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

then “Mr Aldred is

breath catches in her throat. “When will

through it, indistinctly, Mitch hears, “No,

the receptionist’s voice repeats,

slams down the

the door. White-faced, she sprints to the elevator, bangs on the call

she spins, looking for what is sure to be

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

reads,

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

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 his alleged connection with organised

Pushing a fist to her mouth, she sets off at a run for the

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

She’s on her own…

*****

James

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

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

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

bring the car around. Meet you in the lobby

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