‘Because I didn’t do it, and that means someone else did.’ I had a hunch, suddenly, from the way she was looking at me. ‘Did Anna mention me?’

‘Not by name.’

‘Well, all I can say is, they were already split up when I met him. Do you know Alex at all?’

‘I . . .’ She stopped herself. ‘I really can’t talk about this.’ And yet she hadn’t thrown me out yet. I took that to be a good sign.

‘When you saw Anna that day, how was she? Happy?’

‘She wasn’t happy, no. Her marriage had fallen apart, her husband was seeing someone else.’ Alison’s tone was crisp.

I refused to say sorry for that, it wasn’t my fault. Was it? No. I couldn’t start doubting everything.

‘And – she came to you about divorcing him?’

She tensed up. ‘I’ve told you I can’t . . .’

‘Right, right, just tell me anything you can.’

‘She came to see me about . . . the situation, yes. Preliminary discussions.’

‘He told me she wouldn’t agree to it, the divorce.’

Alison raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh. Well, that isn’t the case, I can tell you. That’s a matter of public record. Anna came to see me to start the process.’

Strange. Had I just misunderstood, or had she finally changed her mind? ‘All right. So she was going to file?’

‘That was my understanding.’ Alison looked at her watch. ‘Look, I shouldn’t be talking to you. Apart from anything else, you’re the prime suspect in my client’s murder.’

‘I know. But all I can say is – I really didn’t do it. I know you’ve no reason to believe me, but I didn’t, truly I didn’t. And someone else did. Is there anything you can tell me, anything at all that might help stop an innocent person going to prison?’ As a lawyer, I imagined she would care about justice being done. ‘For Anna,’ I risked. ‘I just want to find out what really happened to her.’

Alison bit her lip, then she stood up. ‘I’m sorry, there’s nothing more I can say. But to say she opposed a divorce, that’s . . . not entirely accurate. So. I’ll have to report this to the police, that you came here.’

‘That’s fair. Thank you, Alison. You’ve been really kind to talk to me.’

I left, exiting on to the busy street, my head full of our conversation. Why had Alex told me Anna wouldn’t agree to a divorce? Had she perhaps changed her mind, if she really was seeing some mystery man? How could I ever find out for sure?

Casey

Casey

NOVEMBER 2000

Bright flashes. Everywhere I looked. My brain couldn’t take it in, the dazzle, the glare. All the TV cameras and press photographers, the jostle of different faces, constantly hearing my name.

‘Casey! Casey!’

‘Did you do it, Casey?’

‘Why did you kill them, Casey?’