‘Sometimes they give information to get information. People work things out. I’ll look into it, if it’s bothering you. Finding a leak could help our case later on.’

‘The police?’

‘We need to put together your case. Genevieve has briefed me. The first person I need to speak to – after Caleb – is Penelope Gordon. I understand the police have questioned her and she insists that Caleb is innocent.’

‘Why aren’t they listening to her?’

‘They listened. They just don’t think she’s reliable. She’s emotionally involved and also, she’s gone through a lot since the fire. People suffering depression don’t make good witnesses.’

I shook my head. ‘They’ll be disregarding her because what she says isn’t what they want to hear.’

Douglas looked thoughtful. ‘We can’t know that for sure. And the fire began at a time when both she and Caleb agree they were apart. But I’m pretty sure she’ll have something useful to our case. And I understand you have a good relationship with Jack Laskin? That he introduced Caleb to firefighting?’

The waitress approached and I ordered a coffee. ‘Jack met Caleb when we began dating. He suggested Caleb join the CFA. I thought it was for Caleb’s own good. Your eyes are lighting up.’

‘I’m trying to understand the whole situation,’ Douglas said. ‘Beyond what I’ve read. Do you trust Jack?’

‘I thought I did.’

His eyes lit up further. ‘Has something happened to change your mind?’

I’d changed my mind about everything. Was I really about to say this? I was. ‘I don’t know.’ I spoke slowly, not really framing the thoughts until I spoke them. Ashamed and desperate. ‘Fireys are suspicious, aren’t they? Jack’s been in the CFA a lot longer than Caleb.’

‘That’s interesting.’ Douglas looked thoughtful. He held my eye and I felt my ideas being considered and rejected. ‘Phoebe, we need to concentrate on things we can submit as evidence. We have a list of victims. Other than the Gordons, did Caleb know any of them?’

I sighed. ‘Not well. Not Elizabeth Morgan. He might have seen Valentin Zynda around town. He played football with his son. What else do you need to know?’

‘We need to discuss everyone.’

‘A lot of people seem more suspicious than Caleb.’

‘This is a court case, Phoebe. How things look isn’t what we need to prove. The court needs to know how things were.’

I laughed and tapped the manila folder. ‘I’ve been married to a lawyer. My mother is a lawyer. Don’t tell me the law isn’t about how things look. Caleb is only in trouble because of how things look. And because of how things look for the government. They’re doing nothing to save us from warming and they want a distraction.’

‘It’s more complicated than that…’