The line goes dead and I stare at the phone, waiting for him to call me back. Minutes tick by but it continues to lie silently in my palm. When I ring him back it goes straight to voicemail. I try again. Same result. I look back at the bag on the passenger seat. If I take it to the police and they arrest me I’ll never find out what Stephen knows. But what if it’s got nothing to do with Billy’s disappearance? What if he’s just drunk and feeling sorry for himself and he’s using Billy’s memory to manipulate me into calling Caroline for him? I need to get to the police station. Now, while I’m still feeling brave.

I glance into the rear-view mirror, spot Jane Hargreaves from three doors down raising a hand in greeting, and make a decision.

Chapter 45

Stephen doesn’t even attempt to stand up as he spots me striding across the pub towards him. He doesn’t smile, wave or speak. Instead he reaches for his pint, wraps his thick fingers around the glass and sinks the whole thing in four or five messy gulps.

‘I would ask you if you’d like another,’ I say as he sets the empty glass on the table. ‘But I think you’ve probably had enough already.’

‘Yeah, right!’ He runs a hand over his shiny forehead, then wipes it on his blue sweatshirt, leaving a sweaty stain. His eyes are dark-rimmed, his skin blotchy and lined. ‘Go on then, if you’re offering.’

I ignore the request. ‘No work today then?’

He glances over my shoulder towards the bar, points at his empty pint glass and grins as the barman gives him a weary nod.

‘I take it that’s a no.’

He shrugs.

‘Are you going to tell me why Caroline threw you out?’

‘Fuck knows.’ He pushes his mobile across the table towards me, sliding it through a puddle of beer. ‘Ask her.’

I pick up the phone and wipe it on the hem of my cardi. ‘I need you to tell me what happened last summer first.’

‘Eh?’ He looks confused.

‘When Jake and Billy had a fight outside the Lodekka on my birthday. You said you told Billy to tell Jake something about Mark.’

‘No. Ring Caroline first.’ He folds his arms across his chest. He may be drunk but he’s not drunk enough to forget the conversation we had fifteen minutes ago.

‘Stephen, I’m supposed to be somewhere.’

‘Ring Caroline.’

‘Fine.’ I push his phone back towards him. ‘But I’ll use my phone if she’s ignoring your calls.’

She picks up on the third ring. ‘Hello, stranger. I haven’t heard from you for ages.’

‘I’m with Stephen. He asked me to call you.’

She gives an exasperated sigh. ‘Don’t tell me, you’re in the pub?’