‘Didn’t look that upset this morning, did he? It should have been me in that studio speaking about my brother. Not Adam bloody Murray. But I don’t have a new book to promote, do I? So no one wants to hear what I’ve got to say.’

‘It’s not Clodagh’s fault,’ Bella said, putting a cafetiere of coffee on the table, along with three mugs and a plate of homemade biscuits. ‘Milk and sugar, Clo?’

‘No thanks.’ Clodagh’s head had started to throb. The house was too hot and too small. She had no idea how to respond to Simon’s seething anger that seemed to swell and fill the little available space.

‘I’m not saying it’s your fault.’ Simon looked at Clodagh. ‘But even you’ve got to admit it’s a pretty crass thing to do.’

‘Simon.’ Bella put her hand on her husband’s arm. ‘Don’t speak to Clodagh like that. She was kind enough to come here today to see you. It’s not fair to have a go at her for something Adam’s done.’

‘He used my brother’s death to promote his fucking book.’ Simon looked at Clodagh. ‘How on earth can you be with a man who’d do something like that?’

Clodagh stood up; she couldn’t stay here.

‘I’m sorry about Nick,’ she said. ‘I really am. But I didn’t come all the way over here today just so you could tell me what you think about Adam. If you’ve got a problem with what he’s doing, then you need to have that conversation with him, not me.’

She was halfway down the corridor when Simon caught her, grabbing hold of her arm.

‘Hang on,’ he said. ‘Don’t go, Clodagh. Please. You’re right. I shouldn’t take it out on you. I’m just trying to understand what’s happened.’

He was standing too close to her, his hand still on her arm, holding her too tight.

‘Let me go.’

He dropped his hand and took a step back.

‘I’m sorry,’ he repeated. ‘Come back to the kitchen. Please?’

Then, when she shook her head, ‘Okay, not the kitchen. How about we go outside? Into the front garden. I won’t come near you and I won’t get angry again. I just want you to tell me what happened.’

Behind him, Bella had appeared in the kitchen doorway and was watching them.

‘Five minutes,’ Clodagh said, seeing the pleading look on Bella’s face. ‘After that I’m leaving.’

‘Five minutes is all I need. Thank you.’

Opening the front door, Clodagh breathed in mouthfuls of fresh air, a relief after the heavy sweetness inside the house. She sat on the wall that separated the square of front garden from the street.

‘They did the post-mortem earlier today,’ Simon said, sitting beside her. ‘Which means we’ll know soon enough how he died.’