‘I’m sorry. I’ll get you another one of those pills when Katherine gets back. But just hear me out. I am scared, okay? I’m worried that people who know things, which now, unfortunately’—he lingered with a regretful tone on that word—‘includes you, might get hurt. I hadn’t heard of the Black Tongue until Sofia brought them up over breakfast. And you asked me to check out the victims. And that set it, in my mind. Everything I’ve told you I’ve been thinking about for years – it was only ever a half-cocked idea. I never thought to share it with anyone. But this morning, this Black Tongue thing, that’s something I can’t ignore. That’s one of your rules, right? No coincidences?’

I chuckled. It wasn’t one of Knox’s rules, but it was part of an oath he followed for the Detection Club, so I gave Marcelo credit for being close enough. ‘You read my books.’

‘I do care about you, you know.’ Another verbal sneeze, so quick and quiet I almost missed it. Like a child’s apology. ‘I’m certain someone’s cleaning something up. Because there were three people involved in the deal that led to your father’s death. Not just me and him.’

That woke me more than the taps. I remembered Marcelo’s hesitation when I’d asked him to look into the Black Tongue’s victims; he’d asked me to repeat one of the names.

‘The detective – my father’s handler. What was her name?’

‘You’re gonna hate this.’

‘I’ll bet I am.’

‘Alison Humphreys.’

CHAPTER 27

‘He’s up!’ Katherine beamed, shouldering open the door. She was carrying a large, khaki-green plastic case, a red cross haphazardly spray-painted on the side, which I’m pretty sure had once housed fishing tackle. It didn’t matter that she’d interrupted my conversation with Marcelo; I was glad to see her. I was so very glad to see her.

‘My hand hurts,’ I said. It wasn’t particularly subtle.

‘You can’t have one for another . . .’ Katherine set down the first-aid kit on the coffee table, and then bent over and checked Marcelo’s watch. ‘Actually, it’s better if you don’t know.’

‘Please.’

She flicked open the clasps and rifled through the contents, then made a satisfied click with her tongue and tossed something at me. A small green packet landed on my covers. ‘Panadol will have to cut it for now.’ She must have seen the betrayal in my eyes, because she softened. ‘I know it hurts, Ern. But after all that’s happened, I’m not having you OD. She already had to give you CPR.’ She jerked a thumb at Juliette.

This should come as no surprise: I said you’d read about us locking lips in this chapter. Just like I told you someone will die here.