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

“Mr Aldred

catches in her throat. “When will

returns, but through it, indistinctly, Mitch hears, “No, I’ve

the receptionist’s voice repeats,

down

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

lobby, she spins, looking for what is sure to be

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

reads, she

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

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

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

Trembling, she flushes, then gags and vomits again. At length, scarlet-faced and sweating, Mitch leans

She’s on her own…

*****

James

day.

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

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

bring the car around. Meet

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