The Dark Lake

‘I was scared, I have to admit.’ She leans closer. ‘And you are never allowed to tell anyone that my recorder didn’t work. Worst moment of my career, I swear.’

Smithson is divided in two: half believe that Donna is covering for Rodney, the real killer, and the other half lean over steaming coffees, eyes huge, claiming that Donna killed Rosalind to protect her only son.

We both glance up to see a clapped-out camera that looks like it was made before electricity was invented.

‘He’s not “our Ben”, he’s mine!’ I click the phone off and shove it in my pocket, which is nowhere near as satisfying as throwing it on the ground like I want to do.

One bloke’s dollar is as good as the next bloke’s.

I have a strange urge to call the police and then think, That’s me.

Anna has left a chocolate heart on my desk. Re-gifted to you from my latest NQR date. Enjoy!

Julia looks concerned at the possibility that her baby didn’t make the nightly news in our house. Doug waves the topic away. ‘No stress. It’s the third one—it’s going to start getting hard to keep track!’

Julia and Doug look like they are peering at me down the wrong end of a telescope.

It’s real, I wrote, because it quickly becomes everything, and the thought of it being taken away makes them feel like they would be left with nothing at all.