And what were the chances of that? She’d be better able to assess the trial after the next couple of days, when they’d heard the prosecution’s opening case on each of the counts, and the defence’s response. But they were very serious offences, and she doubted she’d ever have received that phone call if the defence had felt truly confident.

Earlier in this endless night she’d done an internet search to see how juries worked, and found out that a majority jury verdict of 10–2 would normally be accepted by a judge. So, regardless of the evidence, she was going to have to coerce at least nine of her eleven fellow jurors into giving the verdicts she needed on each count.

Just how morally wrong was it to potentially let a major criminal, whose drugs probably killed dozens of people every year, according to the indictments, go free? In order to save her daughter? And in doing so to go against every principle she believed in and had instilled in her kids?

And she knew exactly how Laura would react if she knew. She’d be livid if she believed her mother was prepared to do anything to pervert justice. Which was why, if she succeeded – and at this stage, God only knew how – Laura must never ever find out. This dilemma she faced struck at the heart of her conscience and her very being. What would anybody do in this situation?

She so badly needed someone she could talk to, confide in.

You tell any friend or go to the authorities and you will find them dead.

4.01

4.02

Through the curtains, the sky was now starting to show the first signs of daylight. Outside, the first tentative chirrups of the dawn chorus began, like first arrivals in an orchestra pit tuning their instruments.

You tell no one. No one at all. You don’t breathe a word to any of your friends. We will know, trust me.

Was he bluffing or would they really know?

If so, how?

The man who had put the photograph on the kitchen table had been in her house, and she had no idea for how long. It could have been less than sixty seconds, or he could have spent hours there. Perhaps with colleagues? Planting bugs in every room? In her computer? In phones?

Meg reached for her own phone and went to the Google app. Was it dangerous typing anything? Would they have some way of knowing what she was looking for? Was even just doing this putting Laura’s life in danger? But she had to do something. And, she reasoned, her mind suddenly very clear, the power Terence Gready’s people had over her at this moment was the threat to Laura. If she did something that angered them, they would let her know. They weren’t going to harm Laura all the time there was a chance she would comply with their request.