Page 99 of Carbon

I was left speechless as she ran into the hallway with Emmy close behind. And I wasn’t the only one lost for words. A stunned silence descended over the whole room.

Unsurprisingly, it was Black who regained his composure first.

“I’ll get that press conference set up, shall I?”

* * *

Two days later, I sat nervously in front of the cameras at the BBC’s London studio. They’d perched me on something the height of a barstool that wobbled every time I moved, with a tiny table between me and Susie Sawyer, a news anchor more famous for doing the splits onStrictly Come Dancingthan her grasp of current affairs. The make-up lady had really trowelled it onto me, and under the hot lights, I felt like a melting bloody waxwork. I only hoped the mascara was waterproof because Black wanted tears. Lots of them.

Off to the side, my father smiled. Yes, my father. You didn’t read that wrong, and believe me, I was more surprised than anybody when he phoned yesterday and said he’d be coming along.

“The police told me you’d be making an appeal, Gussie,” he’d said.

“I thought I should try to help.”

“I only hope the police catch that sick bastard. If I ever lay eyes on Beau Davies again, I’ll strangle him with my bare hands. We took him into our home, paid him good wages, and this—”

“Daddy, please. That’s not making me feel any better.”

“Sorry. I know it can’t be easy.”

Oh, Daddy, you don’t know the half of it. “I’ll cope.”

“I’ll come tomorrow and give you some moral support.”

“Really, you don’t have to. I’ve got friends coming with me.”

“Friends?”

He was right to sound suspicious seeing as I’d never had any. “Uh, sort of. People from Blackwood. They’ve been really kind to me.”

“Good to hear we’re getting our money’s worth. They don’t come cheap. Sorry, Gussie, I need to go. The other line’s ringing.”

I’d hoped a last-minute work meeting would stop him from showing up, the way it had for every parent-teacher evening, most of Sapphire’s book launches, and my graduation. But no such luck. Why did he suddenly decide to start acting like a parent now?

“Are you ready?” Susie asked.

“No.”

She laughed, fake all the way. “Relax. It’ll be over before you know it.”

In the end, it wasn’t as difficult as I’d feared. She asked me two questions about Angie’s life, I burst into tears, and they kept flowing like the champagne at one of Mother’s parties. When Susie asked if I had any final words, only the fear of Ben getting hurt let me pull myself together enough to make the plea Black had scripted for me.

“Catch the man who killed my sister. If you know anything, please call the police. Next time it could be your sister or your daughter who gets hurt. Please, just call.”

Father gave me a fierce hug as I stumbled off set, pursued by a spiky-haired girl intent on unhooking my microphone.

“I’m so proud of you, Gussie.”

That was the first time he’d ever told me that, or even hinted at it, and I felt even worse for lying to him about the true reasons for the charade.

“Angie always said I just needed a push to get over my fear of public speaking.”

The tears came again, and Father handed me his handkerchief.

“She’d have been proud today too.” He put an arm around my shoulders and steered me towards the exit, Nye following along behind. “And I need to say I’m sorry.”

“For what.”

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