Marlow:Laura’s main client asked for her to be taken off the account?

Bryony:That’s right. They told Harry Wood as much. That’s why he had to ask Mia to stay on. I don’t know – maybe he would have anyway.

Marlow:Why did they?

Bryony:(shrugs)

Marlow:Did Laura know this?

Bryony:I’m not sure.

Marlow:How do you know?

Bryony:I heard it on the grapevine.

Marlow:Is it usual for clients to make demands about who they want working for them?

Bryony:I don’t know of anyone else at work who’s been taken off an account. But then I guess no one else at Laura’s level has ever gone off on maternity leave. The rest of us get our old jobs back, more or less, though a lot of them job-share. Laura would never have done that though. (laughs) She loves her job too much. You know her husband is a stay-at-home dad? He’s a nice guy. I’ve met him a few times. I mean, it’s an amazing thing to do, isn’t it?

Marlow:What? Stay at home to look after your own children?

Bryony:Yeah.

Marlow:You think it’s an unusual choice to make?

Bryony:No, I mean, I don’t – well, not all men would do it, would they? I know for a fact my Carl never would.

Marlow:Well, putting aside the fact that Laura Denning made the brave decision to return to work full-time, is there anything at all you’ve noticed about her behaviour since she’s been back that has seemed a little – different?

Bryony:Plenty, but …

Marlow:Yes?

Bryony:Well, it’s like – I mean – is this going on record? Because this is only gossip. I mean, she’s not a suspect or anything, is she?

Chapter Eight

Two months before the fire

Laura had another night of tossing and turning. She hadn’t been sleeping well over the past few nights, since she had gone back to work on Monday, and by the end of the week the tiredness was catching up with her.

It didn’t help her busy mind that Bobby was waking frequently, and the previous night he had reached an impressive milestone of crying out nearly every hour. Nate had been the one to get up for all bar one occasion. It was part of their agreement. On weekdays he would see to Bobby during the night as much as he could, but then the agreement had been made when Bobby had been blissfully sleeping through.

‘He’s teething,’ Laura had said, blearily, at one in the morning. ‘You’ll need to get some more gel. I can feel the teeth under his gum.’

Nate hadn’t answered. She didn’t know if he’d heard, so she wrote it down on a piece of paper and left it on his bedside table, in case she forgot to remind him in the morning.