‘Is this an answer she really wants to hear?’

‘Not my decision.’

‘That’s where you are wrong.’

She began walking again. She knew now that Gran had killed Allan, but she didn’t have the reason. Would she have done it because of the affair? Jealousy was a strong motive.

Reaching the house, she found Gramps walking out of the kitchen.

‘Morning, Lottie.’

She went to him and hugged him. ‘Gran?’

‘The nurse is here.’

She nodded and took his arm, leading him into the snug. Once he was settled, he gave her a piercing look. ‘What’s troubling you?’

Lottie sat and looked down at her hands and locked her fingers together. Alex had more than indicated that she shouldn’t ask Gramps, but in her heart she knew he held all the answers.

‘Out with it, Lottie.’

She looked up. She’d heard that phrase from him so many times, but never had it been so difficult. His expression was guarded. He knew.

‘Why did Gran kill Allan?’

He gasped.

Lottie regretted her words. She picked up his hand. ‘I’m sorry, Gramps. I didn’t mean to be so blunt but . . . she asked for my forgiveness and then confessed.’

‘She said she killed Allan?’ He leaned back, releasing her hand.

‘No.’ Lottie thought through exactly what happened. ‘She said she had no choice then confessed she’d killed “him”.’ She sighed. ‘I pieced the rest together.’

‘Oh.’ He sank back into the chair looking as if someone had taken the stuffing out of him.

‘You knew.’

He glanced at her then to Alex who had appeared at the door. ‘Your mother has gone to talk to Pat. I’ve called him and warned him.’ Alex shook his head. ‘I should have thought of that before.’

‘Why?’ She looked from Gramps to Alex then back again. He didn’t answer.

‘I’m going to tell her.’ Gramps picked up her hand again.

‘Fine, I may head to Pat’s too, then.’ Alex sent her a funny look as he left.

‘You knew all this time?’ She asked, staring at Gramps. None of this made sense. In her head she’d pictured a moment of anger, jealousy.

Gramps nodded slowly. ‘Yes, I saw it happen.’

‘What?’

‘Things are rarely what they appear.’ His face fell.

‘Gran murdered her husband and you witnessed it?’ She shifted on the sofa. ‘Were you Gran’s lover?’

‘No, I’d only met her a few hours before.’

She rubbed her hand across her face. None of this added up. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘If I explain, will you tell your mother?’

She closed her eyes thinking of the conversation she had had with her yesterday. ‘I don’t know. Don’t you think she has the right to know what happened to her father?’