‘I trust you.’

‘Also. About our friend Bernard. Don’t you think it’s interesting that he’s working in the sleep field now? And after he blew you off when you said you had narcolepsy! I’m thinking about slashing his tyres this weekend.’

‘Don’t do that!’ I know she’s not kidding.

‘Maybe I’ll find out more first. You could have a legal case. It’s very, very interesting.’

‘Don’t read too much into it. I don’t sleepwalk, I have narcolepsy.’

‘Narcolepsy and sleepwalking are both sleep issues. And doesn’t your new client sleepwalk?’

‘A client sleepwalking is a different thing. Apples and oranges.’

‘I have to go. Back to my real job, eh? I’ll let you know if I come up with a way to get even without being caught.’

‘Don’t—’ She’s already gone. O is beckoning to me, so I step back into Daphne’s room.

‘We have to go, now, Daphne, but it’s been so lovely to see you. Take care and have a good afternoon.’

Daphne gives a jolt and eyes me suspiciously.

‘I’ll see you at night,’ she says. ‘In the darkness. That’s where I’ll be.’

I manage a weak smile and back away, nearly falling into O’s lap where she’s waiting for me in the doorway.

‘Come on. I’ve just had the project manager on my tail about the report I turned in. Someone claims to have spotted an error, which is absurd, because I don’t submit work with errors. I must clear this up.’

As we head out to the hog, I want to ask about the medication that’s causing Daphne to ‘noctambulate’ but I’m not brave enough. O clearly didn’t want me to hear that, or why else would she have staged all the coughing? But to my surprise, O declares, ‘Now you know how I know so much about sleepwalking and experimental treatments. Daphne’s case has been peculiar. She has vascular dementia, but it’s not Alzheimer’s. We use a combination of medication and biofeedback involving AR as well as robotics. It’s all meant to prompt her memory and keep her brain active. I know about Bernard’s work because I’m familiar with BigSky and their research. My sister used to take a treatment they designed. I suppose you think I was wrong not to tell you what I knew.’

‘Bite your tongue, O,’ I say, blood rushing to my face with shame, because I actually have been wondering whether O knows more about BigSky than she lets on. ‘Your family life is none of my business. You don’t owe me anything. I’m only sorry that you have all this on your shoulders. Were you and Daphne ever . . . close?’

‘We were as thick as thieves,’ she says, with a tone of finality.

TRANSCRIPT

[Continued]

RP: I think she’s waking up.