‘Great, I knew you wouldn’t mind.’

We joke and laugh all the way to the apartment. Amy, as usual, pulls up outside the apartment block where she’s not supposed to.

‘We’ll just say we’re unloading stuff if anyone asks.’

I hear her but I’m not paying attention because Amy’s isn’t the only car parked outside the entrance. There’s a navy car in front of us. Through the back window I can see the shape of two people and my gut tells me this is not good. The passenger looks like a man and there’s no mistaking the fuzzy head of hair in the driver’s seat. The detectives are back.

Chapter Twenty

‘Drive on,’ I say. ‘Amy, drive on quickly before they notice me.’

But it’s too late. Detective Siobhan Lee has seen me and is stepping out of the car.

Amy is looking at me, then at the detective, then back to me. ‘What’s wrong, Tara? Who’s that?’

I’m taking deep breaths. The detective’s eyes have locked on mine.

‘It’s the cops.’

‘The cops. Sweet Jesus, how did they know I was going to pull up here in my car?’

‘That’s not why they’re here, Amy.’ Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Amy’s head turned towards me. She must be staring in disbelief. My heart is thumping in my chest but I continue to keep eye contact as the detective gets closer.

‘What’s… going… on?’ Amy whispers.

‘I’ll tell you later; it’s about Avril Ryan.’

‘Who the hell is Avril Ryan?’ We’re both talking through closed lips, trying to communicate like we don’t want our words read. I don’t know why. The detectives would never hear us from here and we’re not saying anything bad.

‘The woman whose body was found.’ I take a quick glance at Amy and see her staring at me. Her mouth is open wide and for the first time since I’ve known her, I think Amy is lost for words.

I pull on the handle of the door and get out of the car. Acknowledging the detective with a nod, I walk towards her.

‘Tara,’ she says.

‘Yes.’ My heart is almost in my mouth now; I’m so nervous. What is she doing here again so soon? They must have discovered something. I try to convince myself that this is all just routine but I’m failing. It seems a bit much calling twice in one week. Maybe they spoke to Faye. Maybe Faye let something slip.

‘Can we go inside?’ she says.

‘Yes, well, okay, but…’ I don’t want to tell her I’m here to unload half an off-licence full of alcohol for a hen party. Not that she’d care. I’m sure she’s been to many herself.