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

then “Mr Aldred is not

her throat. “When will he

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

the receptionist’s voice repeats, “Mr

slams down

she fights for air, then she dashes for the door. White-faced, she sprints to the elevator,

spins, looking for what is sure to

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

reads, she

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

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

up the paper, replaces it on the counter. Full-blown panic swells inside her. Her stomach rises. Pushing 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

She’s on her own…

*****

James

the day. Going for a

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

bring her. I’d like Charlotte to have a

around. Meet

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