‘Ladies. I hardly think …’

They both ignored the police officer as he attempted to bring the conversation back under his control.

‘Mum? What’s going on?’ A bedraggled-looking Aaron emerged from a bedroom, looking only half awake, wiping the sleep from his eyes. ‘What’s all the yelling about? Is there news about Prue? Oh, hello, Mrs Cardew.’

‘Miss!’ Suzy snapped. ‘She’s not married, and we know why, don’t we?’

‘Pardon?’ Madi looked from one to the other. ‘I’m sorry, Aaron, but I seem to have upset your mum. Maybe you can explain what this is all about? They say she has keys to my flat, that she’s the landlord?’

‘Well, yes,’ Aaron yawned. ‘Grandad used to own the whole block, bought it as an investment years ago. Some have been sold off but Mum owns the rest now. Didn’t you know?’

‘Your grandad? Owned the block?’ Madi was feeling suddenly faint. She was tired from the journey and she needed to sit down. No, that couldn’t be right. The flats had been Jeremy’s. He’d given her one to live in, as soon as he knew about the baby. Security, a home for life, he’d said. A cheap rent, no increases, for as long as she needed it. For ever, if that’s what it took to keep her happy. And quiet. There was a special clause, an agreement, and it was still in existence, long after he’d died. A management company handled everything now. ‘What was your grandad’s name, Aaron?’ she asked, although she already suspected now exactly what the answer was going to be.

‘Jeremy Cave. He was an actor too, actually, just like you. Mainly theatre, but TV too, a few films … I think he was quite famous in his day, although he died years ago so I never met him, of course. Went by the stage name of Jeremy Cavendish. You might have heard of him. Why do you want to know?’

Madi looked straight at Suzy, as if she might see a trace of his face in hers. ‘Is that true? You’re Suzanne Cave? Jeremy’s daughter?’

‘So what if I am? Or was? It’s been a long time since I’ve used that name. I’ve been Suzy Jones ever since I married Aaron’s dad, and what a mistake that turned out to be. Men and their affairs … Yes, my dad too. And you. Don’t try to deny it, because I know. I’ve tried to not let it bother me, tried to just keep my distance, but you’re here, right here, living above me. How could you, Madalyn? You knew he already had a wife, and a daughter, but that still didn’t stop you, did it?’

‘I didn’t …’

‘Didn’t what? Didn’t think? Didn’t care?’

Madi could feel her hands starting to shake, the police officer’s eyes on her, taking it all in. She wouldn’t be surprised if he took out his notebook and started writing it all down. This sudden link to her past, thrown in her face. His wife and child. Nancy and Suzanne. She knew their names, but they had just been shadowy figures, hardly mentioned. An inconvenience, keeping her and Jeremy apart. And Suzy was right. She had never thought about them as real people, with feelings. Only about herself. Her needs, her child …