‘Did she have much of her own?’ Charlie asked. ‘I know there was jewellery, but I’ve got no idea what the financial crash did to my brother’s trust fund.’

O’Donnell laughed. ‘When Jay Janssen died, his assets passed to his two sons. His older son was unmarried and died first, so everything he owned passed to JJ. And when JJ died it passed to his wife.’

‘I thought there were lots of Janssens,’ Charlie said. ‘Aunties and uncles and all sorts.’

‘Some shares are owned by other members of the Janssen family. But most of Janssen Corp belonged to Fawn at the time of her death. Fawn made no will. Her parents are both dead and she had no children, so under Nevada law her assets pass to her siblings.’

‘Hold it,’ Charlie said slowly. ‘You’re talking about Janssen Corp? Casinos, strip malls, private jets?’

‘Once I’ve compiled the register of assets I’ll be more than happy to send it across,’ O’Donnell said. ‘There will be a lot of issues to discuss with any estate of this magnitude. I’m spending tomorrow with my family, but the office will reopen the day after and I’d like to meet with yourself and Edward.’

Charlie laughed nervously. ‘I’m so wasted right now! When I wake up tomorrow, I won’t believe this call happened.’

Charlie let the lawyer get back to his family, then cracked a smile as she appreciated the irony that everything Fawn had fought, schemed and murdered for had wound up in the hands of the two people she’d hated most.

PART SIX

FIVE YEARS LATER

74 HARRY II

Vegas Local

HOTTEST 5 STORIES

1 Markets fall sharply with fears that Pakistani Paralysing Bacteria (PPB) could reach the USA within days.

2 First study shows driverless taxi fleet is popular with riders.

3 Downtown traffic gridlock as 3,000 demonstrate Nevada State ban on genetically modified workers.

4 Algarve Casino reopens north hotel, but other mega resorts face demolition after years of neglect.

5 TOP VIDEO – Police hunt three high-schoolers with superhero mods after mall rampage leaves girl in critical condition.

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Charlie had been parked outside the quarantine station at McCarran airport for over an hour when Kirsten Channing stepped through a barred gate. She looked much younger than she used to, her slender figure clad in tight jeans and black cotton pumps and her sterilised belongings sealed in clear plastic bags.

‘Thank you so much for coming,’ Charlie said, cracking a broad smile. ‘I can’t believe I only got to meet you once before.’

‘The night you brought the Killer-T vaccine to my ex’s apartment,’ Kirsten nodded. ‘Which probably saved our lives, so I guess I owe you.’

‘How was quarantine?’