‘Looking at Ma’s blood.’

He moved forward, standing over her. He bent down.

‘Where?’

‘There,’ she said, pointing to the spot.

‘Are you sure that’s not just dirt?’

‘No,’ she admitted. ‘But I think it’s blood.’

‘Do you want me to clean it?’ he asked.

‘No.’

‘What do you want to do, Juliet?’

‘I want to mark it.’

‘Not sure where this is going,’ he said.

She stood up, pulled a marker out of the drawer and then circled the blood and added an arrow with the word ‘Ma’ written in a second bubble.

‘Are you all right?’ Ryan asked, and he was worried – she could tell because he wasn’t acting like a smart-arse.

‘I’m fine,’ she said, and in her bid to escape further questioning, she promptly walked into a door.

Part Three: The Funeral

Chapter Nineteen: Grace

Chapter Nineteen

Grace

GRACE WALKED INTO THE kitchen at 6 a.m. Molly was already making tea and Davey was in the shower. She could hear her father pottering in the attic. She stretched her tired back and rolled her stiff neck, leaned over the coffin and gave her baby sister a kiss.

‘I’ve got to go home, see you later,’ she said, then she said goodbye to her ma and got in her car and drove home.

The house was unusually still. Bernard had slept in his gran’s spare room. Ryan was still with Juliet in Rabbit’s. Good thing too, because even a decent night’s sleep had not helped to diminish the rage that burned inside her when her thoughts moved in Ryan’s direction. She checked on Jeffrey. He was sound asleep in his room. She turned off his night light. Getting a bit old for that, buddy. She checked Stephen’s room. It was empty. She wasn’t worried. He was probably with a girl or sleeping it off on a friend’s floor. You’re young. Live a little – in fact, live a lot. Wish I had. Lenny was snoring; his was a gentle snore, like a cute pug puppy. He was at peace. She didn’t want to disturb him.