‘So you think they might be involved in the assaults on Elaine Slade and me?’ I don’t know if that’s what he’s thinking, but I’m not ready to tell him my far-out theories.

He pushes the computer away, and leans back. ‘I don’t have a clue. It just seemed weird that you and Mrs Slade got attacked and neither of you seem to know why. I wondered if it was a coincidence that people with a connection to a crime family, or a fake crime family, happened to be in the area.’

‘Good thinking.’ And it is. It gives me sudden confidence, and I tell him about the visit from Frank Costello.

‘Wow. So you think Mr Slade had something to do with the Vasiliev family?’

‘I do.’ I get up and take the plates to the sink, as if I care about these sorts of things. I need a moment’s breather before I tell him any more. I rinse the plates, and stack them to dry. I get a cloth, wet it, and wipe down the island. ‘I believe that Tito was being forced to put human remains, ash, in his pottery. People do that sort of thing. I thought it was the Vasiliev family, who he owed gambling debts to, who were forcing him to do this. He decided to trick them and not do what they were forcing him to do, but he died before he could carry out his plan to return the ashes to the families.’

Tom’s mouth is open, and his eyes bright.

‘That is far-out. Have you got any evidence?’

‘Not really. Sort of. I’ve got boxes of ashes. And a box of money that was sent to me. Like I told you.’

Tom looks down. ‘I thought you were off your rocker when you said that.’

‘Yeah. It doesn’t mean I’m not.’ This brings a small laugh. He asks about how and why I think this might have been happening, and I tell him everything I know. He sifts through my logic like a professional until he is satisfied that I’m not just fantasising.

‘What are you going to do now?’ he asks.

‘I think it’s time to go to the police.’

‘Can you keep me in the loop? It could be a big story for me.’

‘Absolutely. You want ice cream or something?’

‘That’d be nice.’

‘Chocolate sauce?’

‘You have chocolate sauce?’

‘Now that I think about it, no.’

‘Plain ice cream is fine.’

‘Lucky you weren’t hungry.’

I grab the ice cream from the freezer, and put out two bowls.

‘I thought you’d move from here,’ Tom says.

I look up at him, because I’m not sure whether he’s talking about James or my knock on the head.