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…

over the

Aldred is

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

but through it, indistinctly, Mitch hears, “No,

receptionist’s voice repeats, “Mr

slams down

clasped to her mouth, 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

she spins, looking for what

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

she reads,

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

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

her. Her stomach rises. Pushing a fist to her mouth, she sets off at

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

door. “I’m wrapping up for the day. Going for a drink with Michael and Charlotte.

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

was hoping you would bring her. I’d like Charlotte to

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

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