A day comes and goes.

Another day arrives.

The phone doesn’t ring.

And another day.

What’s happening?

She reaches for the phone, then snatches her hand back.

They’ll call when they’re ready…

But they don’t.

The following morning, she watches the clock: eight am…

Eight-thirty…

Nine o’clock…

Nine-fifteen…

She picks up the phone again, dials out. “Hello, Hofferman and Partners? Is Mr Devlin there, please? It’s Mitch Kimberley.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Kimberley, Mr Devlin is not available….” The voice chokes, breaking into uncontrolled sobs. “He’s been murdered. Gunned down. His little girl is in hospital too.”

Mitch, heart hammering, “Theo. Let me talk to Theo Aldred.”

The sound muffles…

hand over the

Aldred

her throat. “When will he be free? I’ll call

hears, “No, I’ve a wife

the receptionist’s voice repeats, “Mr Aldred is not

down the

she fights for air, then she dashes for the door. White-faced, she sprints to the elevator, bangs on the call button then walks frantic circles until it Bings

the lobby, she spins, looking

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

reads, she

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

is reported as murdered by a gunman or gunmen as yet unidentified in an incident in the grounds of the school attended by his nine-year-old daughter. The daughter herself is also reported as injured but recovering in hospital. Speculation is rife that the murder is connected with the trial of Marco Romani and

it on the counter. Full-blown panic swells inside her. Her stomach rises. Pushing a fist to her mouth, she sets off at a

over the bowl, she loses her breakfast. Trembling, she flushes, then gags and vomits again. At length, scarlet-faced and sweating, Mitch leans over a basin, splashes cold water over her face, rinses the foul taste from

She’s on her own…

*****

James

Richard’s door. “I’m wrapping up for the day. Going for a

down on his desk. Whatever he was reading, it drops with a finality that suggests he’s glad of an excuse to see the back of it. “Excellent idea. Mind if I bring Elizabeth along? She’s meeting me here

I’d like Charlotte to have a bit of

Ross to bring the car around. Meet you in the lobby in ten

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