Liam took a moment to twig, then remembered. ‘What about her?’

‘She was an escort. Orla hired her to sleep with you.’

‘Fuck off, you’ve lost the plot.’

‘I spoke to the woman after you left,’ Jenny said, wishing she hadn’t finished her drink so quickly. ‘She confirmed it. Orla was trying to set you up as an adulterer, to take everything in a divorce.’

‘You’ve made a mistake.’

Jenny shook her head. ‘There’s one other thing.’275

‘I don’t want to hear it.’

Jenny was worried Liam’s grip would smash the pint glass, beer and blood everywhere. ‘I saw Orla with someone.’

Liam didn’t speak.

‘A guy called Karl Zukas.’

Recognition in his face. ‘He does some gardening work for us.’

‘Orla is sleeping with him.’

‘Bullshit,’ Liam said. ‘You’re some mad stalker. Is this because your dad died, a weird grief thing?’

Jenny went into her bag and brought out an envelope. She’d laughed when Orla mentioned brown envelopes, but she hadn’t been able to think of any other way to do this. So here she was sliding an envelope across the bar towards him.

Liam stared at the envelope. ‘This is a sick joke.’

Jenny looked at him, her face flushed. ‘I wish it was.’

He stood up, releasing his grip on the glass.

‘Goodbye,’ he said.

Jenny held out the envelope. ‘I’m so sorry, Liam. But I had to tell you.’

He went to walk away and she pressed the envelope to his chest. He paused, hands at his side. He held her gaze for a long time, then eventually grabbed the envelope and strode out of the pub clutching it in his fist like a death sentence.

276

53

DOROTHY

‘Are you sure about this?’ Thomas said.

Dorothy looked at him. They were sitting in his car outside 11 Hermitage Drive. Dorothy turned and looked at the house, up at the roof. Quite a bit of space up there, by the look of it. An old lady walking a terrier in a coat gave Thomas a stare as she passed. A black man in a rich area, really? Dorothy turned back to him and nodded.

‘I’ve seen the footage.’

‘I mean, are you sure you want to come in with me?’

‘Of course, Jacob doesn’t know you.’

They got out and went up the path, rang the bell and waited. It was a long time before Jacob answered.

‘We need to talk,’ Dorothy said.

‘Who’s your friend?’

‘Thomas Olsson, he’s a police officer.’

‘So you found something?’

‘Can we come in?’

Dorothy looked up the stairs as they went to the kitchen. Wondered if she was up there now. Wondered if she would make a run for it. But why would she if she didn’t know they were on to her?

Jacob turned at the kitchen table. ‘So?’

Thomas smiled at him. ‘I think you should sit down.’

Jacob frowned but sat.