Oli ignores her jealousy and presses on. ‘I know, but I remember you were at the house in the morning, right? Back then everyone spoke to the parents. But parents only see what they want their kids to be—siblings see the real picture. Tell me what the girls were really like. What Nicole was really like.’

‘It’s true that we were close, growing up.’ Cara looks at Oli as if daring her to object. ‘Really close. But I don’t think anyone ever knew Nicole.’

‘What do you mean?’

Cara’s gaze fixes on the wall, and her pupils dilate. ‘Nicole was different. It’s hard to explain. She was very extroverted and always had heaps of friends, but at the same time she didn’t really let anyone in. She could be very selfish.’

‘Wasn’t she a volunteer?’ Oli asks, cocking her head. ‘I remember something about her working with disabled kids.’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ mutters Cara. ‘A couple of shifts here and there, a few charitable donations, a passionate speech at a school assembly, and she was a saint.’

Oli holds up her hands. ‘I never met Nicole and I have no point of view. I just want your version of her.’

Cara unfolds her arms and grips either side of the table. ‘Okay, look, I loved my sister, but that doesn’t mean I always liked her. She was incredibly self-centred. Extremely manipulative. And even though we didn’t have much money, my parents spoiled the living shit out of her.’ Cara blinks several times, clearly trying to ward off tears, then grimaces. ‘Nicole was their princess. It was gross, and yes,’ she rolls her eyes, ‘I was jealous, of course I was. I mean, come on, I’m adopted, then three years later the baby they’ve always dreamed of shows up. It was never going to be a good situation, but it didn’t help that Nicole was born the way she was.’

‘Which was how?’

‘Just, like, I don’t know. Like she could turn water into wine. She was lucky, but it was more than that.’ Cara suddenly looks confused. ‘You would always find yourself doing things for her, even when you didn’t want to. Like you knew it was a bad idea, but you just couldn’t help it. She got her own way without being obvious.’

‘She was resourceful?’ Oli suggests.