‘But during those time-critical minutes before help arrived, other people had to step up,’ Leanne countered. She was trying to find a version of Claudia she could, and should admire. ‘I was just wondering what made you go back inside.’

Claudia’s intake of breath caught in her throat. ‘What?’

Leanne placed her phone face up on the coffee table. ‘What was so important that, when you reached the exit, you turned around and went back inside?’

Still leaning forward, Leanne pulled her coffee cup towards her before adding a dash of cream and two spoons of sugar. Claudia didn’t answer until Leanne looked up from stirring her coffee.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said, but she blinked one too many times. Beth had been right. She had gone back.

When Leanne tapped the teaspoon on the rim of the cup, Claudia’s eyelids fluttered. The last time she had looked that nervous, Leanne recalled how Claudia had dropped a teaspoon on the kitchen floor as a distress signal. As it happened, her husband’s arrival had been fortuitous. It wasn’t Leanne who had teased the confession from Claudia, it was Justin. Would it work again?

‘You were seen going against the flow of people trying to escape.’

Leanne had balanced her teaspoon on the saucer at a precarious angle, but was aware that the Afghan rug underfoot would muffle the sound if she dropped it. She held the cup over the tray as she wriggled back awkwardly in her seat. Her jerked movements caused the spoon to tremble, then fall, hitting the sugar bowl before landing on the tray with a clatter.

‘Oops!’ said Leanne, slopping coffee into her saucer for added authenticity. She looked at the dark liquid threatening to spill and placed the cup down on the tray, making yet more noise. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s not a problem,’ Claudia said, setting down her own drink and rising quickly. ‘I’ll get you another cup.’

Leanne stood with her. ‘You don’t have to. I need to cut down on my caffeine anyway.’

Unwilling to relinquish her chance of escape, Claudia continued towards the door, but it was already swinging open. Justin stepped into the room.

‘We meet again,’ he said to Leanne with a bright smile before turning his attention to his wife. There was concern in his eyes. ‘Everything OK?’

‘Leanne needs a fresh cup, that’s all,’ Claudia said, preparing to shoo Justin away.

‘I was asking your wife to go over what happened on the night of the fire,’ explained Leanne. ‘I wanted to talk about the people she might have helped – the people she might have saved. It must have taken some courage to reach safety then turn around and go back inside to help those less fortunate.’ To her surprise, the admiration in her voice wasn’t forced.