‘I’m afraid I can’t do that, Liam,’ Ryan says, and there is a steeliness to his voice that makes my blood run cold.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ingrid

Liam stands up, faces off with Ryan. I don’t know whether to keep sitting or stand up between the two of them.

‘I do not want this paper or any paper running this story. I do not want this paper to contact my family again under any circumstances,’ Liam says. He’s slurring his words, his voice shaking with emotion.

‘I’m afraid the page has already gone to print,’ Ryan says, and I’m surprised that his lie supports my own. ‘The presses are running.’

‘Well, stop them from running!’ Liam says. ‘We are withdrawing our consent and we do not permit you to use anything we said to you. You’re a powerful man, Murray. You can make that happen at least.’

‘Ingrid has put together a very sensitive and respectful piece,’ Ryan says. ‘It’s a piece that shows you and your wife to be very loving parents. There is nothing controversial in it. The story is very much about Kelly, not her killer.’

There’s a moment’s silence. Liam looks directly at Ryan and then shakes his head slowly.

‘Is it not enough that you covered all this at the time? Was that not more than enough for you? We’ve stayed quiet. We stayed dignified. And believe me, there have been times when I’ve wanted to scream about our loss to the whole world. Can we not just have that dignity now?’

‘The paper is already away to print,’ Ryan says again.

I know that’s not true. I know we have at least another hour before the presses roll.

I watch as Liam Doherty deflates in front of me. He speaks, his voice quieter now but steady.

‘We couldn’t protect Kelly then. No matter how we tried. We didn’t do right by her then. We want to do right by her now. That’s all we want to do.’

‘Controlling the coverage of her anniversary is a good way to do this,’ Ryan says. ‘And that’s what we’re doing. I know how sensitive this is.’ Ryan’s voice is softer now. ‘I was on the ground at the time, remember?’

‘As if I could forget,’ Liam spits, but Ryan doesn’t so much as blink.

‘I was in the position Ingrid here is in now – covering a story because it’s right that it’s covered. And I can assure you from the bottom of my heart that there will not be one word published in this paper that supports Jamesy Harte’s ill-thought-out campaign. He’s guilty, and he’ll remain guilty.’