Chapter 5

“No,” Janet said.

One word, and the job Patrick had taken from me was gone all over again.

“I held it for a week,” she continued. “Then I had to hire someone.”

I looked at the suitcase beside Denise’s spare-room bed.

Six years ago, I had told twelve clients I needed three months away from work. Three months had become six years. Now the first real chance I’d had to return had been refused by someone who had never intended to tell me it existed.

“What exactly did Patrick say?” I asked.

“I have the call note in your old…