‘He did tell me something else though …’

Uh-oh … Callie chewed at the corner of her bottom lip, a sure sign that I wasn’t going to enjoy what came next.

‘What did he tell you?’ I said, bracing myself.

‘Never mind. It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have mentioned it,’ she said. ‘I’m thinking that if we haven’t heard from the kidnappers by midnight tonight we should definitely go to the police.’

‘Callie, don’t change the subject. You know that doesn’t work with me. What did Tobey tell you?’

Silence.

‘Callie Rose, spit it out,’ I said, beyond exasperated.

‘He said … he said he had proof that you … killed Dan.’

What the—? ‘What kind of proof?’

‘Look, Mum, I’m sorry I spo—’

‘What proof?’

Pause.

‘The letter opener used to kill him,’ Callie whispered, though I knew she was alone. ‘Tobey says your fingerprints are all over it. He says he took it and used an ornamental knife on Dan’s desk to mask the original stab wound. In fact, his fingerprints on that knife are a major part of the reason why the police arrested him in the first place.’

‘Son. Of. A. Bitch.’ The words could barely escape my gritted teeth.

‘It’s not true, is it, Mum?’

‘Callie, you listen to me. Whatever Tobey has, or thinks he has, I didn’t kill Dan. It’s important to me that you believe—’

‘Of course I believe you. I argued as much when Tobey tried to insist you had something to do with Dan’s murder,’ Callie interjected. ‘You’re my mum. You wouldn’t hurt a fly.’

Yeah? She should see me with a can of bug spray. Plus my never fully healed crooked finger shouted otherwise.

‘Honey, if anyone tried to harm you or Troy, and I had to choose between them or you, they would lose – big time. But that doesn’t change the fact that I did not murder Dan Jeavons. Wait a minute? Is that … is that the reason you’re defending Tobey on this murder charge? Did he blackmail you into it or something?’

‘Maybe I just believe in his innocence?’

‘Callie Rose, this is your mother you’re talking to. Don’t bullshit me.’

‘I’m sorry, Mum.’ Callie sighed. ‘It’s just … it’s been difficult.’

I bet. If Callie thought I didn’t notice that she still hadn’t answered my question, then she was mistaken. Tobey Durbridge was coercing my daughter into defending him. I’d put money on it. Just when I thought I’d run out of ways to despise that man, he found whole new avenues for me to explore. I wasn’t a vindictive woman, but I was quite prepared to make an exception in his case.

‘Mum, in all fairness to Tobey, he did tell me to recuse myself as his lawyer and walk away, but I wasn’t prepared to do that.’

‘Why not?’