he told her. “I was right proud when you got your degree.”

Karena didn't answer. She neither needed or wanted his praise.

Seeing that flattery wasn't getting him anywhere, Stu tried a different tactic.

“You've changed,” he said.

“So have you,” she countered. Time hadn't been kind to him; His hair was thinning on top, he had the beginnings of a beer belly and his face was weather beaten and haggard.