Page 152 of No Safe Place

Ruby’s trial was due to start in March. Zara had prepared Lily and her family for the renewed press interest.

The NHS were planning to name a new CAMHS unit after David, somewhere in Central London. Penny was setting up a foundation in his name, sponsoring students from less privileged backgrounds who wanted to become CBT practitioners.

Hundreds of former patients, and parents of former patients, had shared their thanks to David Moore on the page that was raising money for the OCD Action charity, in his memory.

There had been a lot less focus on Sam in the press, but Zara said her parents had requested that. Sam was going to be awarded her PhD next summer, as part of the graduation ceremony, and Lily had agreed to go – as had DCI Field.

‘Paige always said once she got out, she’d look after Ruby,’ Callum added, quietly. ‘It was one of the things she was looking forward to doing, when she was better, remember? Being a big sister again.’

Lily knew she should feel pity for Ruby – but her eyes went to Callum’s waist, where his scar would be under his T-shirt, the mirror of hers, and she couldn’t summon any.

‘Maybe if I’d made more of an effort with Ruby. If I’d stayed in touch with her—’

‘What was that line?’ Lily said, and Cal blinked. ‘What was Paige’s favourite line fromHamlet?’

‘There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so,’ Callum said, without hesitating.

‘Exactly,’ Lily said, forcefully, leaning across the table. ‘It wasn’t your fault – you can’t let yourself think like that. If Paige was here, that’s what she’d be saying.’

They took a fortifying glug of their drinks.

‘Paige will be up there,’ Lily said, smiling. ‘Bending David’s ear.’

‘The poor man will be lucky to get a moment’s peace,’ Cal muttered.

Lily had already sunk half her wine.

‘Fuck,’ Cal said. ‘Can we get this over with? David never liked it when we dragged out the tough bit.’ He raised his glass.

And despite the fact they were both older, with new scars and new fears – despite the fact Callum was out of the house, and he seemed properly better – as Lily raised her glass, she could also see the scrawny sixteen-year-old punk, scribbling his novel in an exercise book and smoking roll-ups behind the hospital bins.

‘To David—’ Callum said.

‘And to Sam—’ Lily added.

‘—and to Paige.’