‘Mel, that’s wonderful.’ I’m smiling; there are creases at the corners of my eyes and bracketing my mouth, sticky because my skin is slicked with sweat. I sit down, cradling the phone, letting my head fall back against the sofa cushions. This news transforms the feeling of the night. It’s friendly now and the heat envelops me like a bear-hug. ‘Did you say yes?’ I wonder.

‘Not yet.’

‘What?’

‘Oh, Sade. I wanted to think about it, hold the idea to myself, taste it before I swallowed it. I was too happy to answer properly. Does that sound crazy?’

‘No.’ It sounds like Mel.

‘I am going to tell him tomorrow night. Tell him that I want to marry him so much, I’ll die if I can’t.’

Some of the night’s new benevolence fades. A finger of threat touches me, leaving a tiny cold print. I remember that I sensed it earlier, trapped like the promise of thunder in the heavy air. ‘Don’t say that.’

‘It’s the truth, Sadie. Wish me luck?’

‘I wish you much more than luck. I wish the two of you happiness and more happiness, and contentment together for ever. It’s what you deserve.’

In my mind I can see the wide curve of Mel’s red mouth and I think again of luscious ripe fruit.

‘Thank you, my dear friend,’ she murmurs and then blurts out, ‘I want you to be happy too.’

As you do, when your own world is so full of joy that you long for it to be reflected onwards from face to face and heart to heart, all the way down the hall of mirrors and into eternity.

‘I am,’ I tell her gently.

EIGHTEEN

At first, from under the skin of sleep, I thought it was the thunder that had woken me.

Then I was properly awake, coming to with the cold certainty that something terrible was about to happen. Cassie was safe but there was more to come, there was an even bigger threat trapped in the brooding air. I could smell it and taste it. There was a heartsick moment while I lay in the darkness and then the phone began to ring.

I hardly recognised Jasper’s voice. He was hoarse and his words were disjointed, and when I did begin to piece together what he was saying it was worse than my fears.

It’s Mel. Oh Sadie. What if she dies. I’m sorry, I know it’s … I can’t. She looks so …

‘Tell me.’ My own voice had taken on the edge of panic.

‘She was coming to see me. Oh God, I shouldn’t have. I should have gone to her. Instead of letting …’

‘Jasper. What’s happened?’

‘She was knifed.’

Knifed. Knives, blood.

I tried to work out how these words could relate to Mel, of all people, and how to frame the next unthinkable questions. ‘Where?’