Therefore, she needed to speak to Melissa. She couldn’t trust a thing Oliver told her now, so there was no point in speaking to him. She’d have to make sure she didn’t let on that she knew his wife was alive and well and sneaking around Little Penchurch if she saw him before managing to find Melissa. If she managed to find her.

That was the biggest snag. How was she going to find Melissa?

‘How have you been today, love?’ Brian kissed her on the top of her head as he sauntered in, dropping his prison officer belt, the key chain rattling, onto the worktop.

‘Ah, you know – it’s been weird. It’s like I’m caught in another dimension or something. I feel apart from everything – like I’m existing in my own bubble – weightless, numb.’

Brian lowered his head. ‘I still can’t believe she’s gone, Lou. How could this have happened? It’s off the scale.’

Louisa filled the kettle, more for something to occupy her hands and mind than to refresh her husband after his long day at work. She had to be careful not to let anything slip – not even mention the drone, let alone the footage she’d found. It would only be a matter of time before Brian went to the garage to retrieve the drone, though. For the moment at least, it was obviously the last thing on his mind. Tiff’s death had knocked him sideways.

It was apparent to Louisa he was suffering – and more than she felt he should. Not that shock and grief didn’t affect people in different ways, but it felt disproportionate somehow. Tiff was her friend, and while she was sure she’d feel shock and sadness if one of Brian’s friends were to die, she was fairly confident she wouldn’t be taking it as badly as he was responding to Tiff’s.

Further adding weight to her suspicion that he’d fancied her or even been in love with her.

Louisa’s heart ached, the knowledge that she’d not trusted Tiff still lingering on her conscience. It seemed better to mistrust her husband now, rather than her friend, who could no longer defend herself.

‘I feel so useless too – I haven’t done anything to help Tiff’s family. Is it rude, do you think, to phone and ask if I can help with any of the funeral arrangements?’

‘No, not at all. You were her best friend,’ Brian said, his voice catching at the end. He gave a cough – a poor attempt at covering it up. Louisa turned away from him and began pouring the boiling water into the mugs.

‘I don’t know – it might come across that I’m intruding during a difficult family time.’