‘Well, I guess that’s one awkward conversation we don’t need to have now, isn’t it?’ Evan replied coolly. ‘But whether it was the first time or the millionth time, you need to ask yourself why she tried to cop off with me the minute your back was turned last night.’

‘You were drunk and you misread the situation,’ Frank argued. ‘I’m sure you didn’t mean for it to go as far as it did, but, come on, Son . . . you can’t keep blaming Irena.’

‘Bullshit!’ spat Evan. ‘I didn’t misread a damn thing! She started it, and I reckon she heard you coming down the stairs and put that show on for you ’cos she didn’t want you to see her for what she really is. The only thing I did wrong was put my hand over her mouth. I shouldn’t have done that.’

‘Well, that’s a start,’ said Frank. ‘And I’m sure Irena won’t hold it against you if you apologize.’

‘Are you for real?’ Evan’s eyebrows knitted together in disbelief. ‘I’m not apologizing to that conniving bitch. I was going to, for your sake, but you can both fuck off.’

He climbed into the car with that, and Frank was forced to jump back to protect his bare feet when Evan slammed his foot down on the accelerator and reversed out onto the lane.

Irena was standing in the hall when he went back inside the house.

‘Was bad?’ she asked.

‘Awful,’ he muttered. ‘I need a drink.’

‘I will get,’ she said. ‘You go sit down. Your face is very pale.’

Frank didn’t argue. His heart was still pounding, and he knew his blood pressure must be sky high, so he went into the living room and took his medication before sinking down on his chair.

Irena came back a few minutes later and handed him a cup of tea. Thanking her, even though he’d meant that he needed an alcoholic drink, Frank was about to take a sip when his mobile phone started ringing, and he said, ‘That didn’t take long,’ when he saw Jo’s name on the screen.

‘Is daughter?’ Irena asked, still standing beside the chair. ‘Would you like for me to talk to her?’

‘No, definitely not,’ said Frank. ‘Give me a minute, eh?’

Irena nodded and left the room, and Frank took a deep breath before answering the call.

‘Hello, love.’

‘Evan just rang me, and I can’t believe what he told me,’ Jo launched straight in without returning the greeting. ‘I’m absolutely disgusted.’

Sighing, Frank said, ‘I know it looks bad, but he’d had a lot to drink, and I’m sure he didn’t mean to—’