Marlow:What’s who saying?

Mia:Janie Wood. I know she’s in here still. She hasn’t told you what happened?

Marlow:Janie is currently talking to us.

Mia:I’m going to tell you the truth, but before I do, I need to know something.

Marlow:Yes?

Mia:My mum and my sister – will they … I need to know they’ll be okay.

Marlow:How do you mean? Mia, how do you mean:you need to know they’ll be okay?

Mia:It’s just that I’m everything they’ve got. I know what’s going to happen to me and … I’ve always been there for both of them, after my sister’s accident, and I don’t even know how they’ll cope. I don’t know that they will. I just don’t know. God, this is a mess. This is such a mess.

Marlow:Mia, listen to me. The more you tell me, the more I can help you. Do you understand that?

Mia:(nods)

Marlow:So can you tell me what happened Monday night?

Mia:(pauses) I set fire to the offices of Morris & Wood.

Marlow:And did you know anyone was in the building when you did it?

Mia:No.

Marlow:You didn’t realise Harry Wood was in his office?

Mia:No, I didn’t have a clue.

Marlow:Or that Miles Morgan was with him?

Mia:No. I didn’t know anyone was in there.

Marlow:Mia, can you tell me why you did it?

Mia:I wanted to make them all pay.

Marlow:Including Janie Wood?

Mia:Yes, including her.

Marlow:Only now you’re confessing because …

Mia:Now I’m confessing because … You know, I’m not actually a bad person. I never wanted anything that bad to happen to anyone – not like this.
     Now I’m confessing because I just want it to end.

Chapter Forty

Monday 13 May – the night of the fire

Mia wanted Janie to know she was to blame. That if it hadn’t been for her defending Miles Morgan, her sister’s life would not have been ruined. Jess would still be the same exuberant, clever, confident woman she had been before. She would still be able to run and walk out of the house whenever she damn well pleased.

It surprised her when Janie said Mia was right. That she was agreeing it was her fault.

‘But if you didn’t defend him, someone else would have,’ Laura was saying. But Mia didn’t want to think about that, because all these years her anger had been directed at Janie and she couldn’t begin to imagine that it was in any way misplaced.

‘Listen,’ Laura said, ‘whatever happened, the offices are on fire and, as far as we know’ – she paused and glanced over her shoulder – ‘there could have been someone in there.’