‘Sounds like you’ve made your mind up.’

‘I have.’

‘Well, at least I have a few months while you find a buyer.’

Iris looked awkward. ‘Actually . . . they’ve got a room for me now. Someone else was lined up to have it but they ended up moving closer to their family. You have to take them when they come up or the wait could be endless.’

‘So, when are you going?’ asked Kate in trepidation.

‘The thirteenth.’

‘Of what? August? That’s only a couple of weeks away!’

Iris gave an apologetic smile. Then she sniffed, and her eyes began to well up. ‘Don’t think it’s not difficult to leave,’ she said. ‘I’m going to miss this place, and you. Mostly you.’

Kate’s own chin began to wobble, and she threw her arms around Iris. The two women held each other for a while.

‘Life changes,’ said Iris. ‘Things move on.’

FORTY-SIX

Friday, 24 February 2017 – the day of the accident

Terence was sitting across from Becky, scribbling on a piece of paper. A summary of her answer to the interview question: ‘How do you deal with conflict?’ She’d outlined how she would manoeuvre her way around a tricky personality, diffusing friction where she could and getting the subject on side, mentally brushing aside her increasingly impatient responses to Piers.

He looked up. ‘Is there anything you would like to ask me?’

‘Yes,’ said Becky. ‘When will you be making your decision?’

‘By the middle of next week.’

Becky’s stomach fluttered in equal amounts of extreme nervousness and extreme excitement. She still had time to get her story to Terence before he picked his candidate for the job. But what if, when she met Adam tomorrow, he didn’t tell her anything of any real consequence? What if he did? She felt her whole future rested on this one meeting. Becky had booked another nondescript hotel, texting Adam on his ‘temporary’ number to rearrange.

‘Anything else?’

Becky shook her head and went to get up.

Terence held up a hand. ‘Just a minute.’

She was surprised. Sat back down again, a flicker of apprehension running through her as Terence came from behind his desk and perched on the edge of it next to her.

‘I’ll get to the point,’ he said, matter-of-factly. ‘It’s been noticed you’ve spent quite a bit of time out of the office the last few weeks.’ He raised an eyebrow, watched her. ‘Most of that time seemingly to coincide with when I’ve not been here.’

Becky felt a hot flush rise up in her cheeks. Piers.

‘I . . .’ began Becky. How was she going to explain this away? She decided to come clean. ‘That’s right.’ There was a hint of defiance in her voice.

He nodded, and she detected – what? He was subtly impressed? He was waiting for her to continue, but she didn’t want to say any more. Not yet. Damn Piers for putting her in this position.

‘Want to explain why?’ said Terence.