Brooke took the two cups of coffee over to the breakfast bar. ‘Sounds good, Poppy, that does. I’ve always felt alone, you know. Mad as it sounds, growing up in this dysfunctional family with two sisters and two parents, I felt like I was on my own.’

Poppy nodded. ‘Yes, me too. It’s Mother’s fault entirely. She’s always fussed over everything other than what’s really important. As for our father, he’s a right slippery bastard. I’m not sure I even know him. And our mother is in her own little world. I think she regrets having us. All she wants is Dad. It’s so embarrassing to see her running after him all the time.’ She sipped her coffee and looked at her sister’s delicate face. ‘I think we’re not close because Mother wanted it that way. I know there are different views on how to bring up twins while still ensuring they have separate identities. But I think she probably read too many books on the subject and went too far. I can’t remember playing a single board game with you. She even sent us to different after-school activities and demanded we were in separate classes.’

Brooke screwed up her face. ‘How do you know that?’

‘Because I heard her once on the phone to the school. Kendall always called me “Secret Squirrel”. I’m going to miss her smart remarks and rebellious ways.’

Brooke stared off into oblivion. ‘Why did she always call you that?’

‘Because, Brooke, that’s what I am. I want to be a detective one day. I listen to everything, even their phone calls, because the truth is, I’ve never trusted either of them. It’s as if there’s something very secret going on, especially when Mother can put on this stupid act of being fucking Miss Perfect . . . ’ She paused. ‘There’s also something else you should know.’

Brooke looked at her sister and inclined her head. ‘Go on.’

‘You know Mother said those men had hessian sacks over their heads? Well, when Kendall was murdered, she wasn’t alone. She was with someone called Ricky Regan. He was beaten in the same way, with a sack over his head.’

Brooke gasped. ‘What? Tell me you’re joking?’

Poppy shook her head. ‘No, straight up. You know me, Brooke. When have you ever seen this face crack a smile?’

With her furrowed frown, Brooke glared at her sister. ‘This makes no sense. So now we have to assume that whoever attacked those men, they were also responsible for killing Kendall then?’

Poppy nodded. ‘Yeah, I know. It makes no sense at all.’

‘But how do you know all this?’ asked Brooke.

‘I overheard Mother talking to Conrad in the kitchen when she arrived home in the early hours.’

‘Christ, how the hell can Kendall and I end up in the middle of two warring gangs? Nothing adds up.’

Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN