Audrey glared. She was angry because she had given away her advantage. Her thin grey fingers wrapped round the edge of the door, making it into a shield. ‘I am his grandmother.’

My breath caught under my sternum. Audrey closed the door, gently but firmly.

The officers turned to me. ‘His grandmother? On your husband’s side, is that?’

I found my voice, after a moment. ‘I’m divorced. It’s a fantasy. My husband has never set eyes on her.’

They glanced at each other but they were moving, off the step and past the cats and the geological strata of decaying cardboard. They had had enough of this.

‘I think your lad’ll be back home as soon as he gets tired of all the attention,’ the WPC said, kindly enough. They peeled away to the panda car, settled themselves inside and cruised off down the street. The onlookers were dispersing because there was no drama here. No visible drama, at any rate, although a new and fearsome thought was making the sweat turn cold on my back. I shivered as I walked away to my car.

If Audrey was claiming to be Jack’s grandmother, there could be only one possible connection between her and Ted and me.

No. No, that wasn’t even a possibility.

Mr Rainbird said when I called him, ‘Damn. I’ve got a gig with the band tonight. But listen, why don’t you come along and we can have a drink or something to eat afterwards? I know it’s not exactly an irresistible proposition, but maybe if you’re not doing anything else?’

His honesty disarmed me, as it always did. It was Friday and Lola had gone up north to stay the weekend with Sam. ‘I’ll come.’

He gave me directions and I promised to be there for the second set.

When I arrived, the pub was hotter than a Turkish bath. The heads bobbing between the bar and the bandstand were damp and there were dark T shapes marking people’s clothes. The smell of sweat and beer filled my mouth.

Jerry was singing ‘Destination Anywhere’. He stood up on the low stage with the pub’s red and blue lighting throwing purple slashes across his handsome face. The colours reminded me of Evelyn’s bruises and I looked away before he caught my eye. I felt that I was betraying Penny and Evelyn and Cassie just by being here and watching him.

Mr Rainbird saw me and smiled when he lowered his trumpet.

I searched for a space at the bar and bought myself a drink. The ice cooled the back of my throat and I rested the frosted glass against my forehead. This was the first empty moment of the day and even in this inferno I was glad of an interlude of peace. I stopped thinking and let the cold fingers of vodka slide along my veins.