He wondered how he could tell Gabriella without Nelly or Madison hearing.

‘I’m sure Kevin will be back any minute,’ Nelly Mason was saying, fluttering around the kitchen, her platinum bob flicking as she cleaned things that already looked clean to Con. ‘I know you have so much else to do, but I will feel safer once Kevin’s home.’ It was the fifth time she’d told Con and Gabriella that. She glanced out the window. ‘Do you want tea or coffee?’ She saw the cups in front of them and gave a hysterical chuckle. Mr Bruiser kept yipping.

‘Could you take a seat, please?’ said Con, setting aside the coffee.

‘Of course,’ she said, sitting down beside him, a saucepan still in her hands.

‘Can you think of anyone other than Mr Murphy those condoms might belong to?’ said Gabriella.

‘No one,’ she replied instantly. ‘My Cierra wasn’t seeing anyone. I knew she always had bit of a soft spot for . . . Jasmine’s dad . . . but I would never have guessed —’

‘Is there anyone else she might’ve told who she was sleeping with? Or anyone who might know?’ said Gabriella.

‘No one,’ said Nelly.

‘Gee, thanks, Mum,’ came Madison’s cold voice. She was in the lounge, just off the kitchen, on her laptop. She had told them she was editing a memorial video for Georgia and didn’t have time to talk to them. She wore a luxurious purple dressing gown and her hair was wet. ‘I’ve already told you: Mr Murphy wasn’t banging Cierra.’

‘Don’t say that!’ Nelly shrieked, slamming the saucepan on the counter. ‘He was always too friendly with you girls! And . . . how could you give our address to the whole world?’ She sobbed and ran to another part of the house.

Mr Bruiser yipped and raced after her, leaving a puddle of urine on the floor.

There was a moment of ringing silence.

‘The condoms don’t belong to Murphy,’ said Madison again. ‘He’s a good man.’

‘Then whose are they?’ asked Con. Of course, the whole point of their visit had been to speak to Madison again, but they’d tried to be subtle about it.

‘Why do they have to belong to anyone except Cierra? Why does everyone freak out about the idea of Cierra having sex?’ said Madison. ‘She’s sixteen. If they were found in a teenage boy’s room, you wouldn’t even blink.’

‘Your parents seem concerned about it,’ said Gabriella, arching her eyebrow.

‘And again, if she was a boy, they wouldn’t care. Dad would be proud. I’m telling you: it’s not important. And Murphy has nothing to do with it.’

‘If you know something, you should tell us,’ said Con.