An unsettling thought hits her. Might Tom have asked him to take the photograph? Perhaps Tom finally looked through his notes and noticed it didn’t say IT teacher on her form. But how would a photo help him reveal her true identity? Caroline’s already told her there aren’t any photos of her on the internet. Fran racks her brain. Why else would Damian take her photograph? They’re not friends and she hadn’t seen him taking anyone else’s photo so it’s unlikely to be for a future Facebook post – Here are all the nutjobs I went on a retreat with. She decides to stop worrying about it. Unless he’s a serial killer who takes photos of his future victims she’s unlikely to come to any harm.

‘Have you come to terms with what happened in Gozo?’ she asks, changing the subject. And there it is again, the smirk pricking at the edges of Damian’s dark moustache.

‘What are you digging for, Geraldine?’

‘I’m not digging for anything. I’m … being caring.’

Damian’s roar of laughter catches her by surprise.

‘What is so funny?’ she asks

He shakes his head, a smile still playing on his lips. ‘You’d be a shit detective.’

He takes another puff of his cigarette. He hasn’t tapped it once since Fran joined him and a tower of ash is balancing precariously on the end. He glances to his left and flinches. The ash on his cigarette tumbles to the floor.

‘Tell me about Jenna,’ Fran says. ‘Phoenix said you were close.’

Even as she formed the sentence in her head she knew he wouldn’t answer, but what she didn’t anticipate was the oddness of his response. He looks to his left again, then hurls his cigarette into the gravel that edges the garden.

‘Don’t mention Jenna’s name again.’ His expression is stony as he turns back towards Fran. ‘Seriously. You need to shut up—’

He breaks off, and she’s suddenly aware that there’s someone else in the garden. Standing at the edge of the house, staring at her with undisguised contempt, is Kate.

Chapter 31

Then

JENNA