Chapter One

Part 1

Chapter 1

Sara was breathing hard, partly from exertion but also with annoyance. It was not that the telephone was interrupting anything except that first, quiet moment when all movement stopped. It was more that she very much wanted it not to be her agent, Robin, whom she was not yet ready to forgive, and was annoyed in advance in case it was. Her legs were shaking as she reached for the telephone. She was still sweating. As she picked up the receiver, the warm smooth plastic slipped through her wet hand, banged on the floor and bounced on the end of its coiled flex, spinning and clunking against the chest of drawers. Whoever was on the other and would probably think she had just hurled the telephone against the wall, so there was no chance of sounding poised and reasonable now. But it was not her agent, it was James. Only a little less annoyed, Sara tried to sound nonchalant which, being breathless, she found difficult.

'Sara Selkirk. Oh, it's you. What was what? Oh, nothing. I just dropped the phone.' She eased her shoes off without undoing the laces. 'I'm a bit out of breath, that's all. Just been out running.' She wiped her free hand damply down her chest.

'So, how are you getting on? Are you all right?' asked James. With the receiver crooked under her chin Sara leaned over and peeled away her stained socks. She sank onto the floor and sat with her legs straight out in front of her.

'Oh, I'm fine - a bit bloodstained.' She sighed, turning her feet to inspect the damage. 'But I'd do it again tomorrow. I enjoyed it.'

James was incredulous. 'Come off it, honeybun. You couldn't actually enjoy it, unless you were sick or something. Are y