‘Look, darl, I can get the name of Suze’s lawyer,’ Dionne told her. ‘The guy was a total shark. Got her everything. She kept the house and had enough left over to buy herself a ski chalet. And they can’t even bloody ski!’

I turned to Dionne. No mention in any of Peppa’s records showed anything about a ski chalet.

‘That’s amazing. Whereabouts is it?’

Dionne grabbed another slice of cake. ‘Dunno. French Alps somewhere. They haven’t been in ages.’

A property abroad was a good way to hide money you didn’t want being found.

‘How long has she had—’

‘So, Naomi, are you going to talk to the lawyer?’ Kate gave me a glare. She was right. It was a little insensitive to be asking about ski chalets just when Naomi had dropped the cheating husband bombshell.

‘I guess so.’ She sniffed and took a deep breath. ‘It will be a relief, actually. To take the next step. What is it they say about raising children? It takes a village. Well, I had my village. I just realised my husband didn’t live in it.’

After we all said our goodbyes, I watched Kate insist on Naomi coming back to her house for a bottle of wine.

Good women bonding over a bad man. A fast-tracking of a friendship. It was nice to see a bit of light amid the darkness.

Part Four

Part Four

Mess

mess, n.

1. A dirty or untidy state of things or of a place.

2. A situation that is confused and full of problems.

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

‘WE NEED TO DO BETTER.’ Hattie stood at the head of the meeting room, hands clasped together in front of him. We were all in our usual seats round the table. Only Jake was missing as he was watching Peng. ‘We aren’t making fast enough progress. Forget striking a blow against Tenebris; we haven’t even made a tiny ripple. I still have no promising leads on the Coyote.’ He turned to Cameron. ‘How are you and Jake doing with the hackers?’

Cameron popped her gum. ‘So far we’ve confirmed no one is with Tenebris and there are only a few left to talk to. One in Surbiton, one in Hackney and one based in Watford. I’ll need Robin for that interrogation. He’s Chinese and subjects always revert to their mother tongue when in intense pain.’

‘Me? With you?’ Robin glanced across at Cameron.

‘Correct,’ Cameron answered without looking at him.

‘OK.’ And that was all he said. No wisecracks. No jokes. He was clearly intimidated by Cameron – he was refreshingly quiet around her.

Hattie looked at Geraint. ‘How are we looking with the Dictaphone?’

‘The link is up and running. Every time she clicks the red button we get a direct line to whatever it is recording.’

Hattie nodded. ‘Good. Lex, what’s the update on Daddy Pig?’