Beth pointed at me.

‘Joe.’

‘Really? said Mel, a little too quickly. ‘In what . . . context?’

‘Bad things.’

‘Really?’ I tried to sound surprised.

‘Like he wanted to hurt you.’

‘Oh. That’s weird.’

‘Why would he say that?’ Beth said, her gaze unwavering. ‘Did you two have a falling out?’

‘Well, we did have a bit of a –’

‘Joe reversed into his Porsche as he was leaving,’ Mel cut in, talking over me. ‘Not on purpose, obviously, just one of those things. But Ben wasn’t best pleased, was he, Joe?’

I stared at her for a moment.

Why did you lie?

And then it clicked.

To protect you, idiot.

Mel gave me one of her no-nonsense looks.

‘Was he, Joe?’ she repeated.

‘No. He wasn’t happy,’ I said.

‘He does love that car,’ Beth said, dabbing at her eyes with a fresh tissue. ‘Even more than the Morgan. It’s his favourite.’

‘What did Ben actually say on Thursday night?’

Beth took a sip of her herbal tea, setting the mug down delicately on the coaster as if she was scared of making any noise at all.

‘It was something like, “Joe effing Lynch. Time you were put in your effing place.” Or words to that effect. He was downstairs and I was in the bedroom. Then I heard the door slam and he was gone.’

I had never heard Beth swear. Not once. Instead she said effing and blummin’ and Lord and blimey like a little old lady. But somehow it made it more chilling, more real, to hear Ben’s threats relayed in such an understated way.

‘Jesus, Beth, are you serious?’

She nodded, lips pursed together.

‘Do you think he might come here, to our house?’ Mel said.

Beth shrugged. I tried to remember whether I’d locked the front door behind her when she’d arrived.

‘I don’t know where he’ll go, I really have no idea at this point. He might have gone for good, for all I know.’

‘I’m sure he hasn’t, Bee. He’ll be back.’

‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’

‘He’s done it before?’

‘Only for a few days. Work was getting on top of him and he just had to let off some steam. Last time, he drove home to Sunderland, blew some money in the casinos. A couple of nights in a hotel with his phone switched off. Then he came back.’

‘Sorry, Bee, I had no idea.’

‘It’s not the sort of thing you shout about on Facebook.’

‘No, of course. Well I’m sure he’ll be back this time as well,’ Mel said, trying to sound upbeat.

‘I hope so.’

‘He’s probably just letting off steam, like you said. It’ll be OK.’

‘Maybe.’ Beth didn’t sound convinced. ‘But there’s something else.’

‘How do you mean?’

‘The things he took with him . . .’

‘Clothes and an overnight bag, you said.’

‘That wasn’t all.’

Mel said: ‘What else, Bee?’

‘One of the reasons why I’m so worried. Especially with what he said about Joe.’