Forged in Ice (Doctor Who AU Novel)

Chapter 33 Suspicions

Until this August Monday afternoon, Katherine McGregor had never stepped foot in Glesga's Torchwood. When Don pulled up to the run down warehouse, she'd thought him mad. As the wife of a minister, there were certain parts of the city she did not go, and the abandoned warehouse district running along the River Clyde definitely fell in that area. She shot a curious glance at both her husband and Don and then stepped from the car to face the dilapidated building. One thing was for certain, life certainly had stopped being routine or boring since meeting her son-in-law. Her husband took her hand, quickly giving it a reassuring kiss.

"It will be fine. Hav'ta say -- Ah felt the same way when Ah first came in a few weeks ago," he said, leading her to the entrance.

"What were you doing here?"

"Well, what with Daniel working here and the boys spending so much time at home, I've decided to volunteer as chaplain. The tour was -- interesting. "

Her normally reserved husband never ceased to surprise her. "Ya big dafty," she said with a gentle smile. "But why come here for the call?" she asked.

"Harry set up a way to route the call to Mrs Filson so that she thinks your call comes from out of the country."

"Well, it seems a lot to go through."

"Katherine, you don't have to return the call. We just thought --"

"Everyone has the right to ask for forgiveness, Don. As long as she doesn't ask where Nora and Robbie are, I will listen. Hav'ta say," she said, looking around as they walked in. "I never expected such a life when that git showed up for dinner the first time."

Steve walked out of the kitchen and blanched when he saw who walked in behind Don. "Best manners, blokes. Mum's in the house," he yelled, rushing ahead to the communications lab.

The greeting made her laugh. This might have been her first time in the warehouse, but in the months since they'd had provided protection at the house, she felt like a den mother for the cluster of geeky youngsters. Except for Harry and Jake, not a single member of Torchwood Glesga was over twenty-five and all were outcasts. She hugged Jake the moment he walked in the room. He and Don had become like long-lost nephews. Seeing Daniel's mates in their natural habitat with their grungy clothes reminded her how much they all needed looking after.

"Ewan?" She frowned when the young man walked in with pizza cheese dribbled on his shirt.

"Welcome home, ma'am," he said, wiping at the mess.

"Is there a reason you boys haven't kept up with the laundry?"

"Um, well, we didn't want to bother Mr McGregor, ma'am. And, well, Jake said ..."

"He said what?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I said that they were taking advantage of your good nature and they weren't to muss your house," Jake said.

"The lot of ya need a good thumping." She laughed. "I expect you home for tea Saturday, so we can get the wash sorted."

"Yes ma'am," the group chorused as Jake guided her to the settee.

"She sounds just like Daniel, don't she?" Ewan said.

"How so?" Mr McGregor asked.

"Daniel's made a rota for the washin' up and lab cleaning. When he's in, he checks to see if we did it," Harry answered, laughing.

"Really? That's a bit I need to pass on to Nora," Katherine said taking a phone to call Maeve Filson.

She sat on the leather settee fingering the mobile, trying to form the right words. The boys all suddenly discovered their feet or their computer screens, obviously aware of the how hard a task it was to call someone who'd become an enemy. She appreciated it, but in truth she'd always felt sorry for the rather mousy little woman. In the beginning, they appeared so charming and full of fun, but it hadn't taken long to realise that the woman lived in fear of her husband and worried about her damaged son. Maeve tried to be a good mum, but that husband of hers was an abusive bully who had raised a sneaky abusive bully. If they'd noticed that smarmy side sooner, they could have prevented the pain Nora suffered. But then, they wouldn't have Robbie. Katherine looked up at the group around her, flashing a worried smile.