‘No, I won’t stay,’ Justine said as she took a seat. ‘I just wanted to make sure you were OK. The shock must be wearing off by now and you’re going to need support when the full impact of what happened hits you.’

‘We’re all going through the same.’

‘I’ll admit I haven’t had a wink of sleep, but I can’t compare my experience to yours. You’re one of Faith’s closest friends and it’ll be you she leans on when she’s released, assuming they do let her go.’

‘Do you think they won’t?’ Despite her best efforts, Tara’s pulse picked up the pace.

‘I’m no expert, but the CPS can’t ignore the fact that someone died. Even with self-defence, you’re only allowed to use reasonable force. The fact that she’s been charged with manslaughter suggests the police aren’t entirely convinced.’

‘But she was threatened with a knife. How else was she supposed to protect herself?’

Justine’s hands were resting in her lap. She picked at her fingernails. ‘Let’s hope the jury sees it that way.’

‘It won’t get to court. The public would be up in arms if it did.’

‘Don’t count on it,’ Justine said. ‘You know how fickle public opinion can be, and Faith has a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way. I have a horrible feeling she and the press are going to fall out, not that it should have a bearing on what the CPS decides to do, but you never know.’

‘When she’s ready, Faith will handle the press,’ Tara said. ‘I imagine she’d be quite good at it.’

‘Hmm,’ Justine said. ‘She won’t be happy reading how much of her private life has been published. Did you know she didn’t own the house? Apparently her stepdaughter has a half share. Little wonder Faith complained so much about her.’

‘Faith wasn’t obliged to tell anyone about her financial affairs.’

‘But she could have been more honest about her job,’ Justine continued. ‘I had the impression she was some high-flying scientist, but it turns out she was a junior lab assistant. And if today’s papers are right, she was about to be made redundant. They’re saying she was desperate to find a new man to look after her.’

‘We know that’s not true.’

‘But it did look odd, didn’t it? Nick was so much younger,’ Justine said. Her fingers continued to twitch. ‘It’s ironic when you think about it. They were both attracted to each other’s false image. In some ways, they were as bad as each other.’