‘What Jessica told me was that Tash had started dating an ex of hers, a married man. At the Valentine’s Day party, the one where Tash took that selfie with her and Satnam and Jessica, Satnam threatened to make trouble, to “spill the beans” Jessica said. I’m wondering if Satnam was about to blow the sex for grades thing out of the water? But the whole situation actually suited Tash. She might already have been in love with Ratner by then anyway. So she felt threatened by Satnam. I honestly think Satnam wanted to do the right thing, but Tash wouldn’t let her.’

The warmth of his body seeps through her peacoat. A few weeks ago she would have hated this. Too close, too much contact. But that is the past and, as someone once said, the past is a different country.

‘If she did do that stuff with the Dean, it was done for the best of reasons, Luke. Because she wanted a life of her own. We all deserve that, don’t we?’

Luke is sitting very quietly now, staring out across the dimming sky.

‘When Satnam wakes she’ll tell the truth, she’ll give Cullen away.’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a plan to make sure that Satnam doesn’t wake.’

‘Nevis, that’s mad.’

‘Is it? First Jessica goes, then Tash. Why wouldn’t Satnam be next? The university would continue to deny any responsibility. If pushed, they could blame suicide contagion. That way it’s just a sequence of events, a dark chain reaction, no one’s fault, just one of those things.’

Luke takes a minute to consider this, then throws his cigarette on the ground and grinds it with his foot. ‘Fuck.’

Chapter 49

Cullen

He rises from his bed unrested, passes Veronica’s dressing room and sees the empty spot where her hairbrush usually sits.

I have been a fool, he thinks.