Clarity came with the dawn. Whatever progress I’d made, I was a long way from proving anything. And the Film Festival was starting this evening. As I gulped back my Morning Growler, I began to scribble my priorities on a sheet of paper. Top of the list was to talk to Jessica Murphy today, if possible. I needed to find out what she knew about what had happened to Deirdre – and if she knew anything about Jeremy Gill. Though I wouldn’t lead with him. I didn’t want to put words in her mouth. I had to keep open the possibility that Gill wasn’t the one, had to look for evidence of his innocence as well as his guilt. But I’d bring along my iPad with the photographs of the workshop on it and the pictures of the items that I had found in Deirdre’s room and see what Jessica had to say. She’d recognise Jeremy Gill, anybody would, so that was a way in for me. Ringing someone before ten on a Sunday morning was a no-no, even a mother of young kids who was most likely up since before seven. I had to wait. And waiting has never agreed with me.

I moved to the next item on my list: Muskerry Castle, but here I was a lot vaguer about my aims. I had been there twice, once for the wedding of a college friend, and again for the Law Society annual conference in 2010, but I had never stayed over, or seen it during its normal working day as a hotel. Afternoon tea was a good excuse, and bringing Davy along was good cover. Nobody goes for afternoon tea on their own, and the hotel was too far from town, and too exclusive, to permit cheapskate solo coffee-drinkers.

What I hoped to find out, I didn’t know, other than to check the coasters they used and compare them with the one I’d found in Deirdre’s room. If they had changed them at some stage, maybe I’d be able to date the one I’d found, though I hadn’t much hope of it. But Gill liked the hotel and he’d been there before, so it was worth a look.

I checked my phone. It was 9.15 and I had a text from Ann, saying that she had phoned Jessica and told her to expect to hear from me. Next, I rang Muskerry Castle and made a reservation for afternoon tea at 3.30 p.m. I texted Davy to let him know the time. No reply. He was probably out running or doing something equally torturous.