She doesn’t reply. Instead she continues to stare at me as I take another step backwards. She doesn’t look afraid. Her large blue eyes are completely devoid of any emotion. I’ve never been more scared in my life.

‘I’ll stay back here,’ I say. ‘But I need you to promise me you won’t do anything silly. Whatever’s happened, whatever it is that you’re worried about, we can deal with it. I love you. We all do. You know that, don’t you?’

She doesn’t reply but I see something spark behind her eyes. Relief? Is that what it is? She’s relieved because I’ve said the right thing. Oh, thank God. Thank—

‘No!’ I scream as she mouths the word, Sorry, and steps free from the ledge.

Chapter 62

‘NO!’

I lurch forwards and reach for Kira’s legs as she drops through the air. I manage to grab hold of her calves and try desperately to hoist her upwards but she’s too heavy and she oscillates wildly above me, tipping from left to right as one outstretched hand smacks against the banister, the wall, the banister. Her fingernails scratch at wood and then paint as she tries and fails to grab hold of either. Her other hand is up by her neck, tugging at the dressing-gown cord that bites into her skin. A terrible gasping, choking sound fills the air as she fights to breathe.

‘Help!’ I scream. ‘Help! Somebody help me!’

I try to change position, to move the heel of my hand from under the sole of Kira’s foot so I can get a better grip but as I do she kicks out, thumping me in the side of the head. I fight to keep my balance, to keep her leg up in the air, but my ankle twists beneath me and I fall.

‘What the fuck?’

Caleb thunders up the stairs and suddenly Liz is beside me. She grabs Kira’s foot as it slips from my fingers and hoists it into the air. She reaches up for the other foot and, as she grabs it, Kira’s head smacks against the corner of the banister. Her hand falls from her throat and she closes her eyes. She is deathly pale.

‘Claire!’ Liz shouts as Kira’s legs go limp in her arms but I’m already beside her. I reach up and grab hold of Kira’s hips and heave them up in the air. My arms shake. She’s too heavy. I’m going to drop her.

‘I’ve nearly done it,’ Caleb shouts from above us as his clumsy fingers pick at the white cord wrapped around the banister. ‘Have you got her? As soon as this is undone she’s going to fall.’