‘No,’ I said, ushering her in. ‘But he left a note inside. I know it’s hard for you to talk about this, and I know you want me to focus on what happened between Davis and me, but –’

Vera shook her head almost viciously. ‘No,’ she said. ‘No, I wanted to apologize about that. You were in shock, and I’m coming undone, and I just want to forget it, everything I said. It was awful. It’s like part of me wanted to hurt you, so you could feel as much pain as I do.’ She paused, swallowing. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault,’ I said. ‘None of this is your fault.’

‘How do you know it’s Sam, though,’ she asked, gaze darting around the room, ‘and not Davis? Since he was just here.’

Her jaw dropped when I told her what the note had said. ‘You’re lucky Sam didn’t do anything worse. You’re lucky …’ She cleared her throat. ‘And the police know now? About him being here?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘But I’m afraid they don’t believe me. McKnight said they can’t make any real progress unless I file an official report about Davis. He doesn’t seem to understand –’

‘But why target you?’ Vera asked. ‘Why not me?’

‘I think Sam needed to pin it on someone, and if there was a way to make it you, he probably would have. But he had access to my place, not yours. And now, here I am, calling his wife, questioning his daughter, putting it all together. I don’t think he’s thinking straight – he’s just reacting, trying to get me to stop.’

‘That sounds like Sam,’ she said, looking down at her hands. When her eyes met mine, I was shocked to see tears in them, dripping silently down her cheeks.

‘What is it?’ I asked.

‘It’s just –’ More tears came, silent sobs rocking her body.

‘What?’ I asked desperately, pulling her onto the couch, next to me, knowing we were the only ones who could protect each other now. ‘What is it?’

‘If it really was him, if he really left a note like that, that means he won,’ she said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean Sam wanted to hurt us, he wanted to make us pay, and he did, worse than even I could have imagined.’ Vera grabbed a cushion and held it to her chest like a shield. ‘I knew he was dangerous, and of course I suspected him, but this is more than just leaving notes in a mailbox. I don’t think he would have broken into your place unless …’ Her voice cracked. ‘Unless he killed John, and he isn’t thinking straight, just like you said. This is proof, Lucy.’

She took a deep breath. ‘It’s terrible, but in a way, this is exactly what we’ve been waiting for.’