Leanne had made a point of checking her socks for holes before setting off to meet Claudia, only to be faced with a new challenge while swapping her boots for guest slippers. Her laces had become tangled and she was bent over for so long that when she straightened up, she felt hot and flustered.
‘Sorry about that.’
‘I have the same problem with my riding boots,’ Claudia said pleasantly, with no trace of the nerves that had plagued her during their first meeting. ‘Come through, there’s fresh coffee brewing.’
When Leanne had phoned to request the interview, Claudia couldn’t have been more accommodating and agreed to meet Leanne first thing on Monday morning. She had ensured that the reporter drove through the security gates unheeded, and she had been waiting to welcome her guest when Leanne reached the top of the stairs.
There was a marked change in Claudia’s appearance too. Her dark hair had been pulled back into a smooth, shiny ponytail, her make-up was immaculate, and she wore a perfectly pressed polo shirt. Her beige jodhpurs emphasised the sway of her hips while Leanne trundled behind.
‘I didn’t know you were into horse riding.’
Claudia gave a throaty laugh. ‘Neither did I, but Bryony offered the use of one of her ponies. She’s teaching me to ride,’ she said in her best telephone voice. ‘It’s surprisingly good exercise.’
Instead of continuing to the kitchen, Claudia opened the door to a sumptuous sitting room and directed Leanne to one of the two sofas facing each other on opposite sides of a large, Afghan rug. There was a heavy oak coffee table taking up the space between, and a tray had been set with two china cups as big as bowls, as well as the French press.
Leanne was more concerned with the cream damask of the sofa cushions she was meant to sit on. One of the downsides of living at the marina was that she was always getting mud everywhere and, although the weather was dry, Leanne couldn’t be sure she wasn’t going to shed flakes of mud. She perched on the edge of the sofa while Claudia poured the coffee.
Leaving Leanne to add her own cream and sugar, Claudia picked up her cup and sank back into her seat. ‘I should start by saying I owe you a debt of gratitude. I didn’t want anyone to know about the baby, but I can see how much it’s helped our cause. The response has been breathtaking, and humbling too. The memorial service has grown into something more than I could ever have imagined. I can’t believe it’s only a week on Wednesday. It’s come around so fast.’
It was possible Leanne was being unfair, but Claudia sounded as excited as Phillipa had done when counting down to her grand opening. ‘When can we expect the final programme?’ she asked, taking out her phone and resting it on her lap. She didn’t bother switching on the voice recorder, not yet.
‘We’re going to hold a press conference next Monday,’ Claudia replied. Holding up her hand, she added, ‘I realise that doesn’t give the Courier time to include any late announcements, which is why I thought it only fair to speak to you today. I can’t give you a confirmed line-up, but your readers can rest assured that the start time and venue won’t change. I can share some good news though. We’ve managed to procure a proper sound stage, which means at least the performers will stay dry if it rains.’
‘Great.’
Leanne’s flat response gave Claudia a moment’s pause. Her tone was more sombre when she said, ‘Whatever happens, the show is going to be incredibly moving. The dance school invited me over for a sneak preview at their dress rehearsal and I must confess, they had me in tears. Hilary Clarke would be so proud of them.’
‘Do you think the kids will cope on the night?’
Claudia glanced at the phone resting on Leanne’s lap, then at her rucksack on the floor. A frown creased her brow. She was wondering why Leanne wasn’t taking notes.
‘We’re doing all we can to minimise their anxiety,’ she said. ‘We had planned to bring them on immediately after the reading of the names, but on reflection, that would have been too much, so they’re going to be one of the opening acts. We’ve booked an opera singer to cover their original spot. She’s a friend of Bryony’s.’
Claudia’s eyes were bright. She was waiting expectantly for Leanne to become enthused about the opera singer, but Leanne had stopped listening the moment Claudia mentioned a roll call of the victims. ‘Is Declan Gallagher’s name going to be read out?’
The sound of his name made Claudia flinch and Leanne was reassured that they still had some things in common. ‘It’s so awkward, isn’t it? I don’t see how we can leave him out. He has a sister in Sedgefield.’
‘True, but Karin Gallagher hasn’t tried to defend Declan, so why should we? It would help if she could explain what exactly he was up to in the theatre.’
‘You think she knows more than she’s letting on?’
‘According to her partner, Karin has absolutely no recollections from the disaster, and I’m inclined to believe her. From what I’ve heard, I’d say Karin blames Declan as much as anyone.’
‘That may be so, but in the absence of any request to exclude him from the reading, we have to go ahead as planned. At least the list is in alphabetical order, so he won’t be the first name people hear, nor the last before we stop to reflect.’
‘I suppose that’s something.’
‘It’s about making the best of a very difficult situation.’
From an adjoining room, Leanne heard the glass doors of a bookcase sliding open. ‘I take it your husband’s working from home again.’
‘Justin claims he’s saving the planet by cutting down on his commute.’
‘He could switch to a smaller car,’ Leanne suggested. She couldn’t help herself. The new Claudia served only to darken the clouds affecting Leanne’s judgement. She wouldn’t be too disappointed if she left without another confession.
‘Actually, Justin’s car is an Audi hybrid,’ Claudia replied, her tone cooling to match Leanne’s. ‘It’s my car that’s the gas guzzler. It’s the white Mercedes you’re parked next to.’ Point scored, she relaxed with a smile. ‘Not that I use it much, but I can tell you it’s a lot more comfortable than being thrown about in the back of my dad’s old work van.’
‘I’m sure a Merc comes in handy for all those trips to the stables,’ Leanne noted. ‘I had the impression from our last interview that you weren’t particularly close to Bryony Sutherland.’
‘I wasn’t, but since your article, new alliances have been forged. When I set up the charity, my guess is everyone thought I was trying to take advantage of Phillipa’s fall from grace. As if I could ever take her place.’ She went to laugh, but Leanne’s cold stare stopped her. ‘Thanks to you, they’re beginning to understand that I’m simply a survivor searching for a way to heal. It feels good to be accepted at long last. Is that so bad?’
‘These new alliances you’ve made, do they include Phillipa?’
Claudia took a sip of coffee, creating a pause before she answered. ‘No, not at all. From what Bryony’s told me, Phillipa has shut herself off from everyone. She’s still in the South of France, and I can’t imagine her coming back.’
Leanne couldn’t decide if she should feel angry or relieved. It was right that Phillipa kept away, but it made it far more difficult for Leanne to take aim. With every fibre of her being, she needed to hurt Phillipa for Lois’s sake, and for all the others who had suffered at her hands. Did that make Claudia fair game in her absence? When had Leanne become so cruel? She was beginning to see herself through Mal’s eyes.
As Claudia waited for the cross-examination to continue, she placed her cup on its saucer. The nervous rattle of china was the only sound to break the lengthening silence.
‘I’m sorry,’ Claudia said at last, ‘but is there anything else you need from me, Leanne?’
‘Actually, there is something. Do you mind if I record this?’
Claudia’s eyes darted to the phone Leanne had picked up from her lap. ‘Fine,’ she said.
‘Can you tell me where you were sitting in the stalls?’
Claudia pulled a face, unsettled by the unexpected line of questioning. ‘I couldn’t say exactly and I’m afraid I’ve thrown away my ticket stub. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a memento I wanted to keep.’
‘A general sense of where you were would do. Was it the middle section? To the left? The right? Near the front? At the back?’
‘I was somewhere in the middle,’ she said vaguely.
‘I don’t suppose you remember seeing a young girl, do you? Her mum got up in the middle of the performance to go to the Ladies. It would have been only minutes before the alarm went off.’
‘Are you talking about Amelia Parker?’ Claudia’s fingers twitched and china rattled again. ‘I read her story.’
‘Did you see her?’
There was a quick shake of the head. ‘Why are you asking?’
‘We’re extremely disappointed that the woman who rescued Amelia hasn’t come forward. It would have been nice to hold a reunion to lift the town’s spirits as we prepare to relive our darkest hour. Don’t you think?’
‘I can’t imagine the town is short of heroes. What about the firefighters?’ asked Claudia. She was back to her previously modest self, eager to turn the spotlight elsewhere. ‘As everyone was scrambling over each other to get out, they were going in. They knew part of the roof had collapsed and were experienced enough to know there could be another cave-in, and yet they put their lives on the line and brought out people who weren’t able to walk out themselves.’
‘But during those time-critical minutes before help arrived, other people had to step up,’ Leanne countered. She was trying to find a version of Claudia she could, and should admire. ‘I was just wondering what made you go back inside.’
Claudia’s intake of breath caught in her throat. ‘What?’
Leanne placed her phone face up on the coffee table. ‘What was so important that, when you reached the exit, you turned around and went back inside?’
Still leaning forward, Leanne pulled her coffee cup towards her before adding a dash of cream and two spoons of sugar. Claudia didn’t answer until Leanne looked up from stirring her coffee.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said, but she blinked one too many times. Beth had been right. She had gone back.
When Leanne tapped the teaspoon on the rim of the cup, Claudia’s eyelids fluttered. The last time she had looked that nervous, Leanne recalled how Claudia had dropped a teaspoon on the kitchen floor as a distress signal. As it happened, her husband’s arrival had been fortuitous. It wasn’t Leanne who had teased the confession from Claudia, it was Justin. Would it work again?
‘You were seen going against the flow of people trying to escape.’
Leanne had balanced her teaspoon on the saucer at a precarious angle, but was aware that the Afghan rug underfoot would muffle the sound if she dropped it. She held the cup over the tray as she wriggled back awkwardly in her seat. Her jerked movements caused the spoon to tremble, then fall, hitting the sugar bowl before landing on the tray with a clatter.
‘Oops!’ said Leanne, slopping coffee into her saucer for added authenticity. She looked at the dark liquid threatening to spill and placed the cup down on the tray, making yet more noise. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘It’s not a problem,’ Claudia said, setting down her own drink and rising quickly. ‘I’ll get you another cup.’
Leanne stood with her. ‘You don’t have to. I need to cut down on my caffeine anyway.’
Unwilling to relinquish her chance of escape, Claudia continued towards the door, but it was already swinging open. Justin stepped into the room.
‘We meet again,’ he said to Leanne with a bright smile before turning his attention to his wife. There was concern in his eyes. ‘Everything OK?’
‘Leanne needs a fresh cup, that’s all,’ Claudia said, preparing to shoo Justin away.
‘I was asking your wife to go over what happened on the night of the fire,’ explained Leanne. ‘I wanted to talk about the people she might have helped – the people she might have saved. It must have taken some courage to reach safety then turn around and go back inside to help those less fortunate.’ To her surprise, the admiration in her voice wasn’t forced.
Claudia kept her back to Leanne. It was impossible to see her expression, but the look on Justin’s face was easy to read.
‘She didn’t tell you?’ asked Leanne. When neither responded, she sat down, leaving no doubt that she wasn’t about to give up. She repeated her question, more softly this time. ‘Why did you go back, Claudia?’
‘I think I’d like to know the answer to that too,’ Justin said.
Claudia backed away from her husband and sank down onto the sofa. She kept her head lowered and her hands clasped tightly in her lap as Justin joined her. He put a hand over hers. After what felt like minutes, they heard Claudia swallow hard.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I couldn’t leave her there.’
‘Leave who?’ asked Justin. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Amelia Parker,’ Leanne said, when Claudia couldn’t.
‘The girl in the paper? The one who was pulled from the rubble by a … Are you saying that was you?’
‘When the alarm sounded, it was obvious to anyone who saw Amelia, that she wasn’t going to leave until her mum came back. And she was right where the ceiling collapsed,’ Claudia said, avoiding a direct answer to Justin’s question. She had to go through it, step by step. ‘I suppose it was easier to believe that she had moved out of the way in time, or if she was beneath the rubble, that she hadn’t suffered. But … some of the people coming out mentioned those who had been left behind, calling for help. I suppose I had to know for sure if there was more I could do.’
She pressed herself against her husband, but Justin had tensed and it must have felt like snuggling into a slab of granite. His knuckles were white where he held his wife’s hands. Claudia inhaled deeply. ‘I know I should have stayed outside, but I couldn’t walk away. I don’t know, maybe it was the hormones.’
Claudia’s voice was growing bolder, and Leanne understood why. She had to justify her actions, not because she had saved someone and kept it a secret, but because she and Justin had paid a terrible price for her bravery.
A sob escaped when Claudia added, ‘She was a child, and I thought I was going to be a mother. I couldn’t just leave her.’
‘It’s OK,’ Justin whispered. His shoulders slumped. ‘I would have done the same thing.’
Claudia lifted his hand to her quivering lips. ‘I wish I could go back,’ she said. ‘If I’d known I was making a choice, I might have chosen differently. We might be a family now.’
‘We are a family.’
‘What happened when you went to look for Amelia?’ Leanne asked, aware that her voice had become scratchy.
‘The dust had cleared, but the auditorium was filling up with smoke. I knew I didn’t have long, but it took a while to work out where Amelia was buried. There was so much debris it was hard to make sense of it all, but eventually I found her,’ Claudia said breathlessly, as if she were back there in the auditorium. ‘I saw the top of her head, then her face. I thought she was …’
Claudia was staring into space as Justin put an arm around her. She pressed her cheek to his chest, leaving damp trails of tears on his cotton shirt.
‘I thought I was too late and I did consider leaving her where I found her, but I couldn’t un-see her body,’ she continued. ‘I moved a piece of timber to get closer and when I touched her arm, I felt it twitch. I can’t tell you how relieved I was, and scared too. I somehow managed to free her, but lifting her was almost impossible. She was a dead weight in my arms. And I did think she was …’
‘You saved her,’ Justin told her.
‘I stumbled towards this man.’
‘Rex Russell,’ Leanne confirmed.
‘He doesn’t remember me?’
‘I think he was too concerned with Amelia.’
‘So was I, but I was thinking of our baby too,’ Claudia said to Justin. ‘I didn’t want to strain myself any more than I already had, but I guess the damage was done.’
‘Is that why you’ve never told anyone?’ Leanne asked. ‘Is it guilt that stopped you coming forward?’
‘Guilt?’ Justin demanded. ‘She saved a child’s life.’
‘No, Leanne’s right. I do feel guilty. The miscarriage wasn’t simply one of those things that happened.’ Claudia’s lip trembled. ‘I made it happen.’
Justin responded by hooking a finger under her chin and lifting her gaze. ‘You have nothing to feel guilty about.’
Able to sit up, Claudia glanced at Leanne’s phone on the table. Everything she had said had been recorded. ‘Do you have to publish this?’
‘You don’t want to?’ Leanne asked, but she was beginning to understand. Claudia didn’t court publicity. Somehow it came to her unbidden.
‘I’m scared of what people might say,’ she said frankly.
‘People are going to adore you, Claude,’ Justin said. ‘You’re a hero.’
‘I don’t feel like a hero.’
Leanne could feel Mal breathing down her neck as if he were in the room with them. ‘Amelia thinks you are too,’ she said. ‘And because you haven’t come forward, she’s worried you died saving her. We can’t let her go on believing that, can we?’
‘You can do this,’ Justin said to his wife.
Claudia bit her lip. She was on the verge of agreeing.
‘Amelia would love to meet you,’ Leanne said, giving her one last push. She could already imagine the scene. ‘Her family will want to thank you.’
‘No,’ Claudia said firmly. ‘That’s too much to ask. I can’t. Write what you like and I’ll send her a note if that helps, but I can’t face her.’
‘We understand,’ Justin assured her before Leanne could make a counter-argument. ‘It’s too soon to think about that, and I’m sure Amelia’s family will respect your wishes.’
Leanne picked up her phone and closed the voice recorder. It was time to leave while she was ahead. ‘Thanks for your time, Claudia, and I’ll see you next week at the press conference. We’ll be leading with your story this weekend, so you can expect a lot of interest.’
‘I don’t want this distracting from the memorial service,’ Claudia said.
‘Nor do I,’ Leanne agreed, but she doubted either would get their way.