No, not Gemma. A few moments later she emerged from the house, scarcely able to meet his gaze. Embarrassed, he thought, but not ashamed. And as those first awkward seconds unfurled, she continued to shed her shy, pudgy shop-assistant persona. She took charge. Her hair was frazzled, her puffy face sleepy and slack with satisfaction, her fleshy legs mottled and bed-creased under the huge T-shirt. But it was with dignity and nerve that she reached a hand back through the door and gently tugged Adam Flann out onto the struggling couch grass. Adam had pulled on a pair of khaki boardshorts. He was also creased and dishevelled but, Hirsch had to concede, beautifully put together. Flicking Hirsch a sulky shy look, he stood hard against Gemma’s side and their hands found each other. His thumb caressed her knuckles.

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ Hirsch said.

They waited.

‘I’ll explain why in a moment, but I need to speak to each of you separately.’

Adam went tight. ‘Is it Mum?’

Gemma wrapped an arm around him, waiting.

‘As far as I know, she’s fine,’ Hirsch said. ‘Adam? Would you mind coming over here a minute?’

He took the boy to a pair of once-green plastic lawn chairs, which looked over nothing but a fraying clothesline and a dozen empty fuel drums. ‘Sit.’

They sat, Adam shooting Gemma anxious looks. All of his smartarse confidence was gone—as if, having surrendered himself to vulnerability in his bed a short time earlier, he was yet to recover.

‘May I ask your movements last night?’

The old Adam flickered into view. ‘I never done nothing.’

‘Just tell me what you did, and when, and I’ll be on my way.’

Flann’s expression was flat-out sceptical. ‘I’m old enough,’ he said.

Is he talking about having sex with Gemma? ‘Yes,’ Hirsch said.

Adam chewed his bottom lip. ‘Me and Gemma went to the Christmas thing, you know, when you rode the horse.’

‘Okay.’ They hadn’t been on Katie’s video, but that was true of other people too.

‘Then we come back here.’

‘How?’

‘Wayne.’

‘What time was that?’

‘Straight after.’

‘Did you go out again?’

‘Wayne did. Me and Gemma stayed here.’

‘Okay,’ Hirsch said, getting to his feet, ‘stay put while I have a quick word with Gemma.’

Hirsch crossed the grass again. Gemma said, with some heat, ‘He never did nothing wrong. He apologised and everything.’

‘Take it easy. I just need to know your movements last night.’

‘Me? I was with Adam at the Christmas street thing. You saw us, right?’

‘Go on.’

‘Then we came here.’

‘How?’

‘In Wayne’s ute.’

‘Did any of you go out again? The pub? A drive around? A party?’

She shook her head determinedly. ‘Nup. Stayed here.’

‘Wayne?’