Martha was sitting on the couch, her hand gently rocking Joanna’s basket. When Alice walked in she made a shushing motion.

‘Asleep,’ she whispered, and nodded at the basket.

‘How was she?’ Alice said.

‘Fine. She’s a very sweet girl. She likes to be held.’

‘She is,’ Alice said. ‘I missed her.’

Martha gave a small nod.

‘I feel I have to mention something to you.’ She sat upright, her smile suddenly forced. ‘Tom brought up some bruises on Joanna’s arm.’

‘Yes,’ Alice said. ‘He told me he’d talked to you.’

‘I have to tell you I felt a little bit’ – she paused – ‘put out after my conversation with Tom. I know he was only doing what he had to do as a father, but the idea that either of you would think I could do something like that – well, it upset me. I’ve got over it, but I wanted you to know.’

Alice held her gaze. ‘I understand. But you can see where we’d be coming from?’

‘Yes. But you can see where I’d be coming from, too.’ She shook her head. ‘It wasn’t me. And if you can’t be sure of that, I’ll leave. For my own peace of mind, but also for yours. How can you be comfortable leaving me with Jo if you can’t trust me?’

‘It doesn’t have to come to that,’ Alice said.

‘I hope not. Is there anyone else it could be?’

‘Not really.’ Alice paused. ‘Me, Tom. His parents, and you. And then there’s Roland.’

‘His brother?’

‘Yes.’

‘He mentioned him. I didn’t know he had a brother until then.’

‘He reappeared recently. He was something of a pariah in the family. It goes back a long way, but he was a heroin addict. He’s living with Tom’s parents.’

‘A heroin addict?’

‘He’s clean now.’

‘Recently?’

‘Quite.’

‘Has he been left in charge of Jo?’

There was a heavy silence. ‘No. At least not on his own.’

‘But he’s there when she stays with her grandparents?’

‘He is.’

Martha’s mouth pursed in something like distaste, and she stood up. ‘It’s two o’clock,’ she said. ‘I have to leave. And Alice – you have a heroin addict in her life, and you question me about the bruises?’

‘We have to explore every avenue, Martha. It’s nothing personal.’

‘I hope we can keep it that way.’

Alice walked her to the door, then picked up her phone and called Nadia.

‘Hi,’ she said. ‘I had a lot of interest in the story, from all the major papers. I gave them what I had – what was in the story I posted, really, but with some quotes from me.’

‘That’s good news,’ Nadia said.

‘I was wondering if there’s more,’ Alice said. ‘Some other details?’

‘Like what?’ Nadia said.