‘I know that,’ Dee said. But she already knew she wasn’t ready to let it go completely. At some point, maybe when she’d finished this book, she was going to go back to Ireland and spend some time investigating the disappearance of Lucy Ryan.

‘When do I get to meet Emer?’ Louise said. ‘Is she planning a trip to Eastbourne any time soon?’

‘I hope so. Although I’m not sure she wants to. She’s a bit hard to work out, actually.’

‘I guess having all that crap to deal with so young has left its mark,’ Louise said.

‘You’re probably right,’ Dee said.

She looked out at the sea, rougher than normal this morning because of the wind, thinking about her father’s family. She’d hoped meeting Emer might lead to a reunion with her uncle. But Emer claimed she didn’t even know if Eamon was alive or dead.

‘Her stepfather’s someone important,’ she told Louise. ‘His name is Robert O’Brien. Apparently, he’s in with a shot at being the country’s next Taoiseach.’

‘Next what?’

‘Taoiseach,’ Dee said. ‘It’s what Irish people call their prime minister.’

‘Wow. Wouldn’t that be cool if it happened and you got to meet him?’

‘I don’t think there’s much chance of that,’ Dee said. ‘Apparently Emer’s mother has zero interest in hearing from me. There was a lot of bad blood between my dad and his brother. Some of it obviously rubbed off on her as well.’

‘Except she’s not married to your uncle anymore,’ Louise said. ‘Or is she? How long has she been with her new bloke?’

‘She married him two years after her husband walked out on her,’ Dee said. ‘Somehow, she managed to get her first marriage annulled. Divorce would have been practically impossible in Ireland back then. I wonder if she married him for security? You know, after being married to a man like Eamon. Robert’s reputation is squeaky clean. He was a successful businessman before he went into politics.’

‘What sort of business?’

‘Property and retail,’ Dee said. ‘Probably other things too, but they’re the two main areas. He does a lot of charity work as well, most of it around helping Travellers. According to one article I read, he only went into politics because he felt there was no one else representing the needs of Ireland’s underprivileged. He sounds really fascinating, to be honest.’

Louise snorted. ‘He sounds like a fraud, more like.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘He worked in property and retail and now he’s a politician? Come on, Dee. I’ve never met a property developer or a politician who is one hundred per cent squeaky clean.’