Free The Turning Tide by Brooke Magnanti Page A

‘And this takes, what, a few hours? A few days?’
    ‘If we’re lucky, days. Could be weeks or longer.’ Iain said. ‘Or months, depending on what the path labs have on their schedules already. It’s not like that rubbish you see on the television, with all those magical hologram databases instantly matching enhanced CCTV images to your ID cards and that nonsense, you know. Maybe as Shadow Home Secretary that is something you ought to know about—’
    ‘Don’t listen to him,’ Harriet sighed and turned back to Morag. ‘You know, this is refreshing. It’s so nice of you to take a keen interest in our work. The details will all be in my report,’ she said. ‘Anyway, about the rest of the facility. Iain can give you a tour if you like?’
    Morag’s eyes widened. ‘No, I think I’ve seen enough for now,’ she said. ‘Train to catch. Don’t worry, I can let myself out.’ She spun on her heel and marched towards the door, leaving star-struck Harriet trailing in her wake.
    Morag Munro left so quickly that she forgot to take her shoes. And she never even noticed the photographer lying on the floor, much less the quiet click of his digital camera snapping away.

 
     
     
    : 6 :
    Erykah’s mobile wouldn’t stop ringing. She had set it to vibrate, but even that was distracting.
    She twirled the diamond engagement and wedding rings on her finger. They felt unfamiliar there. But they were necessary for keeping up the pretence. The Big Billions Lottery publicity shoot was supposed to be a small thing, they said. A couple of hours at most. It was now taking over the entire house. ‘We want to show you as approachable and normal as possible,’ explained the set dresser they had sent. ‘Your own home, your own clothes. An everyday couple – like any of our other players.’
    ‘It could be anyone,’ Erykah said.
    He nodded. ‘Exactly. Gorgeous house. We couldn’t have had a better couple for our first winners, you two really look the part,’ he said. ‘This place is immaculate. I wouldn’t change a thing.’
    He started scattering primary coloured cushions and vases of flowers around the rooms. The photographer’s assistant rolled out a huge Union Flag rug in shades of grey on the dining room floor and fluffed some newly purchased Keep Calm pillows. Erykah cringed.
    ‘I feel terrible,’ Erykah said. She looked over a printed sheet of talking points she had been handed when they arrived. ‘I know almost nothing about the lottery, my husband bought the ticket. I have to admit, I had never heard of it before we won.’
    The set dresser looked over his shoulder and chuckled. ‘To tell you the truth, I hadn’t either until they hired me to do this job,’ he said. ‘You’re not the only one.’
    ‘No, I guess not,’ Erykah said. ‘But you took the job anyway? For a company you had never heard of?’
    ‘Sure, why not?’ He grinned. ‘So it’s registered in the Channel Islands, or whatever. We’re living in a global economy now, right? It all goes in my bank account just the same.’
    ‘Sure,’ Erykah said. It occurred to her that so far, she hadn’t met anyone else from the Big Billions lottery. Rab assured her everything was in hand; he showed her some emails he received, and a business card from someone he said came by when she was out buying groceries. But shouldn’t someone from the lottery be here right now, hovering over their first jackpot winners? Something about the arrangement felt strange to her.
    ‘Anyway, honey,’ the set dresser said. ‘I think the entire point of this photo shoot is to spread the word. Get it up in the public consciousness, you know what I mean?’
    ‘Oh, right,’ Erykah said. ‘Of course. Of course.’
    The glass doors facing out into the garden were flung open and let in a chilly breeze. The set dresser examined Erykah’s outfit, a sleek navy blue bandage dress that showed off her athletic frame, her bright coral lipstick. ‘I don’t suppose you have