Harri spends fifteen seconds mentally rehearsing every single scenario. It’s a call to say Management meant to offer the job to someone else. No, worse! Mackenzie has, from prison, implicated Harri in her wrongdoing, there is a warrant out for Harri’s arrest, or Lily and Katie are armed and roaming the corridors. Harri’s panic rises with every syllable of ‘One. New. Mess-age…’

‘Hi, this is Erin Faulkner. I’m trying to speak to Harri Kemp, thank you so much for your email. I’m looking at investment opportunities and I’m very keen, I’d love to talk to you about the new project—ah, can you give me a call back? Thanks.’

The new project. Harri’s parachute. Her escape route. Twenty-four hours ago it was all she could think about, but it’s funny how things slip your mind when you watch a woman who has been psychologically torturing you being taken away in a police van. Harri has a decision to make. She doesn’t need to run away any more. But will she walk?

Chapter Fifty-Six

Can your boss break your heart?

Imogen

I panicked, and said I’d have the same as Harri, so I’m eating a Caesar salad. As far as I can tell, the only Caesar-ish aspect of it is that it looks and tastes as though it were made by an angry Roman general, thousands of years ago. I’ve had chewing gum crispier than this lettuce.

‘Why do we keep coming here?’

‘The burger is nice,’ says Harri, defensively.

‘Why didn’t we get burgers, then?’

‘You ask a wise question, grasshopper.’ Harri puts her fork down and catches the eye of the waitress. ‘Could we order two burgers?’ I look at her expectantly and she sighs. ‘And a side order of the triple cooked chips.’

Harri seems preoccupied. She’s staring at her hands, which are busily shredding her paper napkin. ‘Imogen, I have some news. I’ve been asked to come back to Panache. As editor-in-chief.’

‘Shit! Sorry, I mean, brilliant! But what does that mean for us?’

Harri picks at her napkin. ‘They want you, too,’ she says quietly. ‘They’re really keen. There’s talk of a relaunch. With you as a lead columnist. They’re already planning a podcast that they want you to host too.’

‘What about Emily Forge?’ Panache already has a lead columnist, long term object of my professional jealousy. Harri is still picking. ‘Dunno. I think she might have gone, to be honest, Mackenzie forced her to take a massive pay cut, I could rehire her but I’m not sure I’d bother.’

‘This is…good news?’ Isn’t it? It’s better than good, it’s an impossible dream come true. I’d still get to work with Harri—and for Panache! This is everything I’ve ever wanted. Why does Harri look like she wants to cry?