‘Fucking right. She killed herself. I think you might call that upsetting.’

‘Yes, of course, Joey. I apologise if this brings up bad memories. I––’

‘What exactly are you trying to suggest?’

This time there was no confusion. He was angry and he was walking towards me. I stood my ground. Whatever he felt like doing, I had to hope that he wouldn’t do it here, in full view of his workmates, and probably on CCTV, too.

‘I’m not suggesting anything,’ I said. ‘I’m just here to ask you about Deirdre. I’ve already spoken to Jessica Murphy, and she told me you were close to Deirdre. And that sometime after the Film Festival in 1998, she changed, and was never the same after. And that’s it. I’m just here to see if you know anything about why she changed.’

‘What are you saying? Why should I know anything about that?’

Anguished-looking, he took in a couple of deep breaths. His voice was quieter when he started talking again.

‘She … she got sick. Did what she did. I don’t know any more. I tried to get back with her, even after she was in and out of the mental … I mean St Michael’s. She never answered my calls, never came out with me when I asked her. I even tried to visit her in hospital. But she wouldn’t see me. She was like a stranger. When she broke it off with me after the festival, she said there was another guy so …’

‘I’ve seen a photo of you all back then, a group shot, at a workshop with Jeremy Gill. And then a shot of Deirdre with two other students and Jeremy. She looked happy.’

‘Yeah, I thought she was. It was later …’

He paused.

‘Later …?’ I asked. ‘You mean that it was after the Film Festival she ended it?’

‘Yeah,’ he said, after another pause.

‘Do you know the name of the other guy?’

‘No,’ he said. ‘No, I never found out who he was, the fucking bastard. All I know is, he didn’t last. There was no one calling to see her. I’d have known if there was.’

‘What was Gill like, do you remember?’

‘Oily fucker,’ Joey said. ‘Deirdre was impressed. I wasn’t.’

‘Did that make you jealous?’

‘Jealous? Are you joking me or what? He was ancient and I was bored stupid. I was only there ’cause of Deirdre. Films weren’t my thing. I was into rugby, and I was into her. Now, please go, would you? I don’t like talking about her. Brings it all back.’

I knew I’d get no more out of Joey today. And I couldn’t think of a way to ask about his convictions, though I was keen to see his reaction. I tried one last question.