Page 67 of A Game of Lies

George tosses the coin. ‘There’s a DI vacancy on Major Crime. They’ve been running light for months but Boccacci’s a hard taskmaster and she hasn’t found anyone she likes.’ She lifts her hand to check the coin. ‘Heads it is. Bugger. Wish me luck.’ She heads into the courtyard to find the DCI, leaving Ffion and Leo in the kitchen.

‘You and me, then,’ Ffion says.

‘Looks like it.’ Leo turns away to make a coffee, feeling suddenly adrift. He saw that coin land, and he could have sworn it was tails.

TWENTY-FIVE

ALIYAH | DAY TWO OFEXPOSURE

‘Knock, knock.’

The flap to the girls’ bell tent is pulled open and Aliyah sees Jason. The sun is behind him, and his face is in shadow, his features blurred.

Aliyah shields her eyes from the harsh stream of light. ‘What time is it?’ Her head aches from crying and her face feels puffy and swollen. She remembers the cameras and groans, pulling the covers over her head.

‘No idea. Is Ryan in here?’

‘This isn’tLove Island.’ Ceri’s pillow muffles her voice. ‘Anyway, he’s not exactly my type.’

‘Maybe he’s gone for a shower.’ There’s a creak from Pam’s bunk. Aliyah peeks out of her covers and sees the head teacher pulling her orangeExposurefleece over her pyjamas. She looks wide awake.

‘I’ve looked everywhere.’

‘Could it be part of the game?’ Aliyah says. ‘Like a test, or something?’

‘His stuff’s still scattered around his bunk, but he’s vanished.’ There’s real concern in Jason’s voice.

Game or not, Aliyah throws off her covers, pushing aside the thought of being on telly without having even brushed her hair. Her appearance is the least of her concerns, given last night’s bombshell. Their worst secrets, exposed to the whole world. Aliyah has a sudden thought that maybe she dreamed it, but despite Pam’s alertness there are dark circles under the older woman’s eyes, and Ceri is staring into space with a look of despair on her face. Aliyah’s heart sinks. This is really happening.

‘I’ll help you look.’ Aliyah copies Pam and pulls on her clothes over her pyjamas.

Roxy and the cameraman had made a sharp exit after last night’s live segment finished. This was hardly surprising given the carnage that had erupted following Roxy’s announcement. Jason took a swing at Owen, almost smashing his camera, and Ceri screamed obscenities at Roxy. Afterwards, Ceri told Aliyah she’d done it deliberately. ‘It goes out before nine p.m.,’ she said. ‘So, the more you swear, the less footage they can use.’ Aliyah said how clever she was, but she was wary of Ceri after that. The postwoman had seemed totally out of control, spittle flying from her mouth as she raged at the crew.

Aliyah had been too stunned to get angry. She knew exactly which secret theExposureresearchers had dug up. She liked to believe she’d covered her tracks – her escort work had all been done under a different name – but she supposed there would still be photos online. A digital trail. Last night, she’d looked at Ryan, the only other contestant still sitting down while the others ranted at Roxy and Owen. ‘This is going to kill my dad,’ she told him. Tears ran down her face.

Ryan hadn’t answered. His eyes were wide, staring at a spot on the floor in front of him, and his hands were clasped tight. Aliyah could feel movement through the log between them as he rocked back and forth.

‘Are you okay?’ Aliyah asked. Ryan’s lips moved, but he wasn’t answering her. He was talking to himself – or to someone in his head – and he didn’t stop, even when Aliyah moved closer and said, ‘It’s going to be okay,’ which was a blatant lie of course, because everything was an absolute shitshow.

After Roxy and Owen left, Henry had gone too. He’d stuffed his clothes in his rucksack and saidI’m not putting up with this crap, and left without saying goodbye to anyone. It would have been a waste of time anyway, because he was back in ten minutes.

‘The security guard wouldn’t open the gate!’ Henry was apoplectic. ‘That jumped-up jobsworth Dario said only Miles could authorise it. They’re keeping us locked up like animals!’

‘They can’t do that,’ Pam said firmly. ‘It clearly said in our contracts that we can leave the show at any time.’

‘If we’re prepared to forfeit the appearance fee,’ Lucas reminded the group.

‘And have our secrets exposed anyway.’ Jason tuts. ‘The only way out of this is to keep immunity and win the show.’

There was silence as this sank in. Keeping immunity meant exposing someone else’s secret. Getting close enough that they let down their guard – let something slip.

Yesterday, when they’d arrived in camp,Exposurehad felt like a friendly competition, but today the game was on. The stakes were higher now.

The six contestants have been searching for Ryan for what feels like hours when a recorded announcement rings out across camp.

‘Contestants, Ryan has leftExposurefor personal reasons. He is safe and well and will not be returning to camp. For this reason, there will be no public vote this evening.’

‘Oh, thank goodness!’ Pam throws her arms around Henry, the nearest contestant to her. He stiffens a little and claps her back awkwardly.

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