Archie had already done her make-up and hair before Dorothy arrived and he’d done a good job as always, she looked close to the pictures they had propped by the embalming table. Dorothy wriggled Gina’s feet into the red heels, thinking about how she would never take them off again, never feel the relief of freeing herself from the straps after a night out. She put in the small hoop earrings, feeling the cold of Gina’s earlobes, brushing a stray thread from the dress away from her lips.

Archie wheeled the coffin over on the gurney and ran his hand around the inside, checking for splinters or staples, rough bits on the lining. He lowered the gurney until the opening was at the same level as the embalming table. They stood at either end of Gina’s body and put their hands under her armpits and knees.

‘One, two, three,’ Dorothy said, and they lifted her sideways into the box on three, lowering her slowly. Dorothy sorted the dress, which had ridden up on one side, straightened Gina’s feet, placed her hands together in her lap and ran a finger up her arm to her collarbone. Archie had successfully covered the marks on her neck, you could only see them if you looked very close.71

‘She looks peaceful,’ Dorothy said. ‘You did a good job.’

‘Thanks.’ He put away the bag her clothes came in, began wiping down the table.

Dorothy placed the lid on the coffin and wheeled the gurney from the embalming room to the main house, through the connecting corridor and past Indy on the front desk, then into the viewing room.

Indy followed her and helped get the coffin off the gurney and onto the table in the middle of the room. Simple white cloth, tall vases of lilies either side, blinds throwing subdued sunlight across it all. Two armchairs and a small dresser with a box of tissues on it, a painting of a sunset on the wall.

‘Ms O’Donnell, right?’ Indy said.

‘Gina, yes.’

Dorothy looked at Indy. They both knew how Gina had died and shared an unspoken sadness. But it doesn’t matter how you die, Dorothy thought, it matters how you live.

‘Are you conducting the funeral?’ Indy asked.

Dorothy nodded.

‘Need any help?’

‘Archie and I have this one covered.’ Dorothy touched Indy on the arm. ‘Don’t worry, I still want you to step up.’

‘I wasn’t worried.’

Dorothy lifted off the coffin lid and checked Gina hadn’t moved in transit. She still looked the same, pale skin against a red dress.

‘She looks good,’ Indy said.

‘Archie knows what he’s doing.’