Maisie woke up to the sound of a crow cawing at just after five thirty-five. She was still dressed and on Jeremy’s bed. She sat up and oriented herself. Bridie hadn’t walked the hall or if she had Maisie hadn’t heard her. She got up to check. The hallway was empty. Bridie was sound asleep in bed. She exhaled. OK. She walked into the sitting room. Fred was lying on the sofa, wide awake and staring at the ceiling.

‘You stayed.’ She was happy to see him.

‘Sorry, Mai, I fell asleep.’

‘Don’t apologize.’ She sat cross-legged on the floor beside him. ‘It’s been an exceptionally weird week.’

‘You can say that again.’

‘I’m going to get him home, Fred.’ She knew it, she just knew it.

Fred sat up and rubbed his face with both hands. ‘I believe you.’

She took his hand in hers and kissed it. ‘I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet.’

‘Not necessary.’

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Thank you, Fred. Thanks for saving us all those years ago and thanks for being here now and saving us all over again.’

‘Is that what I’m doing, Mai?’

‘Yeah. It is.’

‘Well, no matter what, I’ll keep on doing that.’

She stood up and brushed herself down. ‘Coffee?’

Fred didn’t get a chance to respond because the phone rang, stealing her attention. She ran to the hallway and picked it up, but before she could say hello she heard Jonno Lynch, half hysterical and crying down the phone.

‘Mrs Bean, help! It’s Rave.’

‘Where?’

‘On the bridge at the reservoir.’

‘What about Jeremy?’

‘He’s going to jump, Mrs Bean.’

‘Who? Jeremy?’

‘No, Rave. He wants you. He’ll only talk to you.’

Fred was now standing in front of her and she saw her horror reflected in his face. ‘I’ll be there,’ she said, and dropped the phone.

‘Mai?’

Rave was on the bridge threatening to end his life and Jeremy was nowhere to be seen. She switched to autopilot. ‘We need to go.’ She couldn’t leave without waking Valerie to ensure she watched over Bridie, but then she couldn’t leave Valerie to wonder what was going on. So instead she woke her mother and child, put slippers and coats on them and sat them in the car.

Everyone was silent. Bridie was nodding off, not sure what was happening and too groggy to engage. Valerie was stone-faced. Fred drove through Tallaght village faster than the speed of sound. Maisie gripped her seat when they turned a sharp corner on what felt like two wheels. It was the longest and shortest car ride Maisie Bean had ever had.