Josh was in New York. Aysha was at her place in Kensington. Connor was in town too, at his Notting Hill flat. She was alone here, in this big house in Henley-on-Thames that once had so delighted her. The hours she had spent on doing the fucking place up, bossing around interior designers until they got the look of it exactly right! But now it was little more than a mausoleum, a sad reminder of what had once been a happy family home.

She thought of her last conversation with Josh. She was sorry she’d said all that now, in the heat of the moment. Afraid she’d pushed him even further away from her.

How much further away could he be, Shaun? she wondered. He’s not even in the same country as you any more. And you think he’s fucking some other woman.

Someone was talking on the other end of the phone. A foreign accent, speaking English. She let out a sigh, paid attention.

‘Sorry, what?’ she asked. ‘Who is this?’

‘Mrs Flynn, my name is Spiro Constantinou, I am a friend of your husband’s. I’m phoning from New York.’

‘He’s never mentioned you.’ But then, when has Josh ever mentioned anything about his life over there?

‘I am afraid . . . I am afraid I have some very bad news.’

‘Oh?’ Suddenly Shauna’s mouth was dry. ‘What’s happened? Is Josh all right?’

‘He was in a boxing match tonight.’

‘He told me there was a big fight coming up. Is he OK?’

‘He was knocked out in the ring, Mrs Flynn. Taken to hospital.’

‘But he’s OK?’

‘Mrs Flynn.’ Spiro paused, seemed to take a breath. ‘He had a bleed on the brain. They operated but they couldn’t save him. I’m sorry. He didn’t come round again.’

‘He . . .’ Shauna was shaking her head, over and over.

‘I’m so sorry, Mrs Flynn. Truly I am. Josh is dead.’

BOOK THREE

BOOK THREE

124

124

Shauna phoned Connor first. She didn’t know what else to do.

Josh, dead?

She couldn’t take it in.

Connor picked up, sounding bewildered, snapping out of sleep to a waking nightmare.

‘Connor . . . it’s your dad. I just had a call from the States. He’s dead. He took a punch in the ring and now he’s dead.’

Shauna started to cry.

‘What . . . ?’ Connor’s voice was thin with shock. ‘Mum, you’re sure?’

‘A friend of his called. Spiro somebody. I’ve got his number here.’

‘Tell me.’

Shauna gave him the number and Connor rang off.