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

then “Mr Aldred is not

throat. “When

indistinctly, Mitch hears, “No, I’ve a wife and children

voice repeats,

down

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

she spins, looking for what is sure

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

reads,

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

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.

rises. Pushing a fist to her mouth, she sets

then gags and vomits again. At length, scarlet-faced and sweating, Mitch leans over

She’s on her own…

*****

James

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

he was reading, it drops with a finality that suggests he’s glad of an excuse to see the

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

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

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