Bowman folds his arms and rests his forearms on the table, making his chair squeak against the wooden floor. One of his elbows sits in a ring of moisture, but he doesn’t seem to notice. ‘I think Alex was high, off her head on drugs, and I think she was angry. They had been fighting for weeks, probably over money or drugs, or both, then I think she got it in her head that her boyfriend was fooling around with the Stanley girl and that their little world was about to be blown apart.’ He pushes his weight away from the table again. ‘These things are not always as exciting as everyone wants them to be.’

‘You don’t buy the self-defence claim?’

‘Depends on how far you want to stretch the definition. I think Evelyn fought back, but in my book what happened at that house was murder.’

‘I have a witness who saw Nicole and Alex heading toward the foreshore that night. I think Alex was telling the truth about that part of the night.’ Oli rocks back against her chair and folds her arms.

Bowman looks doubtful. ‘Really? We could never find anyone to confirm it. But regardless, I don’t think it changes anything.’

‘Well, it would mean that Alex was telling the truth. Which might mean she was also telling the truth about Nicole suddenly running off.’ Oli pauses. ‘But why would she disappear before Evelyn’s murder?’

Bowman seems to think about this. Oli imagines she’s Isabelle, sitting across from him, her long slender fingers gripping a dewy beer, or perhaps a wine, her diary open in front of her as they debate the case. She wonders if Bowman is finding her dull in comparison to his former protégée.

‘I tend to focus on motive, capability and opportunity, Ms Groves. We had all three in Alex Riboni, plus her confession.’

‘There are a lot of bogus confessions. Especially right after a crime.’

‘Sure.’ He nods. ‘But like I said, we had the other things. Plus DNA evidence. Despite the public interest it was fairly open and shut from my perspective, although I do understand the fascination of a female killer.’

‘Okay,’ Oli says. ‘Okay, so say you’re right. Didn’t you think Nicole being missing was a pretty serious loose end?’