Well, okay, a bit better-looking than most, but what I mean is, she’s like your sister or your mate’s girlfriend or the popular one at school: full of life and drama and shopping. At midnight she should be with her friends having a good time, not standing in my room telling me how she died. But there’s this man in the middle of it all. His name’s Carl Bagport, and Carl has a nightclub and a criminal network to run, starting with organised shoplifting and going down from there. ‘But why did you do it in the first place?’ I think I know the answer, but I need to hear it from her. ‘Money.’ Ems looks wretched. ‘He pays a lot for… well, it’s stealing. That’s against the law, you know.’ I know. Simon makes a noise like he’s clearing his throat – even though he no longer has one – and I let him speak. ‘Forgive me, but I’m not sure I quite understand.
