It could never last, that kind of perfection. Their relationship had been tested before they went, when Josie and Callum had witnessed their climbing instructor fall to his death. Kelly and Johnny didn’t talk about it now. The holiday helped; they were grown-ups after all. Kelly’s guilt over the accident was subsiding, and Josie didn’t hold her responsible. Fortunately, Josie had never known about the whole thing being planned: the instructor had been a piece of a murderer’s puzzle and Kelly had figured it out too late. She’d spent plenty of time beating herself up about being unable to save him. The killer had been drawn to the climbing centre because it fitted with their plans, and Josie had been caught up in it. Johnny had spent more time with Josie after her horrific ordeal, and she was undergoing therapy for her panic attacks. The funny thing was, for all the money spent on counselling, she was at her calmest with Ted.

Now, news was out about the murder in Potton Park, and Johnny said Josie was nervy. Like all woman in Penrith, young and old, she felt vulnerable in light of the shocking events. It made Johnny even more protective, and he’d texted Kelly a couple of times during the day to see if any progress had been made. Kelly thought about Thomas Watson’s face. She had yet to meet the children. Of course, she would go to the funeral if Thomas approved. She always did. It would be a tough one: two teenagers. Christ.

Johnny smelled clean and welcoming. She was tempted to drag him upstairs with her, but she had little energy left, other than to eat and chug a glass of wine.

‘Shit day?’ he asked.

‘Fucking terrible. The victim has two kids, aged fourteen and sixteen.’

‘Jesus. I’ve been watching the news: there’s a lot of scared women out there tonight.’

‘Rightly so.’

‘Is it true that the Beacon Estate is involved? Everyone is talking about gangs.’

Kelly was irritated, because the theory was derailing her focus.

‘I don’t know where that started; we have no evidence of motive yet at all.’

He put his arm around her. ‘Come on, dinner’s ready.’

‘I need a shower.’

‘Why don’t you eat first? I’ll get you a glass of wine and run you a bath.’

‘You’re spoiling me,’ Kelly said.