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Georgia looks over at me, her face full of compassion.
“Are you okay?” she whispers.
“Not really. It’s a mess.”
“You should have told me,” she says. “I just…” She shakes her head. “I want to help.”
“It’s not your job to help me,” I say quickly. Because let’s face it, this was all happening, way before she came to London. For the last ten years. Or more.
Still, the words come out sharper than I intended. She blanches.
Christ, I can’t even get this right.
“Your coffee’s ready,” Barbara says to me, peeking her head around the door.
Before I can answer her, the door to the kitchen opens and Alex strides in, Kate beside him. His face looks stormy as he makes his way to the back room.
His eyes land on me before moving to Caleb and Georgia.
“Oh, good,” he says. “You’re all here.”
“Did Mum leave okay?” I ask him.
“Yes, but that’s not why I’m here. I’m way more interested in this.” He holds up something small and black. A notebook.
“Is that mine?” Georgia asks, her brows scrunching as he holds it aloft like a preacher holds a bible.
“Of course it’s yours. What I want to know is why you’ve been taking notes on my family.”
Georgia blinks, clearly thrown. “Where did you find that?”
“Where do you think I found it? In your suitcase of course.” He brings his steely gaze back to me. “Did you know she’s a journalist?” he demands.
“Of course I know, you fucking idiot.”
“And you still invited her up here? Jesus Christ, man, I thought you were supposed to be the clever one.” He gestures at Georgia. “She’s the one who’s been feeding the press.”
“Don’t be so stupid. She writes for a magazine,” I tell him. “Not The damn Correspondent.”
“Are you certain?” Alex asks. “Because I’m not. Saskia said we had a mole. And this all started happening after you met her.”
Caleb lets out a sigh. “Fucking hell, Alex. You’ve been watching too much Sherlock. Now can you leave the adults alone? We’re busy.”
“Actually, I’m the one who found the notebook,” Kate says.
For a second the whole room goes silent.
Alex turns his head toward her, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“See?” he says, lifting the notebook slightly. “Even Kate thinks it looks suspicious.”
“Thinks what looks suspicious?” I ask. I’m about a breath away from throttling him.
Kate offers me a sympathetic smile. “How much do you know about her?” she asks, her gaze flicking over to Georgia. “Isn’t it all a bit weird the way she’s come into your life at the exact moment your father’s history is being exposed.”
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s not weird at all.”
“Alex says you met her after she threw herself in front of your car.”
