‘No sign of him. I’ve done a couple of drive-bys, imagining what I’ll say to the prick if I ever manage to corner him. I’ve even banged on the door, but it seems he’s long gone.’ Neil gave a harsh laugh. ‘He wasn’t going to hang about, though, knowing what’s gone down with you and Devan.’

‘You can never tell what Jared’s going to do … But no, I suppose not.’ She wondered where he was now. Would he have somewhere to run to, and if so, where? Maybe to Dinah’s, she thought, and shivered at the proximity.

‘Listen, Con,’ Neil was saying, ‘you didn’t murder anyone. You’ve apologized. You made a daft mistake. Devan would be crazy not to come round in the end.’

‘I’ve called him a million times and he won’t ring back. He doesn’t even seem to want to get in touch to yell at me. There’s been nothing, not a peep, since the day I left.’

She heard her friend give a frustrated sigh. ‘It’s barely two weeks. You’ve got to give him time.’

Connie sighed. The conversation was going in circles. ‘Would you talk to him, Neil? Please. Just sound him out?’

There was a groan.

‘I know it’s a lot to ask. But I genuinely don’t know where to go from here.’ She waited. ‘I’m desperate.’ The word was no more than a whisper, she felt so utterly sapped by the situation. Even when she was talking to Tessa, watching television, trying to sleep, it played on and on around her brain in a persistent loop. Like a child repeating the same question until it is heard.

The other day, after another message left with no response, she’d almost jumped on a train back to Somerset, thinking if she could just see Devan face to face he would have to talk to her. But she wasn’t sure she could cope with the door being slammed in her face … with another cold rejection.

‘OK,’ Neil was saying. ‘But what do you want me to say?’

Connie had no answer. ‘No, listen, it’s probably a bad idea,’ she said, after a moment’s consideration. ‘Forget I asked.’

He didn’t reply at once. ‘Thing is, we’re off to Costa Rica on Monday. I could try to see him before I go …’

‘Honestly, don’t, Neil. Thanks for the offer, but this is my problem, not yours. And, as you say, it’s not likely he’ll be in the mood just yet.’

There was a short silence.

‘God, darling. I really feel for you. Are you going to be all right while I’m away? We’re not back till the sixth.’