‘Ye-es, I suppose. Though she changed schools, you know. Not long after the film, just upped and left. I needn’t tell you, I was disappointed. A lot of media people came to take pictures for the papers and the news when dear Jeremy was nominated for the Oscar for the short film. They wanted to take a photograph of Rhona, too. And we had to tell them that she wasn’t here. Well, it didn’t look good. And that’s it, I suppose, that’s the way it goes. I could never understand it. I was dean of students at the time, out of active teaching since they brought in the compulsory retirement age, which is a terrible nonsense. But I had held on to that honorary role, and I knew Rhona Macbride very well. She had been an excellent pupil, but she changed all of a sudden, they often do at that age, was absent for a while and then the request for the transfer came in. She went from here, so convenient for her home on Wickstead Street on the other side of the Basin, to Stanhope Street School. Really, from every point of view, it seemed the wrong move. I said it to her mother at the time. But she was adamant that if Rhona wanted to move, she could. And I spoke to her father Tom too. But it was no use, no use whatsoever. Girls can be so wilful at times. That’s what I’ve learnt these fifty-seven years. Wilful and stubborn, and if they don’t get discipline at home as well as in school, if they’re allowed to do what they like …’

I had stopped listening. As soon as I could, without being rude, I thanked Sister Bernadette, and left. I had a father’s name and a street address. It was enough to be getting on with.

I had been in the convent more than two hours, an hour more than my parking permit allowed. As I crossed the road to my car I saw that I had been clamped.

‘Shit,’ I said, under my breath.

The clamper van was still on the street, further along. I ran after it. There was no prospect of getting away with the fine – but I might persuade them to release me, provided I paid fast, over the phone. After a hurried conversation, more lies and a lot of pleading, the attendant agreed to come back. I ran ahead of him, called in my credit card details, and sat in the car while he unlocked the clamp.

My phone pinged. It was a text message from Aifric Sheehan.

Mentioned D to Eoghan MacG. He never knew her. Definite. You sure he did?

I typed a reply to Aifric.

Must have got it wrong. Thanks Aifric