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Going to be a late night. No gossip apart from Neil daring to use my favorite coffee mug in front of me.

Neil sat opposite Jenny at her office, and was a constant source of irritation for her.

Have you confronted the little shit?

That was Haze.

No, I’m right now giving him an evil stare until he gets the hint.

I watched as Jenny’s car pulled out of the side street. She wanted us to think she was in the office. She didn’t want us to know she’d had a meeting at the bank.

Was that enough to take to Haze to make her realize her best friend might not be as loyal as she thought?

Chapter Thirty-Seven

March 9

Female subject is approached by Barry Fenton as she walks to her car. Microphone picked up below exchange:

BF:There’s been a lot of unusual activity around here recently.

Female:Barry, we’ve been over this. If people are smiling and laughing, it’s called having fun.

BF:All these cars and bikes hovering around near your house.

Female:When? What type of cars? You get any registration numbers? Footage?

BF:People coming and going in the middle of the night. Don’t think I haven’t heard about swinging parties.

Female:Barry, most of us are married with young kids. We barely have the time and energy to shag our own husbands, let alone anyone else’s.

BF:I know funny business when I see it. I’m watching you!

Female gets into car and drives off.

March 12

Female subject is with Detective Jenny Needham at Carluccio’s for lunch. Microphone picked up the following:

Female:…Yeah, but then what?

JN:It has to go with military precision. You overrun by even ten seconds, and that’s it.

Female:What about the other—

JN:Ruthless. They see weakness, and it’s over. You look nervous? You’re never nervous.

Female:It’s my first ever parents’ evening. I don’t want to mess it up!

JN:Have your questions ready. No small talk. And as soon as that bell goes, you vacate your chair.

(Continued conversation about parent–teacher relations. Absolutely nothing of interest.)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Haze

Reggie had only been asleepfor twenty minutes when the doorbell started ringing. Sausage did her duty of furiously barking at the intrusion. I shushed her and picked her up before she could wake Reggie and ruin the quiet hour I had planned for myself.