Claire pulled herself up straight. Her past was affecting her career and it needed to stop. ‘You’re right,’ agreed Claire. ‘It’s time to move on.’

Julia came around the desk to give her a hug. Claire leant back into it.

She only had to be the face of the case.

Julia released her and stood up, straightening her navy, wool pencil skirt. The matter was settled.

‘Right, best get back to it. I’ve got Stanham & Stanham coming in this afternoon for a session, so I’ll be tied up most of the afternoon. You?’

‘Benner came in this morning…’

‘Ahhh, how was that?’ asked Julia. Not waiting for a response, she raised a knowing eyebrow. ‘Just think of all those billable hours,’ she added with a wink.

Getting up, Julia walked to the door while Claire cleared away the remains of lunch and put them in the bin. She watched as Julia paused at the door, one hand on the door handle. ‘Have you ever heard from him?’ Julia asked not turning around.

‘Who?’ replied Claire, although she knew exactly who Julia was referring to and she was probably the only person in the world brave enough to ask about him.

‘Paul.’

‘No. Never.’

Julia nodded and quietly left the room.

8

‘When we agreed about you going back to work full-time, you told me you’d only be late occasionally,’ called Chris from the living room.

At least let me get one foot in the bloody door.

She dropped her bag and threw her keys in the bowl on the dresser in the hallway. She could hear the pump of music, no doubt from Joshua’s bedroom, and she closed her eyes against it. Why hadn’t Chris told him to turn it down? Had Chris even bothered to check Joshua had done his homework?

She took off her coat and, when she saw the already overcrowded coat hooks, was tempted to let it fall where she stood. Instead, she shoved it in. Hadn’t she just cleared the hall out last week? She couldn’t remember. It was eight o’clock in the evening and she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was get into bed and sleep for the whole weekend. She glanced at the stairs. How easy it would be just to tiptoe up, peek in on a sleeping Jamie and a video-playing Joshua and climb into bed.

‘Claire?’

No chance.

Plastering a smile on her face, she walked through to the living room where she saw Chris in his running gear.

‘Hi!’ Bright and breezy. Easy.

‘Did you hear me?’ asked Chris, not even bothering to look up from his laptop.

‘I did,’ she replied soothingly. ‘And I’m sorry. It’s been a devil of a week.’ She went over to him and stood behind his chair, resting her hands on his shoulders, and leant over to kiss his cheek.