‘So come on, give me a clue,’ he said.

‘To justice,’ she said with a smile, and clinked her glass against his. She took a sip, but never took her eyes off him.

‘Justice,’ he repeated. ‘Did you find out who the other woman is?’

‘The yoga teacher at the gym.’

He tried to keep the fear from his face. A muscle twitched beside his mouth.

‘No…’

‘They’ve been at it a few months now.’

‘How did you find out?’

‘I found text messages on his phone.’

‘What a pig.’

She swept her hair back and gave him a smile. He wondered how she really felt.

‘It will all be over soon. Richard wouldn’t be so foolish as to throw his whole life away for a bit of excitement. He would never see his daughter again.’

‘Are you going to forgive him?’

‘Of course,’ she replied through a smile. ‘I made a vow: till death do us part.’

‘Have you confronted him?’

‘Not yet.’

‘When are you going to tell him that you know?’

‘I’m going to let them sit and sweat for a while. They’ve had their fun, now it’s time for me to have mine.’

She finished her champagne in one gulp and picked up the remote to the television. By the way she moved around the house as though it was her own, James vowed never to get so close to a victim again. Amber had such a confident air about her that he suddenly felt like a guest in his own home.

She flicked through the music channels until she found a song she liked.

‘I wonder why people do it,’ she said as she walked back to the island.

‘Do what?’

‘Risk everything they have. It puts them in such a vulnerable position if they are found out.’

‘Some people like the element of danger, I guess,’ he said.

‘Have you ever had an affair?’ she asked. ‘Or slept with a married man?’

She watched him intently, scanning his face for the slightest falter. He wasn’t sure if it was paranoia causing him to sweat or her penetrating glare.

‘Not that I know of. Have you?’

‘When I was young. Around your age, actually. I thought it was exciting at the time. But I was naïve back then. I didn’t consider the risks.’

The doorbell rang.

‘I booked the takeaway for seven,’ he said as he glanced at the clock. ‘It’s early.’

‘I was starving, so I moved the time ahead. You don’t mind, do you?’

She was up to something. Amber had never been so inscrutable. Everything she said and did pulsed with a cryptic undertone. He could feel himself walking into something, like a blind man teetering before a drop.

‘Not at all.’