Then her mind drifted back to the nights when as a child she had lain in bed, waiting for her father to come home from the pub. The feeling of fear that never left her throughout her childhood. The violent rows between her parents. Her mother’s injuries the next day. Then the way in which his aggression had escalated over the years, leading to him viciously beating up her brother.

The vivid recollections were only making her anxiety worse so she tried to concentrate on something good instead: her grandma. She was the one who had always supported Adele and Peter, and encouraged her to make a better life for herself – until she died from cancer. Unfortunately, despite her grandmother’s best attempts, Adele had still ended up in this place.

Soon after the guard had locked the cell door the night noise started. Prisoners were shouting to each other from cell to cell.

‘You alright, Jen?’ Adele could hear amongst other conversations. Then she heard the ear-splitting sound of a panicked scream and someone else screeching to be let out. Loud banging followed, as it did most nights. It was the cue for others to join in and a relentless din took over the prison. Inmates were yelling and screaming while the guards competed with an incessant metallic banging as they shouted for the prisoners to keep quiet. It was some time before the racket abated and Adele finally fell asleep.

*

Adele had been wrong about Anna. The next day Anna still refused to tell her what crime Caroline had committed: saying only that Adele should ask Caroline herself, but it would be best to choose her moment carefully. Adele knew that this was Anna’s way of wielding power. Any advantage she had over others helped to mask her own insecurities.

Although Adele could have asked someone else, it didn’t feel right to do so. Besides, she was still learning who she could trust and who she couldn’t, and she didn’t want to risk it getting back to Caroline that she had been asking questions about her.

Adele knew enough to realise that the rumour mill in this place worked on overtime, and she wouldn’t want Caroline to think she had been disloyal. It left her with no choice: she would have to ask Caroline herself but, like Anna said, she would have to choose her moment carefully.

Chapter 4

Adele met Caroline on the corridor, which was full of excited chatter as hordes of prisoners made their way to classes. It was a rare treat in the prison and something Adele and most of the other inmates eagerly anticipated.

‘You alright?’ Caroline asked.

It was a typical question from Caroline, but it put Adele on guard. She felt as though Caroline had picked up on her unease following the conversation with Anna the previous day.