Taint

Carol Dean is a middle-aged, middle-class woman married for over twenty-five years. Her husband, Nigel, has built up a thriving business and Carol runs a chain of up-market boutiques. Their son, Mark, is studying for the bar. When Nigel dies Carol would have preferred to close down her husband's business and concentrate on the shops, but finds herself forced to take the mantle due to a transaction Nigel had committed himself to. Laura Howard is thirty-two. She is a corrupt official who steals from the people she is supposed to investigate. Unknown to Carol, Nigel's buisness involved liaison with Laura. Following his death Laura wants Carol to take over where Nigel left off. Laura was also Nigel's mistress. Carol Dean is a drug dealer. Laura Howard is a detective constable.