‘Please, Liv. Please. I would never have colluded in something as big as this. I didn’t know. You’ve got to believe me.’

Olivia’s suddenly at my eye level, squatting down, cupping my face with a soft hand.

‘How are you doing, Marie? Is it OK if I call you that?’

I stare at her, huge amber eyes, smudged sparkly shadow.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t believe you … and I hope, in time, you’ll understand why I have to question every last corner of this appalling tale. So many failed children … I’m so, so sorry. You poor, poor soul. What an unconscionable mess this is. An unconscionable, unforgivable mess – a stain on the soul of our nation. We’re going to do right by these victims, I can promise you that. We’re going to do right by you. And by your sister.’

I lean into her hand. I feel like I might drown, even though there’s no water, just waves of emotion surging over my head. She stays like that, crouched in her silken folds, even as the door opens somewhere behind us and two security guards clatter into the room, slamming the door behind them.

‘Miss Guy … we got an urgent call. Is everything alright up here?’

I slump further into her hand as she glances over my head.

‘Thanks for coming up so fast,’ she says, almost purring. ‘I’ll 269explain more fully in just a moment, but for now could you please stay with Miss Jonas at all times, while I sort something out?’

‘Is she OK?’ A boot strays into the corner of my eye, shadow falling over us as one of the guards steps towards me.

‘She’s going to be fine,’ Dominic says, resting a hand on my shoulder. ‘I got this, Liv, if you want to sort out Jonas.’ I crumple as she stands, rapid-fire instructions ricocheting over my head, doors opening, keys jangling, phones ringing, a sudden cacophony of noise, the post-explosion roar of activity.

‘Did you know too?’ I murmur, laying my head on my knees. ‘About Jemima?’

‘Huh?’ He crouches, hand still on my shoulder.

‘Did you…?’ I pause as my air runs out, gasping. Sometime over the last few minutes I’ve forgotten how to breathe.

‘Calm down, girl. In, out, in, out, that’s it. Nearly there…’

I sit up, just as Jemima is escorted into Olivia’s private conference room, landline unplugged, mobile phone and computer confiscated.

‘But what will happen to her?’