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Liam said. ‘The marker was still in her hand when the paramedics got here. Apparently she wanted you to have this manuscript.’
    Amy was forced to laugh. ‘I really don’t think she valued my services that much.’ When she’d recovered from the shock of the suggestion, she adopted a more serious tone. ‘You’re the one entitled to all of Olivia’s royalties. She left them to you.’
    â€˜But not this book,’ he corrected, ever so politely. ‘Or she would have scribbled my name on the box.’
    Amy, still not convinced, shook her head.
    â€˜Well, there is one other possibility, of course.’ Liam took a sip of his tea, stalling to give Amy a chance to realise what that other possibility was.
    Amy simply shrugged so that Liam would come out with it.
    â€˜Since you have yet to find the last chapter of the book, perhaps Mother was trying to write AMY FINISH — finish the manuscript?’
    â€˜No!’ Amy stood, so panicked by the suggestion that she felt the urge to flee. ‘No way. I couldn’tpossibly. Olivia was a spiritual guru.’ Amy raised a hand to the heavens, then dropped it heavily at her side. ‘I’m … I’m just her editor.’
    â€˜Hey, time out.’ Liam had not expected Amy’s reaction to be this adverse and so he rose to calm her. ‘I thought that inside every editor there was a writer dying to get out. I didn’t mean to alarm you.’
    Amy felt foolish then; she had overreacted.
    The final chapter of Olivia’s damn book had felt like a looming curse ever since it had been discovered missing. Poor Liam was not to know he had voiced her deepest fear.
    â€˜Well, I guess there’s no need to warn you that I’m prone to unexpected mood swings.’ She smiled, attempting humour, although it was true that her moods were somewhat erratic. She then seated herself.
    â€˜It was just a thought I had, nothing more. I’m sure you’ll find the summary in Mother’s office somewhere.’ Liam returned to his seat and his tea. ‘And if you do, the manuscript belongs to you. If you don’t find the elusive chapter, then I suppose all rights revert to me, agreed?’
    Amy was both disturbed and delighted by this proposal. ‘That doesn’t sound like a very good deal for you,’ she chuckled, thinking his line of reasoning absurd. ‘The rights revert to you anyway.’
    â€˜What a cop-out.’ He shook his head, faking a disappointed expression. ‘Do you know what my mother’s greatest fear was? To die leaving a —’
    â€˜Manuscript unfinished!’ Amy stood, enraged; that knowledge had been plaguing her too. ‘Right, that does it! I’m going to find that bloody chapter.’ She set off upstairs toward Olivia’s office.
    Four hours later the wake was over, the mourners had departed and the missing chapter was still at large.
    Tired and tormented, Amy rested her head on the desk, conceding defeat.
    â€˜I’m sure it’s here somewhere, we’ve just got to keep looking.’ Liam tried to sound encouraging. ‘But not tonight, hey? Fortunately, the director of the production I was performing in managed to find a replacement for me at short notice, so I’m in Sydney for a couple of weeks. It will probably take me that long to get Mother’s affairs in order, so be my guest for as long as you need. I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for tomorrow and then you can edit it, hand it in and make yourself a killing. Sound good?’
    Amy looked up at Liam in disbelief. Where did his never-ending supply of good cheer come from? He’d buried his mother this afternoon and yet he showed not a trace of grief. ‘Are you okay, Liam? You’re not one of those people who hide their negative emotions under a smokescreen of confidence and charisma, are you?’
    Liam had to laugh at this.