‘We’ll deal with the treatment of Violette and Eddie soon enough,’ she said to the first microphone poked in her face. ‘For now, I’m here because Noor LeBrac’s confession thirteen years ago was obtained illegally, by coercion. Her imprisonment is unlawful. Louis Sarraf acted on his own and my client is innocent.’

Bish felt his heart somersault.

His phone beeped a message.

Can you make sure nothing happens to her? Please.

Jimmy. Helplessly watching the girl he loved from across the Channel.

Layla’s phone rings all morning. Interviews. A death threat. Her mother. A death threat. Phillip Grayson wanting her to ‘pop into the office for a talk’. And yet another death threat. She sits on the stairs outside her flat door. She can hear her landline ringing nonstop.

If the truth be told, Layla is petrified. Not just because of the threats, but because there’s no turning back now. She’ll have to make a list of all the things she needs. Office space. A barrister. A paralegal. God almighty, she’ll have to sell her flat and move back in with her parents.

Her mobile rings again and this time she sees her sister’s name.

‘If you’re going to speak to the press, Layla, you need to look like a million pounds or they’ll make out that you’re nothing but a council flat girl who has no idea,’ Jocelyn says.

‘A million isn’t that much these days.’

‘Two million then. So two suits. I’m taking you shopping.’

Jocelyn’s crying. Everyone seems to be crying these days.

‘And if Ali offers you an overdraft, Layla, take it.’

‘Well, I’ll think about it, but I may have another way.’

‘Layla, do not move back in with Mummy and Baba.’

‘Keep telling me that,’ Layla says. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’

She returns Phillip Grayson’s call.

‘Come in and let’s talk, Layla,’ he says. ‘If you win this, LeBrac and the Sarrafs will go for compensation. You can’t go after those responsible on your own.’

Can she really still be naïve enough to feel surprised? It was always going to be about money for the Graysons of the world.

‘Remember when you used to send me out to see the “Arab clients”, as you liked to call them, Phillip? Because most of them were old-fashioned and preferred to meet with one of their own kind? So what if they find out that it was you who told the press I was sacked because of my so-called links to a terrorist? I have a feeling they’re going to want to start looking for different legal representation. A firm that doesn’t reek of racism.’

He makes an impatient noise. ‘Then why call me back, Layla?’

‘I want you to swap the word “sacked” for “made redundant” and I want a package. I’ll get back to you with the details. And for your information, Noor LeBrac and the Sarrafs would never go for compensation. Out of respect for the people Louis Sarraf killed.’ Layla wishes she had one of those old phones she could slam in his ear.