I go through the details one by one: long black stage, about two feet high, with steps down on both sides, also black. Very scuffed wooden floor, pale wood with a herringbone pattern. A huge room that was a perfect square shape with an additional bit added on that was sort of funnel-shaped. All the audience sitting at round tables, about ten people at each one. There was a bar area to the left of the stage, in the funnel part of the room. To leave the hall you had to walk past the bar. Once you’d passed it, the room narrowed. This was the neck of the funnel, and it led to a single door: navy blue with a square glass panel at the top. On the wall furthest from the blue door there was a purple velvet curtain, half pulled, with a black net curtain behind it, partially covering a white wall. The purple wasn’t lilac or mauve or pink; it was livid purple.

‘Kim.’

‘What? Have you remembered?’

‘No. I’m not going to. Sorry. I don’t know what livid purple is, and I don’t remember the colour of any curtain I’ve ever seen, I’m afraid. Couldn’t tell you what the curtains look like in our house, for example.’

My house. I’ll have to buy Gabe’s share so that I can think that legitimately. He’s not quite as out of my life as I need him to be.

My phone is buzzing. ‘Pray for me,’ I tell Gabe as I reach into my pocket to pull it out. ‘With any luck, this’ll be a detective, phoning to say they’ve arrested Billy and I can have my life back.’

That’s what I want, isn’t it?

Please don’t leave me alone with my life, Billy.

‘Hello?’

‘Kim, is that you?’

‘Yes. Who’s this?’

‘Fiona.’

The name is familiar, and the voice, but I can’t place her.

‘From the hospital.’

‘Oh. Right.’ The nurse with the tiny Rapunzel plait. ‘Look, I’m sorry about the other day. I just needed to get that little book to the police as soon as—’

‘I’m not calling about that.’

‘Then what?’

‘You need to come down here now.’

‘Where? To … to the hospital?’

‘Yes. Ward 10.’

‘Ward 10’s a cancer ward,’ I say sharply. ‘Far as I know, I don’t have cancer. Unless you tested me on the sly while I was visiting.’ This is crazy. I shouldn’t panic like this at a phone call.

‘Just come,’ says Fiona. I hear a click and then nothing.