He didn’t respond at first, but leant over her. She flinched, but resisted the urge to push him away, although he was close enough that she could smell his cheap aftershave and morning breath.

‘What do you mean?’ His voice was faint, and it occurred to her: how can someone be so close, yet so distant at the same time?

‘It didn’t work for you. Alexia dying. That’s all.’

‘For us, you mean.’

‘For the magazine. Your magazine.’

‘What are you trying to say, Gail?’

‘Just that.’

She held her breath, wondered if he could hear the same rush of blood she could hear surging through her brain. She sensed Tomas shifting his weight. Then, everything was still. She closed her eyes and wondered: Is this man capable of murder? Could he kill me? Whether it was the short pause, or Tomas’s unnatural stillness at that moment, or her memory refocusing, homing in on Bella and her bruises; she wasn’t sure. But she had made up her mind: Yes, he was capable.

‘We’re in this together, Gail.’ His breath was hot, stale; his hand was on her back. She felt a bead of sweat form above her eyebrow, an itch enveloping her scalp. ‘Aren’t we?’

Her throat was dry, and her reply was half choked. ‘We are. But if we lose, I’ll survive. I doubt you can say the same.’

‘We’ll go down together, won’t we? Isn’t that the plan?’

‘Your plan, Tomas.’

‘You’re not making any sense, Gail. We wrote the article together.’

‘You wrote it. My additions were unimportant. It was your article.’

What if she was right? What if she pushed him too far? Capable of killing to save his magazine? Yes. Capable of killing me? Here, now?

‘What about Simeon?’ she asked.

‘What about him?’

‘Do you know . . . ?’ She half turned, met his eye. Do you know what happened to him? It was unthinkable, and it made no sense. Tomas had motive for killing Alexia, but Simeon?

‘You’re in over your head, Gail.’

She leant in, every nerve fought against it but she was determined to show him she wasn’t scared. ‘No, Tomas. I’m fine . . . But you? You’re burning up. I can smell it.’

He slammed his fist on the table in front her, enough to lift the iPad into the air a little. Gail jumped, her heart lurched, her muscles contracted. But the blow she anticipated never came. Tomas had moved, he was already on the other side of the kitchen, putting on his coat.

‘I’m going out,’ he said coldly. She didn’t respond, just looked at him. ‘Don’t leave without letting me know.’

He slammed the door behind him. Gail looked down at the iPad, made to swipe the screen lock-out, but found her hand was shaking too badly.

Chapter 37

Chapter 37