The colour drained out of my life. My head spun so much I thought I couldn’t go on. And yet I had to. There was Maman and Mae to look after, as there always had been. As soon as I’d discovered that Leroy had been killed, I’d gone to Sam Coppola and told him what had happened. The loss had been so sudden and so shocking that even as I described it to him, I was sure that I must have dreamed it. I had to clench my fists and convince myself that what had happened was real. Leroy was gone. Gone from me forever. That meant Jewel had to die too. ‘Jewel needs to disappear,’ I told Sam. ‘She needs to vanish without a trace.’ He bowed his head. ‘I’m sorry, Jewel. I’d hoped things would turn out for you and Leroy. I’ll cover your tracks. No-one will be able to trace you. And if you ever find out who did this, I’ll settle the score.’ The Ruby who sat down to breakfast with Maman the following day was nothing but a shell. ‘My darling,’ Maman said, ‘I can’t bear to see you so pale.
