‘I always get hungry when I’m anxious,’ she said, and Grace handed Pauline the tinfoil-wrapped sandwiches and watched her munch through five of them.

Chapter Seventy-Four: Davey

Chapter Seventy-Four

Davey

‘MA, SAY SORRY AND COME home, this is fucking ridiculous,’ Davey said.

‘Thanks, Davey, but I’m grand here.’

‘Ma, I have a heavily pregnant woman at home, can you please stop this?’

‘No.’

‘Ma, I’ve been an asshole over the years, so I can recognise the behaviour when I see it – you’re being an asshole and we all know how much you hate them.’

‘Sorry you feel that way, son.’

‘Oh for the love of . . .’ he said, and he left the cell, hands in the air.

‘She won’t listen, it’s like she’s determined to drag herself down . . .’ he said to the others, then he shouted for his mother’s benefit . . . ‘AND US ALONG WITH HER.’

He sat down next to Pauline, who apologised when she burped tuna.

‘Can I go in, Davey?’ Juliet asked.

Davey looked to Sergeant Kevin Fogarty for the go-ahead.

‘She might as well, the rest of you are striking out.’

‘Do you know what you want to say?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Do you want me to go with you?’

‘No.’

‘Sure?’

‘Positive.’

‘I’m here.’

‘I’m fine on my own.’ It was a pointed statement. He let it pass.

Kevin opened the door to the cell and Juliet entered. Davey looked to Pauline. ‘Any of those sandwiches left?’

She handed him the last of them.

‘You all right, Da?’ he said, before tucking in. Jack looked right through him and nodded.

‘You know your mother,’ he said, and Davey sat eating a tuna sandwich wondering what in the world would come next.

Chapter Seventy-Five: Juliet

Chapter Seventy-Five

Juliet

JULIET WALKED INTO THE cell and stood opposite her gran.

‘Gran,’ she said, holding her arms by her sides, the way her gran did when she meant business.

‘Yes, love,’ Molly said, her face and eyes soft.

‘I’ve been reading a lot about grief and they say it’s all right to be happy,’ Juliet said.

‘I know.’

‘Do ya?’

‘I do, love,’ Molly said, brushing invisible dirt from her skirt.

‘Ma said you always brushed invisible dirt from your skirt or massaged your hands when you lie.’

‘Did she?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Well, thanks for the tip.’

‘Ryan put a tenner on you going down.’

‘He knows me well,’ Molly said, holding up the book.

‘Gran.’

‘Yes, love.’

‘It’s all right to be happy,’ Juliet said.

‘Tell that to yourself,’ Molly said, and Juliet walked out of the cell before her gran could say anything else.

Chapter Seventy-Six: Jack

Chapter Seventy-Six

Jack

JACK WAS LAST IN.

‘It all rests with you,’ Sergeant Fogarty said to him.

‘Then we’re done for, I’m afraid,’ Jack said, before entering the cell.