They raced down the side yard and in through the back door. The kitchen looked clean and orderly except for the disorder of the women seated at the table. Brenda Flann was pouring her words out, one arm stretched out across the table towards Marie, who was rocking in her chair, hands over her eyes.

Laura went immediately to her mother and embraced her thin shoulders from behind as Brenda said, ‘It’s my fault, it was the drinking, I wasn’t there for them. No surprise they went wild, now they’ve got your boy in trouble, and I’m so, so sorry.’

Brenda looked and smelt clean. Not drunk, just overwrought. And quite oblivious to Hirsch and Laura, and to the distress she was causing. Hirsch said sharply, ‘Brenda.’

She blinked. Dragged her hand back across the table. The words dried up. Then, still blinking, she lifted her still-bruised face to Hirsch. ‘I need to say sorry to you, too.’

‘Let’s do that back at the station—what do you think?’

He eased her out of the chair. Tried to turn her away and through the door but she wriggled free and stood over Marie Cobb and said, ‘I mean it, I’ll make it up to you and—’

Then Marie said the only words Hirsch had ever heard her utter: ‘It’s okay, Brenda. I forgive you.’

A low voice, creaky from disuse. Brenda Flann nodded and let herself be ushered towards the door. Hirsch cast a look over his shoulder: You okay?

Laura shrugged. It didn’t say No. It said: Business as usual.

Outside, the hot sun beating down, Hirsch said, ‘Are you okay to drive, Brenda? It might be best if you went home.’

She looked around dazedly, long nose sniffing, moist sad lips tasting the dusty air. ‘Sorry, what?’

Was she on some kind of medication? ‘Would you like to see the doctor?’

In the next instant she was almost her harsh old self. ‘I’ve had it up to here with doctors and hospitals. I need to make amends, then I can go home.’ She poked his chest. ‘I tried to run you over. I’m sorry about that.’

‘Apology accepted.’

‘I’m not touching another drop.’

‘Good for you.’

‘You don’t believe me I can tell, but it’s the simple truth.’

She wheeled around and crossed the road to the pub. Amusement bubbled up, bringing back some of the old you-have-to-laugh attitude Hirsch thought he’d lost. He watched her disappear through the door to the main bar. Time went by. When she didn’t reappear, he investigated, finding her at the bar, deep in conversation with Kevin Henry, nursing a clear fizzy drink.

‘Lemonade,’ she said, spotting Hirsch. Then: ‘It’s okay, we went to school together.’

Hirsch nodded, returned to the police station, pinned his mobile number to the door and drove the loan HiLux down to Redruth.