‘Is there a doctor here?’ the librarian cried.

Actually there were six in the room, but none of them of the medical kind, and they were quite unable to help.

‘Are you calling an ambulance?’ she demanded, and Nigel froze, realising suddenly that she was staring straight at him.

‘Yes, absolutely!’ He dialled triple nine, feeling himself the focus of attention now as people gratefully averted their eyes from Marion. He spoke fast and clearly to the operator, feeling he was doing it rather well, and when they wanted to know his name he gave it with a little thrill of excitement-he would be on the official record.

‘Airways,’ the librarian said. ‘We have to make sure she doesn’t choke.’ But that was easier said than done, for Marion’s body was racked by convulsive spasms. It was some minutes before they subsided enough for the librarian to bravely stick her fingers into the young woman’s mouth to make sure she hadn’t swallowed her tongue. Kneeling in the mess, she cradled Marion’s head on her lap and stroked her hair soothingly, the wild flowers scattered on the carpet all around. Nigel got some good shots of that.

Someone was gathering up the contents of Marion’s bag, which had spilled over the floor. Nigel stooped to help. He picked up a hairbrush, with strands of her red hair coiled around its bristles, and reluctantly put it back into the bag. But he palmed the computer memory stick lying beside it, slipping it into his pocket. two

K athy rose to her feet as the Crown solicitor came through the courtroom door and nodded at her.

‘Looks like you won’t be needed after all,’ he said. ‘We’re pretty much wrapped up.’

‘Good.’ She felt some relief, tempered by a sense of frustration that this stupid business had gone on so long. The trial of the Fab Five-so called by the cops because of their sharp suits and hairstyles and breezy attitudes-had been endlessly prolonged by their individual windbag barristers, each intent on muddying the waters around their own client at the others’ expense, as well as by the highly imaginative alibis provided by their various perjuring mothers, girlfriends and mates.