Page 96 of A Game of Lies

Outside, one of the men is making a song and dance about something. At first Ceri ignores it, but there are so few of them now, there’s nothing else to do – no one else to talk to. She hauls herself upright and pushes through the flaps of the tent.

Henry is performing what looks like a tribal dance by the campfire, slapping his back and waving his hat around his head. ‘Get off me!’

‘What’s going on?’ Ceri says.

Lucas is doubled over with mirth. ‘He was sitting under that tree and a spider dropped on his head. I know it’s ungodly to make fun, but …’ He creases into laughter again, pointing at Henry, who is now leaping from one foot to the other.

‘Where’s Aliyah?’ Ceri’s not in the mood for a pantomime.

‘She said she was going for a walk.’

Ceri has grown suspicious of Aliyah, who frequently disappears on her own. Yesterday, Aliyah had claimed to have been trapped in the loo by a dodgy tummy, which had to be a lie, because Ceri had been in the loo herself.

She walks away from the men – Henry has finally rid himself of the offending spider, thank goodness – and looks for movement between the trees. She follows the line of the fence, her heart thumping, even though she’s doing nothing wrong. Why shouldn’t she go for a walk? It’s only what Aliyah’s doing, after all.

Except Aliyah isn’t walking, but talking – to someone on the other side of the fence. Who is it? Ceri creeps closer, but her foot finds a branch and the resulting crack cuts through the still air. Aliyah turns her head sharply and Ceri freezes. If she tries to get closer they’ll see her, but Aliyah’s standing directly in front of whoever it is and all Ceri can see is dark trousers and a glimpse of fair hair, when Aliyah moves. Is it a woman she’s talking to?

There’s a holler from camp, followed by the clang of a wooden spoon on a metal pan. Lucas or Henry have got a brew on. Ceri looks back and although it’s only for a split second, it’s too long. When she looks back, the woman – yes, definitely a woman – is walking away and Aliyah is coming towards Ceri.

Shit!Ceri stoops to pick up the stick she trod on. When she stands upright, Aliyah is looking right at her.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Collecting kindling.’ Ceri brandishes the stick.

‘You haven’t got much.’

‘Only just started. Who was that?’

‘Who?’ Aliyah starts walking back to camp.

Ceri falls into step with her. ‘The woman you were talking to.’

‘I dunno. Some walker. She was lost, I think.’

Ceri shoots a sideways look at the younger woman. Aliyah’s lying. But why?

As that evening’s live segment approaches, there’s none of the fevered excitement Ceri remembers from when the contestants first sat around the fire pit. Then, there had been laughter and camaraderie; arms thrown around their new friends.

Now, Ceri sits at one end of the long log that serves as a bench, Aliyah at the other end. Henry is in the middle, several arm lengths from either woman.

Lucas has opted to stand, his hands twitching nervously in his pockets. ‘And then there were four,’ he says ominously.

‘Could be three, after tonight,’ Henry says. ‘Not that I’ve accused anyone,’ he adds quickly.

‘Nor me,’ Ceri says.

‘Judge not, that ye be not judged,’ sighs Lucas. ‘It doesn’t have to be an accusation – the public vote could put any one of us in the confession pod.’ He looks at the others in alarm. ‘The show wouldn’t make me do it twice, would they?’

‘I wouldn’t put anything past Miles Young,’ Henry says darkly.

Aliyah is quiet. Ceri takes in the younger woman’s downcast eyes, the way she’s picking at her nails. That’s more than nerves, she thinks. That’s guilt.

‘Did you make an accusation, Aliyah?’ Ceri says.

Whatever Aliyah is about to say is interrupted by the arrival of Roxy and Owen, who sweep into camp and immediately start ordering the contestants around.

‘Lucas, on the bench with the others, please,’ Roxy says. ‘Bunch up – that’s it. Henry, can you put an arm around Lucas?’

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