What about this game? The detectives knew about Mortimer and the diamonds. It was odd, wasn’t it? The parallel—that was the word Detective Vincent used, parallel. Who had started it, all this business with the necklace? And would I say I took it seriously, more seriously than the others, so much so that I had risked my life running over a half-frozen lake? He’d even dug out a statement I’d given to the Marlborough police when I was fifteen and they’d caught me climbing on top of the supermarket.

“You like games, don’t you, Andrea? You said that was part of a game. But they have a tendency to get out of hand, don’t they? Some games, that is.”

“We used to play cops and robbers too,” I said.

“And which were you?” he asked.

“I was always a detective. I thought they were the clever ones.”

Detective Tailor went back to asking how much we’d all had to drink, whether there had been any drugs. If Em had argued with anyone, if anyone could have wanted to hurt her? Had we fallen out? Was she trying to walk home?

I couldn’t help them. Even if I could, it wouldn’t have brought Em back.

Detective Vincent caught me up on the steps outside. His demeanor was different outside the interview room, softer, like he’d been putting on a show and now it was over. A family was smoking furiously on the pavement: the parents, two older boys, and a small scowling creature who was eyeing the cigarettes jealously.

“My wife made me give up,” Vincent said. “I don’t know what it is about it that I miss. Do you mind if I ask you a question? It’s not related. Your mum used to be mixed up with Joe Hind.”

I nodded.

“Do you know where he is?”

“In hell, I hope.”

“We found his car a few years ago burned out in a wood, but no sign of Joe for some time now. Wanted on a number of charges. A couple of them related to young women like yourself. Know anything about that? You all right?” Vincent put a hand out to steady me but too late. I fell against him.

“Is he dead?”

“You’re all right. You’re all right. There you go.” Vincent glanced over at the family, but they were not looking at us. “No one knows where Hind went, and there were plenty of people interested.”

My knees seemed trustworthy again and I let go of his arm.

“What’s going to happen now?” My voice was small and childish.

“Go home. Have a cup of tea,” Vincent said. He turned to go and then stopped. “No idea why she was wearing your coat, I suppose?”

“We always borrowed each other’s clothes,” I said.

“Look after yourself, Andrea,” he called after me.