She knows she will be here. Amy posted the time and date on social media. She even put a notice in the paper, wanting to ensure everybody attended. She looks at the women in the room, feeling anger beginning to grow, tensing in the bottom of her stomach. But nobody stands out.

None of these people looks sufficiently upset to have been in love with Jonathan. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he had been faithful to her. She glances back into the room where mourners are starting to move away and Amy hates them all. Who are all these people, these friends? Where have they been for the past ten years? Not in Jonathan’s life, she knows that.

‘Babe?’ Liv comes out into the kitchen. ‘You okay?’

Amy forces a smile. ‘Fine.’

‘I noticed the cops were here. Did they say anything to you?’

‘No.’ Amy glares at her. ‘Your plan obviously hasn’t worked,’ she growls bitterly. ‘The only thing I could see while I was up there was that detective’s ugly face staring at me.’

‘I can think of worse people to stare at you,’ Liv says. ‘He’s not bad-looking.’ She’s trying to make Amy smile, but it’s a wasted effort.

‘Not every guy is there for you to screw and make some extra cash, Olivia,’ she snaps back.

Liv recoils. ‘People are starting to go, they want to say goodbye,’ Liv says quickly, then leaves Amy alone.

Amy stares after her, then looks out into the room. She pushes down the bile, the feeling of hatred towards the people eating her sandwiches, drinking her wine. Gawkers, that’s all they are. No better than the people who rubberneck at the scene of a road accident. They’re just here for the misery, to make themselves feel better.

But she pulls a smile back on her face and goes out. Soon, this will be over. The detectives will realise there’s nothing to find. The body will be released, and they’ll be able to bury Jonathan properly.

And she’ll move on. To her new life. To the next part of her plan.

33

Robin and Freya part ways outside the church, Freya saying she’s going to start on this new assignment from home. He wonders briefly what Baker’s got her working on, and watches her walk back to her car, her head bowed, shoulders slumped. She seemed more downcast than usual today, and he remembers her comments at the beginning of the case. Freya knew Jonathan Miller, didn’t she? And he realises he never asked how.

He gets in his own car, but he doesn’t drive towards the police station. Jonathan Miller can wait. There is somewhere else he needs to be.

Robin hasn’t been back here for over a year. In that time the trees have grown, the paths have been tidied and a smart oak board has been erected at the entrance to the woodland.