They found a quiet place by driving into a business park, deserted on a Sunday. Kim parked behind a warehouse, the area screened from sight by other shuttered offices. It had stopped raining but the wind was chasing discarded takeaway cups and plastic bags madly around the tarmac to catch against the spindly plants lining the parking bays.
‘Xavier, see if you can get Emma to drink, and try to get her to have some of the food,’ she instructed. ‘Joe, can you get Jean-Claude on the phone and tell him what’s happened?’
‘Please don’t.’ Xavier looked up from holding the water to Emma’s lips. ‘Not just yet.’
‘Why ever not?’ Joe paused in the act of keying in Jean-Claude’s number. ‘ I think you’ve got some explaining to do, young man.’
‘Yes, well, he doesn’t exactly know-’
His explanation was interrupted by Emma, choking, spraying them all with water as she gasped for air. Delphine patted her on the back while Kim reached into the glove compartment for tissues to mop up. When order had been restored, it was Emma who spoke first.
‘I thought I was going to deconstruct in that box. I am very glad to be out of it.’ She turned weary grateful eyes to Kim and Joe. ‘Thank you for saving me.’ A sudden thought struck her and she stopped with a sharp intake of breath.
‘They are saving me, aren’t they?’ she appealed to Xavier.
Kim noticed how Xavier half-reached to touch Emma’s arm but stopped himself. She tucked that insight away for later consideration.
‘I believe they are,’ the young man said gravely. ‘For now. It is not certain what will happen in the future.’
‘Well there’s one thing that’s going to happen right now. You’re going to tell us about her,’ Joe jerked his thumb at Delphine, ‘and then explain what’s been going on.’
Kim laid a restraining hand on Joe’s arm. ’Steady on Joe, I’m sure Xavier will get to that.’
‘He’d better, and soon.’
Xavier shuffled nervously in his seat. Suddenly he ducked down and pulled something from under his feet.
‘What’s this?’ He held up Joe’s work bag, a grubby holdall that held his laptop and various cables.
‘That’s my work bag. Here, pass it over, if it’s in your way.’
‘Does it have your computer in it?’
Joe nodded and reached over to take it.
‘May I use it? To show you something?’
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