Of course there were forty notes. “What was in the packet you gave your dad?”

“Pages of the newspapers I cut into pieces with these”—she thought about it—“shears.”

“Scissors. Why didn’t you tell him? He got hit over the head for a bunch of bits of newspaper.”

“It was mine. It is my money. Why am I giving it to anyone?”

We’d been through it all before. I shrugged. “But you let us all think . . .” There was no point in finishing the sentence. It was then that it occurred to me Niall must have slept through it all or else he hadn’t come home the night before. I opened the door to his room very quietly. It was empty.

“You could have the rest of the night in Niall’s bed,” I said. “If you like.”

“I am staying here. I have things to do.”

What, I couldn’t imagine. I went back into our room and sat up in bed trying to read one of Silver’s books until he came back just before seven. He’d had a taxi from Paddington Green. He looked exhausted.

“Wim lost so much blood,” he said. “I’ve forgotten how much but he’s had to have a transfusion. They’re operating on his leg now.”

“It was Jonny.”

“I know. It had to be. I didn’t see him but I smelled him, that smell that’s part sweat and part scent—cologne, I suppose.”

“Could you swear in a court it was Jonny?”

He hesitated, shook his head, said, “Could you?”

I was so afraid he meant to do nothing, tell no one, keep silent, not worry, that I could hardly speak. I just about managed, “The police?”

“I’ve already told them.”

“Ah,” I said.

“I went to them after I was sure Wim was being looked after. I told them what Jonny had done and about the mugging too. And I had to tell them I hadn’t seen him. Not for sure.”

He took off his clothes and got into bed and I put my arms around him. He felt cold and stiff, less relaxed than I had ever known him.

It was after eleven when I woke up. The other half of the bed was empty. I found Silver in the living room drinking tea with Niall, who’d come home an hour before.

“Liv’s gone,” Silver said.

What did he mean, gone?

“See for yourself. Have a look in there.”