I was so backed up with all the s*** giving me grief in my head that it took a while for me to catch up with what Claudia was saying—and by the time she’d finished I’m like totally done up. You want me to stand trial because you think there’s a good chance a jury might not find me guilty of attempted murder—and if they don’t it all goes away. But, if my lawyer presses for a lesser charge, the jury might be more inclined to accept it, and a guilty verdict will add it to my sentence for arson.

So suddenly, weirdly, attempted murder is looking like my best bet.

They’re not kidding it’s a gamble, but Dan thinks I should go for it, and apparently my lawyer’s up for it too. (She was going to come and tell me herself, but then Dan and Claudia asked if they could do it. I guess you already know that.)

Anyways, because it’s you who’s asking, I’m going to go for it. It’s a done deal that I’ll be in here for a good long time for the arson, so if things don’t work out what’s the difference? Only thing that bothers me is, if there’s going to be a trial, what’ll that mean for you? Will you have to give evidence?

Dan tells me that’s all under discussion, and what I need to focus on is the part I have to play. Helen’s coming sometime soon with a barrister to talk me through it all, so it seems everyone’s ahead of me. No surprise there.

It’s not till after they’ve gone that I realize I forgot to ask about Huxley-Browne. Has anything happened there yet? I heard through the grapevine that BJ’s been remanded on drug charges, so he’ll be proper brickin’ it by now, and trying to get messages out letting everyone know they got nothing to worry about, he’s no snitch. Bet he is if there turns out to be something in it for him. I’m still scared it’s going to come back on me, but hey, it’s done now, can’t change it, I’ll deal with it when I have to. I’ve got other things to be thinking about now, like going over everything again in my head to make sure there’s nothing I’m missing.

Chapter Forty-Six

“Are you ready, Mum?” Claudia called from the front door.

“Coming,” Marcy called back. “I’ll just get the present. Be right there.”

With a sigh of exasperation Claudia read the text that had just arrived.

Am I meeting you at the restaurant? Dx

She texted back. That was the plan.

Great. On my way. See you there.