Billy’s visits to his uncle’s house increased when he started getting into trouble at school. He said Uncle Stephen understood what it was like to be the black sheep. I told him that was rubbish. If Stephen got on so badly with his family why was he working for his stepdad? I tried to get Billy to open up about what he and Stephen talked about but he refused. ‘Aren’t I allowed to have any secrets, Mum?’

‘And how’s Jake?’ Stephen asks now. He texted me to ask if everything was okay after he saw the appeal on TV. I didn’t have the energy to get into what happened so replied obliquely, saying Jake hadn’t been feeling well.

‘Yeah, he’s fine. Doing well with his apprenticeship and his weights. He’s quite big now, muscles on top of muscles.’

‘He’ll get that from Dad. Size of a house he was, even as a teenager. I was a pipsqueak compared to him.’

‘Yeah, Mark said.’

Stephen’s back stiffens at the mention of his brother’s name.

‘And how’s Kira?’ he asks.

‘Still living with us. She’s still at college, doing well on her photography course by all accounts.’

‘She took a few photos of me last year, can’t remember why. Some project or other.’

‘Yeah, she’s always got her camera to hand. She took a lovely one of Mum on her birthday. You know she got her tongue pierced a few months ago. Kira, not Mum.’

He doesn’t laugh. ‘Tongue piercing, eh? She’ll be getting a tattoo next. What is it with girls these days? It’s like they’re desperate for attention. Tits out, lips plumped, skirts barely grazing their arses. You’re a very trusting woman, Claire Wilkinson, that’s all I’ll say.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Well –’ he continues to stir the coffee – ‘it’s temptation, isn’t it?’

‘What is?’

‘Letting a nubile young thing like that into your home.’

My jaw drops. Nubile? Just the sound of the word makes my skin crawl, never mind the flash of damp tongue as he rolls it around his mouth.

‘Look –’ he holds up his hands – ‘if you’re comfortable with Kira parading around your house half-naked in front of your husband then good for you. There aren’t many women who’d be so trusting.’

My horror switches to amusement and I laugh. Has he been saving that one up since he fell out with Mark this time last year? Oh, I know. I’ll put the boot into my brother by implying that he’s been leching over his son’s girlfriend.

‘Is that some kind of joke?’