She saw Shelley’s eyes bulge even wider as she reached out to try and grab Bailey’s leg.

She saw Toni’s smile transform into a grin of genuine amusement.

And then she was falling.

Down.

Down.

Down.

Past a landing full of inmates. Their faces watching in entertainment. Their mouths open, their jaws hanging slack.

And then she hit the anti-suicide netting, landing on her back. It creaked dangerously, the support springs stretching as they took her weight.

She felt the thin strands of the netting flexing elastically, biting into her back and shoulder muscles as they absorbed her impact.

And then she bounced up, like she was on a trampoline. Up in mid-air again.

And then she landed again.

And bounced back up again.

And landed again, finally coming to rest in the vibrating netting.

She lay there looking up at the ceiling, at the grimy skylights high above. At the faces of the inmates leaning over the banisters looking down at her. Among them she could see Toni.

Whoops and cheers echoed around the interior of the house-block.

It had been kind of fun.

Bailey got to her feet and walked unsteadily off the anti-suicide netting onto the landing. Shelley was standing there waiting for her. She looked pissed off in the extreme. She took a firm hold of Bailey’s arm, her fingers biting like a vice into her biceps. She glared into Bailey’s eyes and spoke in a low growl.

‘I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but whatever it is, I don’t like it. I’m putting you on the nicking sheet.’

Chapter 30

The next day, Bailey arrived at the canteen for lunch as early as she could, got her food and headed straight for their corner table, which was, as she’d hoped, empty. She sat down, getting the expected looks and whispers from the other inmates, and waited for the gang to arrive.

After jumping off the balcony, she’d received a DIS1 form almost immediately from Shelley. The DIS1 form was what was informally known as the ‘nicking sheet’, and they had to give it to Bailey within forty-eight hours of the offence being committed. What it meant was that she would have to have an adjudication to discipline her for her actions. Although it was regarded as a negative thing by both the inmates and the prison authorities, it made her feel a little more comfortable in her cover because it made her feel that little bit more like a genuine inmate.

She noticed the gang file into the canteen. They queued up for their food, and she saw them look over at her and then talk amongst themselves.

Her heart was beating hard, thumping against the inside of her chest. She was too nervous to take even the smallest bite of her food. In fact, she felt like she was about to throw up. She could sense the eyes of the entire canteen upon her table. Sitting down here was a big gamble. If it paid off, fine. If it didn’t… Best not think about what might happen if it didn’t. She took a deep, slow breath and fought to keep her cool. It was all about keeping cool.