Elaine followed him. ‘Detective Radford’s been on the phone. I said you were at the hospital so he asked if you’d ring him first thing in the morning.’

‘Was that all he said?’ Richard almost crossed his fingers.

‘Mostly.’

‘And what does “mostly” mean? Did he say anything else, Elaine?’

‘Only to tell you his suspicions were correct about your friend. Do you know what he meant because I certainly didn’t. Fancy talking in riddles at a time like this.’

Richard almost forgot to breathe. He understood the message all too well and was pretty sure his stupidity would now become public knowledge. He paused before stepping on the first stair. Should he tell Elaine what he’d done before she found out from someone else? He decided he would and turned around, heading for the kitchen.

‘If you sit down, Elaine, I’ll explain it all to you,’ he said wearily. His mother-in-law looked puzzled. Richard usually struggled to give her the time of day.

‘What I’m going to tell you isn’t easy for me, nor will it be easy for you to hear, but please, just let me say my piece without interruption and you can vilify me when I’ve finished.’

Elaine looked offended. ‘You make me sound like an ogre. I only came here to see if I could help. Danny’s precious to me too, you know.’

‘Yes, I’m sorry, it was uncalled for, but please hear me out.’

Elaine pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest.

Richard told her everything or as much as he’d told Martha. While relating the facts, it occurred to him that his mother-in-law probably couldn’t think any less of him than she already did, so he had nothing to worry about. When he finished, he watched Elaine’s face redden and her nostrils flare. It almost made him laugh – a classic outraged expression, precisely what he expected.

Richard then returned the favour of silence and listened to Elaine berate the man she always knew wasn’t good enough for her daughter.

Deuce, he thought, my service. He eventually interrupted her monologue. ‘Actually, Elaine, I don’t particularly care what you think of me. My priority is Martha and Danny. They’re the only ones who matter and I know I’ve let them down badly. It’s their opinions of me I’ll have to work at changing, not yours. I love my wife and son and intend to do everything in my power to make it up to them. The guilt I feel and the knowledge of how stupidly I’ve behaved is punishment in itself, and although you may not believe it, my opinion of myself is probably even lower than yours. And now I’m going to try to sleep. I wish you a goodnight.’