Anita walked into the Sydney hospital room still wearing the clothes she’d worn to the court appearance, because she’d driven straight here, wanting to see Paula before she did anything else.

She hung back from the hospital bed when she realised Paula was asleep. She looked awful. One side of her face, around the cheekbone and eye socket, was purple and swollen like an eggplant. Her neck was swathed in lurid bruises. But underneath all that wreckage, Anita could see Paula’s skin was pink and alive, not the dead grey when she’d been lying on the consulting room floor.

Because of the severity of the attack, the doctors were keeping Paula in hospital to monitor her for blood clots, pulmonary oedema and whatever other damage could be done by a near-fatal strangulation.

By now, Anita had learned about the assaults in the pub. A woman had barged in, inexplicably struck two strangers with a chair and then rushed out. Rohan reckoned it was very clear from the CCTV footage that the woman was Paula and that she’d mistaken one of the male victims for Curtis Wigney.

When Paula finally opened her one good eye, Anita could see it was flecked with red from broken blood vessels. Her voice came out shredded and hoarse, ‘Hello, friend.’

Anita leaned over to kiss her on the less-battered side of her face and said, ‘I love the short hair. Not sure about the rest of this look you’ve got going.’

‘Was that an insult?’ Paula asked. ‘You’ll have to speak up if you’re going to critique my look. My hearing’s dodgy at the moment—ringing in the ears.’

‘Yeah, well, I’m a bit deaf too, on account of the gunshot noise when I saved your life.’

‘Oh good lord, am I going to have to grovel and say thank you constantly for the rest of our lives?’ asked Paula.

Anita waggled her head. ‘Well, you know, a generous amount of grateful grovelling would be appreciated. We can work out a voucher system.’

Paula smiled, but when she spoke again she sounded more serious. ‘I’m sorry I lured you into becoming a violent criminal.’

‘No, no, it’s great. Liberating in a way. We should rock up to the next Parramatta High School reunion. Paula Kaczmarek and Anita Delgado: Most Likely to Commit Major Crimes.’

‘Don’t make me laugh,’ Paula wailed. ‘It hurts my throat.’

‘Listen, doctor, because you assaulted those guys in the pub, you’re going to need legal representation.’

‘I know.’

‘I can find you a good lawyer, have someone standing by.’

‘Thanks,’ said Paula. ‘Do you know how Nicole Wigney is doing? And the kids?’

‘Nicole’s in hospital, St Vincent’s, going pretty well. The kids are in good shape, I’m told. With their grandparents.’

Paula nodded, drew in a breath to ask more questions, but her breath was shuddery and she was too upset to speak.