Deal.
Realizing Connor was watching her, Cristy put aside her phone and said, ‘In the hope I haven’t completely blown this series, shall we get back to figuring out exactly how we can take it forward now we no longer have Nicole and Honey on board?’
Still looking at her, he said, ‘Provided we can come up with the right angle, I think Honey could be persuaded to carry on working with us.’
Cristy nodded, relieved that he was willing to try. ‘Let’s hope you’re right. Meanwhile, here’s what I think our next move should be.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
With Nicole’s return to prison – not to mentionHindsight’sown involvement in it – being such a big story in the main news, there was a very small window available for them to re-edit the next episode in time for upload. However, it was quickly decided that this week’s focus needed to be more on the effect the sudden turn in events might be having on Nicole’s mental health, rather than on the licence revocation itself.
So, the psychologist who’d advised Cristy prior to their first meeting with Nicole was called in to give an account of others she’d treated in similar circumstances. She was good – concise, descriptive, certainly knowledgeable and someone they’d keep on record to use again if the need arose. Of course, the irony of Meier’s expertise in this very field was lost on none of them. However, he was clearly the wrong person to speak to now.
Eventually, with some deft intercutting and useful sound overlays between the historic search for the twins and the speculative analysis of what could be happening to Nicole now, they hit the deadline on Tuesday evening, popped open the champagne and sat back to listen.
In spite of having poured herself into the series this past week, David had never been far from Cristy’s mind, always there, playing havoc with her emotions and tormenting her with fears and indecision. Ten days was a long time, far toolong for her to expect anything good to come of this break, so should she just accept it was over and try to get on with her life – good luck with that – or should she try messaging him again?
By the time the episode ended, thirty-five minutes later, she was no closer to making a decision, could only force herself back to her surroundings as all the usual credits and promos played. Just thank God no one knew how conflicted, how wretchedly torn apart she was inside. She didn’t want anyone’s pity, or advice, she only wanted this hellish separation to be over in a way that saw them back together again.
If only she could see it happening.
Her eyes went to Connor as he faded out the sound and declared them all geniuses for having got so much high value storytelling into so little airtime.
‘You did brilliantly!’ Meena agreed, raising her glass. ‘But of course, everyone knows now that you have an exclusive with Nicole herself, so they’ll have been hoping to hear at least one or two extracts from that.’
Thinking of the Terrier, who she was studiously ignoring, Cristy said, ‘Honey’s asked us not to use anything yet, so we’re honouring the request and hoping Nicole or Maeve will give us the go-ahead to run at least something once the shock of everything has started to pass. Besides, we’re keen to combine it with some of Meier’s interview to get a feel for what they’re saying about one another and their relationship, and there just hasn’t been time these last few days to pull it together.’
‘Which reminds me,’ Connor said, shifting his sleeping daughter from one shoulder to the other, ‘we need to send you two, Clove and Jacks, back to Wales to get Johan and Maggi on record.’
‘Maggi claims Nicole is guilty as charged,’ Cristy reminded them, ‘but she offered me nothing to back it up, so when you go, try getting her on her own without Meier. Speak of thedevil.’ And, opening up a text from him, she read it aloud: ‘When would be a good time to call?’
After sending a quick message back suggesting right now, she picked up her glass to wait. ‘Probably a bit soon for him to be responding to the pod,’ she decided, ‘so I’m hoping it’ll be about the email I sent on Sunday asking … Ah, here he is. Actually, you guys carry on – I’m going to take it over in the meeting room.’
Leaving them all startled by her decision, Cristy quickly crossed the hall and clicked onto the line. ‘Do you have some news for me?’ she asked, closing the door behind her.
‘I have requested a visit with Nicole,’ he told her.
‘Do you think she’ll accept?’
‘I hope so. I’m guessing you’ve also put in for one?’
‘We have, but no idea how kindly she’ll look on us, all things considered. What about Lauren? Have you spoken to her yet?’
There was a moment before he said, ‘She tells me she will call you some time in the next few days, but only on the condition that you do not record anything she says.’
Disappointed, although not surprised, Cristy said, ‘Please give her my word that whatever she tells us will not be attributed to her as a source. Do you think she’ll be OK with that?’
‘I will put it to her.’ Then, after another pause, ‘We listened to your latest podcast just now.’
Feeling suddenly and inexplicably nervous, Cristy said, ‘You sound concerned. Did we get something wrong?’
‘No, I don’t think so. It was simply that …’ He took a breath. ‘It brought a lot back: the search for the twins, the fear we all had at the time … It was hard hearing it.’
‘I’m sorry, but you understand why—’
‘Yes, of course. You’re doing your job, but I’m sure you realize that for us it’s much more than a story or a podcast. You are talking about our lives, our experiences, thesuspicions and heartache that have never gone away, and the many questions that remain unanswered.’
‘Yes, I do realize that, and I—’
