Sophie frowned. “Well, it means that the document isn’t accessible in this format. In other words, although I’ve brought it back from limbo, it’s not actually a proper Locoscript file. It could have been written with different software, though that wouldn’t make sense. Unless she’s turned it into . . . Wait a minute. I think I know how to get into it.” Sophie’s fingers flashed over the keyboard as she created a new document, then used the “Insert text” command to feed the inaccessible file into the new document. Lindsay watched with a new respect as text quickly scrolled down the screen.

“Amazing,” Lindsay exclaimed. “I had no idea you were a computer boffin.”

“I’m not,” Sophie said modestly. “I just know my way round this machine. I’ve lost too many bits and pieces myself not to know how to get things back.” She pressed a couple of keys, and the cursor scrolled back to the top of the file.

Lindsay read the first few sentences incredulously. “Good God,” she breathed. “This is dynamite.”

Sophie nodded, scrolling slowly down the screen. “The woman was poison,” she muttered as the full impact of Alison’s secret file hit her. It was filled with nuggets of information about a wide variety of people in Alison’s circle.

“If she’d been interested in money, she could have been the richest blackmailer in Glasgow,” Lindsay said bitterly. “Jesus Christ! How did she find half of this stuff out? I can’t believe . . .”

Whatever Lindsay intended to say disappeared from her mind as Sophie called up the last page of the file. The first name on the screen was Cordelia’s.

20

The shock hit Lindsay with a sharp stab of physical pain. “No,” she whispered. “It can’t be.”

Sophie gripped her hand tightly as they read the short entry under Cordelia’s name. The glowing green letters spelt out on the black screen,

Cordelia Brown. What a story! I’d love to see the look on Splash Gordon’s face when she finds out the love of her life has feet of clay. I’ve made some inquiries, and her new book is out in December. And surprise surprise, it’s called Ikhaya Lamaqhawe. Very African! How could Cordelia believe she’d get away with it? I’m going to have some real fun with this, once I’ve worked out the best way to use it. Thank goodness Anisha’s letter got through.

“But what does it mean?” Sophie puzzled. “Okay, it connects Cordelia to Alison, but what on earth is it all about?”

Lindsay sat staring at the screen, as if willing the words to disappear. Eventually, she slowly said, “I guess we’d better find Anisha’s letter.” But she made no move to return to the boxes of papers.