‘I’m sorry, I just needed help. I didn’t make it all up, it’s just I can’t help lying sometimes. I knew you were the best. I saw a lecture you gave about evil and thought maybe you could help me. But listen, it’s really not a good time, I’m actually at the airport about to jump on a flight. I’ll call you in a day or two to explain. For now, don’t tell anyone about me, okay? I don’t want anyone to get hurt.’

Shit. It’s almost seven, I see now.

‘Wait tell me— ’ The line goes dead.

I’m running late and Gabe is going to kill me. I rush out the door, locking it behind me and start towards home. Joe is in custody, so why does it feel like I’m about to step on a bear trap? My phone vibrates. It’s a message from Cormac, but I don’t open it until I am parked up in the driveway. Hot bile rushes up my throat.

The image is of us at the wine bar. It’s taken from a distance and the room was dark but it’s quite clear what’s happening. My face is pressed to his, my hand is up, and it almost looks like I’m holding his jaw when in reality I was raising my hand to push him off. There are more photos: me leaning close to hear him, me smiling at him. Someone else was there, watching. What if Joe and Cormac were working together? What if this was all some game they were playing and now that Joe has been caught Cormac is upping the ante. I send a message back.

What the hell is going on Cormac? What do you want from me?

A moment later a message comes through.

Wrong person.

What does that mean? I just spoke to him. I push my phone into my bag and walk to the front door. I’m only five minutes late. Seven o’clock at the latest, Gabe had said. I open the door and step inside and for the second time in less than a minute, I have to resist the urge to throw up. I feel dizzy, confused. He’s there. Right in front of me, sitting on my couch, with his arm around my daughter. Cormac.

Chapter Twenty-Four

TWENTY-FOUR

‘MUM,’ JULY SAYS, uncertain. My shoes are nailed to the floorboards, my face burning. ‘Don’t act weird please.’