Page 49 of A Game of Lies

Leo shakes his head, laughing at himself as much as at her. ‘You’re impossible.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Ffion grins.

‘Go on, then. I’ll have a flat white.’

‘You can’t send me for coffee just because I’m a woman, you know.’

‘How about I send you for coffee because you’ve been deeply unpleasant to me for reasons even you can’t seem to explain, and because, deep down, you know you probably owe me more than a simple sorry?’

Ffion considers this for a moment, then pushes back her chair. ‘I’ll get a muffin too, shall I?’

The hair around Angharad’s stitches is matted with blood. She cups her hands around a herbal tea. ‘Stop looking at me like I’m going to keel over. I had a bump on the head, that’s all.’

‘You’ve got concussion.’ George taps the leaflet in front of Angharad, which saysAll about head injuriesat the top. ‘You have to take it seriously.’

‘I’ll stay with her tonight.’ Elen’s busying herself at the sink, wiping down the counter and washing fingerprint powder from the crockery found in the living room.

‘Two mugs.’ Ffion looks meaningfully at Angharad. ‘Two plates. Two sets of cutlery.’

The older woman’s expression doesn’t change. ‘I’m lazy about washing up.’

‘You were watchingExposure.’

‘I like to keep up with popular culture.’

Ffion arches a brow. ‘We won’t find Ryan Francis’s prints anywhere in your house, then?’

‘Like I said when you came before: I’ve had food go missing. He could have touched—’

‘Oh, Angharad!’ Elen turns around, tea towel in hand. ‘Give it up,blodyn.’

There’s a pause, then Angharad sighs. ‘He’s not well.’

‘He hurt you,’ George says.

‘He didn’t mean to.’

‘We’ll make sure he gets help.’ Leo holds Angharad’s gaze. ‘Will you make a statement?’

‘No.’

‘We’ll need your testimony to—’

‘I’m not pressing charges,’ Angharad says. ‘Ryan’s been treated appallingly by that television show – is it any wonder he’s had a breakdown? The only crime committed here is thatExposurewas ever commissioned. You want a manhunt? Go after Miles Young. He’s the one with blood on his hands.’

George takes out her pocketbook. ‘What was Ryan wearing when he left here?’

‘I didn’t see him leave, but I gave him a pair of walking trousers and a warm jumper when he got here.’ Angharad nods towards the stairs – presumably where the clothes had been stored.

‘Colour?’

‘Mmm? Oh, the jumper was dark green.’

Angharad’s distracted. Leo follows her gaze to the door. ‘What is it?’ he says.

She hesitates. ‘My backpack,’ she says, reluctantly. ‘I keep it hanging behind the door.’ The hook is empty.

‘Ryan’s taken it?’ Ffion asks.

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