‘We get the impression she doesn’t believe Josh could have done it.’

‘But you think he did?’

A moment of heavy silence. ‘We follow the facts, Mr Lyons,’ said Patel.

‘Did you know Corinna in any capacity other than as a friend of your daughter?’ Thomas asked.

‘No. But as I said, you get to know your kids’ friends very well. All that gang – Corinna and Josh, Samir later on.’ He hesitated. ‘Her core friends then.’

‘Samir Jafferi?’

‘Yes. He’s done well in the police, hasn’t he – we’ve seen him on the television quite a few times.’

‘You’ve lost touch?’

‘He and Robin had a big bust-up. We haven’t seen him since.’

‘What was that about, the bust-up?’

How is this relevant? Robin almost said out loud.

‘Well, you’d have to ask her the finer points but they were supposed to go to London together, UCL, but Samir got cold feet at the last minute, stayed to do his degree here instead. He was always close to his family so I wasn’t totally surprised, but …’

‘They were together, him and Robin. A couple.’

It wasn’t a question; they’d spoken to him. Shit. She’d known they would, she’d told them to, but … shit.

‘Romance of the century. No, I don’t want to trivialize it. They were young, eighteen, nineteen, but they really loved each other. It was great – softened Robin up a bit, if I’m honest. They went backpacking together in their gap year, all round Europe, Southern Africa. Then he split up with her, just before university. She was heartbroken.’

Robin’s face burned with humiliation. She could feel Lennie next to her vibrating with questions: Why don’t I know about this? Why have you never told me? She kept her eyes down.

‘Going back to what you said about Robin being here, Mr Lyons, living with you. If she wouldn’t before, even with a new baby, why suddenly now?’

‘She was under a lot of pressure,’ he said. ‘Financial, of course, without a salary. She isn’t a saver so she didn’t have anything to fall back on. Her rent in London must have been huge, not that she’d ever tell us. The job offer from Maggie was a life-line, and not just for the money.’

‘Oh?’

‘She’s a funny one, my daughter. It’s like she thinks she’s not worth much unless she’s constantly achieving – proving herself. Being fired by the Met’s a disaster for her; she’s at a very low ebb. She’s always liked Maggie, she respects her – it was her who got Robin interested in the police years ago, when she was on the force. And the work itself – she’s still investigating, isn’t she, in a way?’

Robin pictured DS Thomas on the other side of the wall – sharp, put-together, employed – and closed her eyes with the shame.