Page 52 of A Game of Lies

The screen cuts to the confession pod, and to Aliyah’s recorded accusation.

‘I expose Ceri,’ Aliyah says. ‘Ceri set fire to her own car to make a false insurance claim.’

By the campfire, all eyes snap to Ceri, whose mouth drops open.

‘She got it wrong,’ Bronwen says through sobs. ‘Thank God.’

‘Aliyah, do you stand by your accusation?’ Roxy has opened the envelope and is holding a slip of paper.

‘I do,’ Aliyah says.

‘I’m afraid, Aliyah …’ Roxy pauses, ‘you’re wrong.’

Aliyah gasps. ‘That’s not possible.’

‘You know what that means, don’t you?’ Roxy says.

‘You bitch!’ Aliyah looks wildly around as she hurls the insult. Huw isn’t sure if she means Ceri or Roxy, although she isn’t looking at either of them, but out beyond the camp, on to the mountain.

‘Back to the confession pod, Aliyah.’ Roxy turns a dazzling smile to the camera. ‘Maybe we’ll have an exposure tonight after all!’

‘Oh, my God,’ Bronwen says again. She collapses in the sofa, tears streaming down her face.

‘Bron.’ Huw picks up the remote and presses mute. He turns Bronwen gently to face him. ‘What on earth is going on?’

She blinks at him miserably.

On screen, Aliyah screams silently. Spiders pour into the confession pod, swarming up her legs and over her contorted face.

‘I know Ceri’s secret,’ Bronwen says miserably.

Aliyah has climbed on the seat, but the spiders are nimbler than her and, as fast as she brushes them off, they come back. Her eyes widen in horror and she scratches at her back, then tears at her shirt, the buttons shooting towards the camera.

‘Is it bad?’ Huw says. He doesn’t know how long Aliyah’s been in the confession pod – thirty seconds, forty? – but it’s clear she’s had enough. She’s jumped off the chair and is hammering at the door, and Huw doesn’t need the volume up to understand the words she’s screaming.

I confess, I confess!

‘She’ll lose her job.’ Bronwen bursts into fresh tears.

‘Ceri?’ Huw pulls his attention away from Aliyah, annoyed to realise he’s been sucked into watching the show. ‘You’ve got other postal workers though, right? And if you’re short staffed, you can recruit—’

‘I’ll lose mine, too,’ Bronwen says. ‘We might even go to prison.’

‘Prison?’ Huw tries to make sense of what’s going on.

‘Please help me.’

‘Of course, but Bronwen—’

‘People mustn’t find out what’s in that envelope – promise you’ll help?’

‘I promise.’ Huw puts his arms around Bronwen, hushing her as sobs rack her body. His head is reeling. Ceri has done something illegal, which somehow implicates Bronwen, and Huw has to stop anyone finding out.

How on earth is he going to do that?

NINETEEN

SUNDAY | FFION

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