‘That sounds very officious,’ Claudia observed. She kept her tone casual, but her legs wobbled. She sat down and kept her phone pressed to her ear despite the unsettling sensation that it was about to explode in her hand.

‘The last time we spoke, I had some questions about your seats at the theatre. I’ve since discovered that the two women who used your tickets were Karin Gallagher and Beth McCulloch.’

‘I’ve told you before, no one else used my tickets,’ Claudia corrected. ‘There was a mix-up at the box office. I presume a duplicate set had been issued.’

‘You don’t think it’s a coincidence that Karin and Beth should be in your seats?’

‘I don’t see how.’

‘But you were in their home last week.’

Claudia’s hand jerked, but she kept tight hold of the phone. ‘As you seem to have worked out, they’re receiving support through my charity, as are many other victims,’ she said. ‘I hope you haven’t been hounding them.’

‘Not at all. It was Karin who contacted me.’

‘Well, that’s something I suppose,’ Claudia said with a note of relief she wished she could feel.

‘I’ve been following certain lines of inquiry,’ Leanne continued, ‘one of which is to identify who actually pulled Amelia from the rubble.’

Claudia rested her elbows on the breakfast table. ‘You’re still going on about that? I honestly don’t know why you’ve become so obsessed, Leanne. Why does it matter to you so much? Is it because no one swooped in to save your friend?’

‘I don’t like liars, that’s all,’ Leanne snapped back. Claudia was getting to her.

‘Are you including yourself in that category? Because that’s how your readers will see it once you start contradicting the story you were so eager to share with them.’

‘I’d rather be damned for telling the truth than be lauded for supporting a lie,’ Leanne replied. ‘Only we’re not talking about one lie, are we?’

Claudia forced herself upright. ‘If you want me to respond to your claims, it would save us both a lot of time if you simply stated your case.’