Rivka glared at her in obvious disbelief. ‘You’re not talking about simply cutting Victor out of your life, though, are you?’

‘It needs to be more permanent. I have too much to lose; my child, my son.’

‘Your lover?’

‘Yes, my lover too.’

Rivka sat and rubbed a hand over her face. ‘What do you want from me?’

‘Victor likes his whisky, I’m planning on giving him some and want something to mix in it. I need to know the best combination of medication to use.’

‘I can’t believe we’re having this conversation! But since we are – digoxin mixed with some morphine suspension would probably be the best bet.’ Rivka’s frown was back. ‘You could have done an internet search to find that out, you didn’t need to come here.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Jodie said. ‘But I need someone to get it for me.’

‘No way! Seriously, you think I’m going to get involved in this. Get real, Jodie, this is a crazy idea. I’m having nothing to do with it. You must have residents in the home on this stuff… steal it yourself.’

Jodie shook her head. ‘They keep a very tight check on medication in Seacrest Manor. They also know about the NMC investigation, I couldn’t take the risk.’

‘But you expect me to!’

It was time for Jodie to use what she had. ‘You’d do anything for Tasha, though, wouldn’t you?’ She saw realisation dawn on Rivka’s face. ‘My union rep advised me that I should go to the police with Tasha’s confession.’

‘She’d be arrested. It would destroy her.’

‘It certainly wouldn’t be a good career move for a socially mobile solicitor.’

‘And you’d do that… to her… to me?’

‘What was it you said, Rivka, that you’d do anything for her. Well, I’d do anything for Flynn–’ Jodie rubbed a hand over her belly ‘–and for this baby. Victor is a monster, he’ll destroy them.’

‘Victor’s a monster!’ Rivka sneered. ‘And your baby – you’ll make it into the child of a murderer as well as the grandchild of a rapist. Is that really what you want?’

They stared at one another, knowing that each had crossed a line and there was no turning back.

‘Will you get me what I need?’

Rivka looked away. ‘You won’t need much, only a small amount of digoxin. The morphine isn’t necessary, it would make it a more comfortable death, that’s all.’

Jodie nodded. ‘Can you get me both?’

‘It’ll take me a few days, I need to be careful.’ Rivka got to her feet. ‘I’ll drop it off at your house on Wednesday.’ She crossed the room to the front door and opened it. ‘And I won’t want to see you again. Ever.’