Shandy says, ‘Yay for your professional tools. But Charlie only talks if there’s Cone of Silence, so either take what I’m squirting you or go home, kthxbai.’

Elstree cracks a big, handsome grin. He wags a finger at her. ‘I like you,’ he says. ‘Fine, squirt away.’

He likes her. I shudder.

Two takeaways plus tea

Two takeaways plus tea

I’d like to wipe from memory the hour spent deflecting Martin Elstree’s questions whilst simultaneously fending off unsubtle attempts by Roman to get hold of all my Secret Diaries ‘for my own good’. I don’t think Elstree found out too much, but I’m left with an oily feeling on my skin and a sense of crawling unease that goes much deeper. I find myself keeping Cone of Silence on just so I won’t have to deal with anyone.

By the time I get home, it’s nearly midnight. The flat is silent and O’s light is switched off, so I make tea and creep into my room. Edgar joins me; usually he sleeps on O’s bed but if he’s too playful she locks him out. He dashes around my floor chasing a rubber band.

I have to talk to O about Daphne and this ‘Agency’ and their pigeon messages. I’m haunted by the dream of the vengeful dead people – especially Daphne. I can’t believe the way she blithely walked him in front of a train. It was nothing less than an execution.

I shudder thinking about all the other ‘suicides’ that Roman told me about. Did Daphne kill them, too? Why? And what about Mel?

My brain is spinning. O doesn’t sleep well; she’s usually up by four. I decide to use the time until then to get my facts together. I open a notepad.

If Bernard killed Mel and now he’s dead then we’re done.

What if he didn’t? The fencing mask doesn’t prove anything. Why did Daphne really kill him? Who gave her Bernard as a target?

Why would anyone want to kill Mel in the first place?

Roman says study participants have been getting killed by sleepwalking. But Mel wasn’t in a study. Is someone trying to turn the general population into sleepwalkers? That points to BigSky because Sweet Dreams is their platform. But why Mel?

Suspects

Bernard – Had access to brain tech and BigSky. Had fencing mask. Motive?

Meera Bhango – Unknown. Can O help?

Daphne – Killed Bernard on orders of Agency. But Agency is a game with O – right??? Who else knows about it? Must tell O what happened.

Dream Police – Seem nice but what if they are working for BigSky or for one of BigSky’s criminal arms? They are so keen to get my recordings. But who are they?

Antonio – Had access to Mel but not Bernard. Could be lying about money, maybe someone paid him. Why did he hire me?