‘Tara, you wanted to see me. Come in,’ he says, moving out from behind his desk and pulling a chair out for me to sit on. Sean sits beside me on a dark wooden chair that screams designer. I messaged him earlier to see if he had a few spare minutes to talk to me. I don’t know what to do about what I found out in the paper, about the cops not pursuing users of the ‘Cabhrui’ website.

‘Have you seen this?’ I say, handing the paper to Sean and pointing at the relevant section. Sean reads it while I inhale the mild woody scent of his aftershave.

When he finishes, he leans back in his chair and scrunches up his face briefly before saying, ‘So, you do know something about this website.’

My face is reddening. I can’t see it but I can feel the heat flushing over me. I’m so embarrassed I didn’t tell him when he asked me after we left the station the other night.

‘Sean, I’m sorry. I got such a shock when the detective mentioned the website that I couldn’t think straight but the thing is…’

Sean leans forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. He’s looking intensely at me, waiting for me to continue, to explain myself.

‘Sean what would you say if I told you I did use the services of the “Cabhrui” website?’

‘I would say don’t mention it to the detectives. It’s up to them to find that information out. Don’t go handing it to them.’

‘But it says they’re not going to pursue any charges if—’

Sean interrupts me. ‘Tara, this is a trap.’

I nod, hoping he’ll elaborate.

‘If Avril Ryan was a facilitator for this website, they may be going on the assumption that she was blackmailing somebody who used it or someone was blackmailing her. It might be fine for other people to come forward and say they used the site, but Tara, I would not advise you to.’

I’m getting nervous, feeling weak; this is all very frightening. Why not me? I grip my hands together to stop them shaking.

‘You were, remember, one of the people living in Huntley Lodge at the time of her disappearance. You were the last person Avril Ryan tried to contact. Your number was on her phone. Don’t put fuel on the fire. Don’t mention the website. If they discover it some other way, we will deal with that then but for now say nothing.’

I’m taken aback by this advice. So I ask him. ‘But what if they find out the truth and discover I lied?’

‘That won’t make any difference to the facts, Tara. This is about managing the truth. Not lying.’