He sighed. ‘Look, I don’t appreciate being kept out of the loop on such an important decision. Ty told me his dad came to visit him today. He gave him a carved wooden car that he’s carrying around with him everywhere. Maggie said that Mark came over wanting to make amends for everything that he’s done. And you’re just, what, going to let him see Ty after everything?’ She could see that Billy was working himself into a state, his fists clenching and unclenching.

‘Well, why shouldn’t he be given a second chance?’

‘How many fucking chances does that bastard deserve? Do you remember what he did to you? To Wren? You were broken when I ran into you,’ he hissed. ‘Now you’re letting him back in? This won’t end well.’

‘Maybe, maybe not, but I need your support on this.’

‘Sure, I’ll help you with Mark, but if he puts a foot wrong, I will kill him. He shouldn’t be allowed near Ty,’ he said, his parting shot as he went to leave the room, then he stopped, his back to her. ‘Maggie says you go out nearly every day. Where do you go, Ness?’

‘I just drive around. Usually, I end up at Wren’s spot at the river.’

‘Maggie told me about some diary of Olivia’s that you’ve been reading.’

Damn her!

‘Yeah, Ryan asked me to. He can’t read it himself – it’s too painful. He wants to know if she explains why she killed herself.’ She didn’t mention that there was more than one.

‘Ness, that’s a very intense and personal thing to be doing. You’re still so fragile. Are you sure?’

‘And this is why I never told you about it,’ Vanessa said, angrily sweeping her hair to one side to massage her stiff neck. She was stressed and it was manifesting in knotted muscles. ‘It’s important to Ryan.’

‘And just how much time are you spending with Ryan?’ His eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

‘Are you kidding me? I go over there sometimes, but we usually talk on the phone and it’s limited to him calling me to see if I’ve found anything, which isn’t often. In fact, once.’

‘Is this really the best use of your time?’ he asked. ‘Wouldn’t you be better focusing on your grief, moving through it and coming back to us, whole?’

‘Billy, I’ll never be whole again, I thought you understood that. The woman you married is gone. This is who’s in her place now. I have to get to the bottom of this. As I explained to Maggie – who I’m sure passed it on to you – I can find out what was wrong with Wren by finding out what was wrong with Olivia. Why don’t you get that?’ She was crying now, tears of frustrated littered her face.