I refuse to believe it. ‘Gran is the most staid, law-abiding person I know. There’s no way.’ Mum clenches her jaw and I feel irritation bubble within me. ‘I can’t believe you can even doubt her. She’s your mother!’

‘She’s not perfect. She’s human, just like the rest of us.’

I grip the steering wheel tightly, not trusting myself to speak in case all the resentments I’ve felt towards Mum for so many years threaten to spill out of me.

‘And,’ continues Mum, ‘she does mention a Jean hitting someone over the head. Did she witness something?’

‘Of course she didn’t! She’s just coming up with random names!’

‘She was right about Sheila, though, wasn’t she? She’s real. I’ve already told you what Alan said – and how I think Daphne’s really Sheila Watts.’

‘We don’t know that for definite. Next you’re going to tell me you think Daphne’s the other body in the garden . . . Do you think Gran killed her too?’

Mum doesn’t say anything.

‘You think it’s Daphne?’

‘I’m not saying that. But I spoke to Melissa earlier, and she said your gran and Daphne moved out at the same time. I don’t want to think badly of my mother any more than you do but we have to face facts.’

‘That’s ridiculous. Just because you have no faith in Gran. Just because you’ve never bothered –’ I stop. I’ve said too much.

Mum’s silent for a few seconds. Then, ‘What do you mean?’

‘Nothing. Forget it.’

‘No. If you’ve got something to say to me, I suggest you say it.’

I turn to Mum. Her mouth is pressed into an angry line. We haven’t argued for years, not since I was a teenager and she’d shout at me for my messy bedroom.

‘Okay, then. I think you’ve been a bit . . . neglectful.’

‘Neglectful?’

‘Yes. You buggered off to Spain. Left a lonely old lady by herself. Hardly visited. How many times have you actually seen Gran in the last six years? Once or twice a year?’

‘That’s not fair.’

‘It’s true. And me? How many times have you seen me? And when you do come and visit you bring along one of your many hideous boyfriends. And don’t pretend you’re happy about this baby.’ I’m on a roll now and I can’t stop even though I know I’m being a bitch. ‘I could see by your face how disappointed you were when I told you! Just because you regretted having me so young it doesn’t mean that I’m the same. Just because you couldn’t wait to get rid of me every summer so you could go out and act like a teenager, leaving Dad and going off with other men. And you wonder why I’m closer to Gran!’