He saw movement almost directly below him. It was a woman, but she hadn’t looked up. Whoever she was, she wasn’t Karin and didn’t appear to need help, so Declan turned his attention back to the circle. Luck must have been on his side because as he moved away, a large piece of masonry fell from the ceiling and glanced off the balcony roughly where he had been standing. He was about to look back down into the stalls, but something caught his eye, and he was spared the sight of Lena Kowalski’s body. She had died instantaneously. Across the rows of the circle, on the outer edge of the collapse site, he spotted an arm protruding from the rubble.

Hilary Clarke’s slight figure was hidden beneath a mound of debris with only one shoulder and arm protruding. Her white hair was covered in the same thick layer of dust that covered her face. Her eyes flickered open when Declan took her hand.

‘Hilary? I’m going to get you out.’

She smiled. ‘I suspect it’s too late, but not to worry. I don’t feel any pain – and I can’t tell you how many years it’s been since I could say that.’

Declan fought the urge to ignore Hilary and start digging her out, but she was so calm. He couldn’t do anything to save her. She knew it and so did he. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Don’t be sorry, be better.’

‘I am trying,’ he said, before searching for something to say that might prove as much. ‘I found out recently I’m going to be a dad again.’

‘Then you have something to live for.’

Declan gripped her hand tighter still. ‘Tell me what I can do to help?’

‘Stay with me. I don’t want to be alone.’

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ he promised, just as a hand clamped on his shoulder. He turned with a jolt. ‘Christ, Claudia! You shouldn’t be here!’

‘Neither should you.’

Claudia was out of breath again after climbing the stairs, and her lungs were desperate for clean air. Her coat collar was pulled across her mouth, and wasn’t much of a face mask, but at least it hid her scowl. Surely Declan could see that the dance teacher was beyond help.

‘I have to stay,’ Declan said, drawing his gaze back to the dying woman. ‘This is Hilary. Hilary, this is the mother of my child.’

Claudia’s jaw clenched. Declan really didn’t care who he told. He had become a liability.

‘Did my students make it out?’ Hilary asked.

‘They’re safe,’ Claudia said, before demanding Declan’s attention again. ‘Shouldn’t you be looking for Karin?’

‘I’m sure she’ll be heading out the front with all the others. She has to be,’ he said. ‘This is where I’m needed. Christ, where’s the emergency services?’