Titian Strands

Ged Hilton was raised in the tough, but honest inner-city district of West Gorton, Manchester. His Irish parents had moved there from the troubled Shankhill road area of Belfast in the late 1950’s. The father was a hard-drinking, pub-brawling labourer. The mother was a petite, genteel red headed      (titian) lady. Ged took after his father, Steven, Ged’s only sibling took after his mother. The Hiltons were soon followed over the Irish sea by fellow Belfast born, young priest, Father Patrick. Ged never sought or caused trouble, but he was a natural magnet for it. His early life was beset by calamities. Soon after the early death of his father, Ged assaulted his schoolteacher, resulting in him being detained at a youth remand centre. It was there he met long-term friend Fingers, but also long-term arch enemies in vile bullies Burgess and Taylor. One awful event followed another, including the involvement in a failed warehouse robbery. A short hell-raising pro-boxing career was followed by troubles working as a pub bouncer. Ged was involved in a couple of relationships, the second partner losing her unborn baby after an altercation with the Burgess family. There were many more incidents. The story starts and culminates with the violent murder of Burgess, by an enigmatic, petite beautiful redhead (titian).  Burgess is mercilessly stabbed several times in the neck, before being launched into the canal in the gay village area. The only clues found, are three strands of titian-red coloured hair, which turn out to be misleading anyway. Who was the mysterious titian beauty. Who was she/he????