‘Thanks,’ Amari nodded. ‘It was … unpleasant. I didn’t like sacking him, but he was stealing food and silverware and over-egging the restaurant’s expenses so he could pocket the difference.’

‘You did what you had to do. Though I have to warn you, we may end up having to report Noah to the police after all. I’ve been warned we’re about to be investigated by the tax authorities.’

‘Oh no. If it gets out that one of our managers—’ Whatever else Amari was about to say was cut short by the front door opening. ‘I’m sorry, but we’re not open until five thirty.’

‘I’m not here for lunch,’ came the reply. ‘Unless she’s buying.’

And there, looking me up and down, stood the last person I’d expected to see today. My sister, Minerva.

thirty-one. Libby

Troy took a sip from the one remaining water bottle and handed it back to me.

‘Have some more,’ he said.

I shook my head. For every sip he took, he was letting me have two. And, to my shame, I’d only just noticed. I screwed the lid back on and examined the contents. We had about one-eighth of a bottle left. I doubted if that little would see us through the night.

‘How long can we survive without water?’ I asked.

‘Three to four days,’ Troy replied immediately.

‘The shit you know.’

‘I think you mean the useful shit I know,’ Troy corrected.

‘I don’t suppose you know of a way of making water down here in this cellar?’ I said. Now that really would be useful.

He sighed. ‘If I’d known we’d be down here this long, I would’ve suggested that we didn’t pee and poo in the same bucket. We should’ve pooed in a far corner and peed in the bucket so we could drink it.’

‘Ew! You’ve got to be kidding me.’

‘Pee is mostly sterile, but it does contain some waste stuff so it should only be drunk in small doses and as a last resort, but, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, we’re rapidly reaching that point.’

He didn’t have to tell me that. My nerves had been on a rolling boil since we’d been chucked down here in this cellar, but there was only so much panicking I could do. Panic was exhausting.

‘Well, that’s all academic as our pee has been contaminated now,’ I said with some relief.

Drinking pee? And not even just mine, but Troy’s as well? Ewww!

‘Where’s your sense of adventure, Libby?’ asked Troy, trying to suppress the smile threatening to take control of his mouth.

‘I left it at home next to the kitchen tap,’ I told him sourly.

He laughed – and I was surprised by just how much I liked the sound. So much so that I couldn’t help smiling too, albeit reluctantly.