‘He ruined everybody’s life,’ she answered, ‘except his own.’ She twirled her fingers in the hem of her skirt; she looked as though she had been trapped emotionally at ten years of age.

‘So you kept tabs on Kevin?’ I asked. Her mouth turned down at the corners; she shuddered and recoiled backwards. I guessed the answer was no.

‘The courts said we weren’t allowed to contact one another. I stuck by it. I did.’ She took a deep breath in and clasped her hands together. ‘I sometimes had the feeling he was watching me though.’ She glanced over her shoulder. ‘He was furious that I’d grassed him up, he didn’t understand I had no choice.’ Renee gazed off into space, and then she said, ‘Is he still fat? When he was in custody, he became a right podgy little shit.’ I sensed Renee had drawn comfort from that fact. I didn’t want to burst her bubble by telling her what a success he had made of his life. ‘You said that you’re his lawyer. Is he in trouble again?’

‘Yes,’ I nodded. ‘That’s what I wanted to see you about. Someone is killing–and…Kevin is convinced he’s being framed.’ It sounded so weak. There was silence for a while, then Renee started to laugh. ‘And you believe him?’ She chuckled, slapped her knee. She looked at my business card for the first time. ‘If hearts are going missing from the bodies in Edinburgh, Kevin Milne is your murderer.’ She tried to hand me back my card. ‘See, they never put that in the papers…it was too gruesome, but it was what Kevin liked to do.’

‘Is there anyone you can think of who would frame him?’ I asked, not wanting to dwell on what truly made me feel ill.

‘I take it you have met Kevin?’ she asked. I nodded. ‘Well, in my opinion they would be queuing up–starting off with his mother. Kate Milne was never up to much but she stood by Kevin. The whole family moved north and then, as soon as he got out of the detention centre, I heard he fucked off and never as much as gave her a by-your-leave.’

Renee had chosen a different course, she told us. She’d kept her family close and her mother had sobered up, tried to make amends. ‘Do I have to move, change my name and leave Lola?’ she asked.

Glasgow Joe spoke up, soft as always. ‘No, you’re safe, you’re safe.’ When he said it, she believed him. A sigh escaped from her lips. I hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath. ‘If Kevin really thinks he’s being set up, perhaps he is. If he is, then there’s only one person who has the patience to wait all these years.’

I moved a step closer to her. ‘Who is it?’ I asked.