“You were the last person to see Johnny,” Anna said. “Did you push him into the river?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Anna,” Arthur said. Anna flushed but there was defiance in her eyes.

“What?” she said. “I’m only trying to find out what happened.”

“No, I didn’t,” Lizzie said. There was a silence. Anna waited for her to say more. Lizzie tacitly refused. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Arthur bite back a smile as he watched them.

“I don’t understand why Johnny came to see you in the first place.” Anna couldn’t hold back any longer. She eyed Lizzie belligerently. “What did he want?”

“He wanted to talk about stuff,” Lizzie said. “About Amelia and Dudley and how he was feeling.” It wasn’t exactly true; she wasn’t sure whether everything Johnny had done had just been an attempt to get into her confidence and her flat and to take the stone angel. She might tell Arthur that but she wasn’t going to tell Anna.

Anna gave a dismissive snort. “I still don’t get it. Millie’s body is in cold storage, Dudley is being investigated, you’re an accessory after the fact, whatever that is, and Johnny thought it would help to talk to you? Doesn’t he realise how toxic you are? What planet is he on?”

Lizzie took a deep breath. “I’m not an accessory after anything,” she said, “and maybe Johnny recognised that and isn’t as prejudiced as you are. Look,” she tried to sound conciliatory, “would you both like some coffee—or something else to drink? We can have a chat, try and work out what might have happened—”

“I’m not stopping, thanks.” Anna didn’t let her finish. “I only came along to make sure you weren’t hiding Johnny’s body.”

“Anna,” Arthur said.

“Feel free to search,” Lizzie said mildly.

Anna just glared at her. “Arthur said Johnny told him that he likes you. He said you were kind to him when he was a kid at Amelia’s wedding. I mean—really? I’m sorry, but he’s totally lost it this time.”

“For God’s sake, Anna,” Arthur said. “Stop this.”

Anna shrugged. “You said so yourself,” she said. “You said you thought Johnny was nuts to trust her.”

“I’m not sure I put it quite like that,” Arthur said. There was a hint of colour on his high cheekbones. Lizzie wondered how much of their conversation the previous night he had relayed to Anna. She was glad now that she hadn’t said much beyond the fact that Johnny had been to see her and that she was worried for his state of mind.

“I’m walking over to Dudley’s place now,” Anna said. She jerked her head towards the Millennium Bridge. “If Johnny turns up there again and threatens him, Dudley will have him arrested.” She came closer and Lizzie saw the sheen of tears in her eyes, the despair behind the anger. “Did you know Dudley has hired a posse of heavies for protection? It’s in the papers this morning. He claims Johnny might attack him! As though Johnny would hurt anyone.” A tear escaped from the corner of her eye and she scrubbed it away impatiently. “I fucking hate Dudley. This is his fault—Millie’s death, Johnny disappearing... His fault and yours,” she glared at Lizzie again, “behaving as though Millie just didn’t exist, flaunting yourselves all over London—”