When she stepped forward again there was no longer any movement and she swiftly pulled the curtains together, propelling the room in darkness.

For a moment Janie didn’t move. She considered telling Harry, getting him to check outside, but at the same time she knew she wouldn’t, because maybe it was simply her mind playing tricks on her. Maybe it was her head being filled with thoughts of Miles Morgan again, bringing back memories of the last time someone was watching her.

Chapter Thirteen

Six weeks before the fire

It still made Laura pause, every morning when she stepped out of the lift, immediately to see Mia chattering away to one of the other women in the office like they were the best of friends. Monday had come round again, and on this particular occasion it was Bryony Knight hanging over Mia’s computer screen in what seemed a bizarrely awkward position.

Laura’s fingers found the hem of her jacket and played with its seam. She should just turn in the opposite direction and weave around the desks, but she was too fascinated by the interaction between the two women.

Laura couldn’t fathom how anyone in Mia’s position could be so brazenly open with the people who worked for her. Immaturity and inexperience made her act like this.

She didn’t trust Mia, whose hand was now patting Bryony on the arm like she was some kind of dog, and screeching that she was going to ‘take her up on that’.

‘This Friday,’ Mia laughed loudly as Bryony retreated from the desk with a smile that reached her ears. ‘Straight after work.’

Laura wondered what they’d arranged. She also knew that whatever it was, she’d be unlikely to get an invitation and, even though she would never join them anyway, it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Maybe she had brought it on herself, holding them at arm’s length. But as she stood and watched the familiarity bubbling between Mia and Bryony, Laura found herself wishing that she could have what seemed to come so easily to Mia.

Eventually Laura released the hem of her jacket, which was now scrunched into a ball, and flattened it down, hovering on the edges of the office floor, watching this woman with ease and charm oozing out of her.

Bryony had turned away, and now Mia’s smile had faded and she shook her head, only slightly but enough for Laura to catch, rolling her eyes and letting out a puff of breath as she turned back to her desk.

Laura glanced round her, looking for anyone else who might have caught this small gesture, but the few other staff around were all preoccupied.