He was apologetic, which was something, even if that something was woefully inadequate. The thought of Laura’s last moments, her death being spilled all over the papers, was incredibly painful. We’d managed to escape it at the time – the papers very sensitively reporting that a woman had died in tragic circumstances without revealing the gory details. I’d been so very grateful to them for that – not that I believed in covering up suicides, more that I wanted to protect her children from knowing just how horrific it had been.

I knew in time, when they were older, that they’d want to know more about their mother. But I wouldn’t always be around to explain, or to protect them. I didn’t want a Google search to lead them to a salacious report that didn’t reference the wonderful, caring person she was, or just how very much she’d loved them.

I supposed I should phone my son-in-law and warn him. I felt guilty that it was me who’d be bringing this trauma on them after all this time. Maybe if I did talk to Ingrid Devlin, maybe if she allowed me to talk off the record, it might stop her. But what would DI Bradley say to that? Would it hinder their investigation more?

When DI Bradley called me back to break the news that Ingrid and her editor were still planning to run with their story, I broke – told him I had to protect my family and that I’d talk to her.

‘We’d really prefer it if you didn’t. I know this is a lot to ask of you, but at this stage it could really make things difficult for us. If the information gets out about her last words, for example, or about the flowers you’ve all been sent, it could cause panic.’

‘The flowers we’ve all been sent?’ I asked. ‘Who are “we”?’

He went silent, clearly aware he’d said too much – spoken out of turn. I could hear him sigh. Imagined how exhausted he was, the public clamouring for progress on this case and nothing forthcoming.

‘A number of people have received similar arrangements to you, with cryptic notes attached. I can’t reveal any more information than that,’ he said dejectedly.

‘A number of people? Who are they? Do I know them?’

‘For operational reasons, that isn’t information I can reveal to you at this time,’ he parroted.

‘Are these people connected to my Laura? Those were her favourite flowers. Are they connected to Clare Taylor?’

‘Please, Mrs O’Loughlin, you know that I’d reveal information to you if I could. We’ll keep you informed of any developments as they occur and when they have relevance to you.’