As Jamie chatted beside her, she made a mental note to message Linda the details of the next night out she had planned with Julia and her friends, most of whom were from her university days. While many had moved away, there were still a few who lived in and around Manchester. Each month, there were anything between six and ten of them who went out for an evening of drinks in town. Occasionally, if the mood was high, a few of them might go out to a nightclub, but as the years had passed by, they were now more likely to go to a quiet wine bar where they could talk rather than a pub with live music like they used to.

Claire was glad that she’d kept up with them all. It was mainly Julia who had encouraged her to attend regularly, especially when the boys had been very small and all she’d wanted to do was curl up in bed. They were fun nights out and Claire looked forward to them. As Linda was new to the area and they’d got on so well, it felt right to invite her, and she’d even offered for Luke to sleepover and Chris would babysit so that Linda could have a lie-in the next day. Yes, as soon as she got home, she would send Linda a thank you message along with the details of the get-together the following week.

10

‘So, how’s Dad?’ asked Claire, desperate to change the subject. It was Sunday afternoon and Chris had taken the boys out to the park. She was supposed to be doing some work, but the phone had rung.

‘He’s fine, love, you know your father. But I have to say, he’s also very worried about this whole situation, Claire, as am I.’

Claire hoped her sigh wasn’t audible down the phone. They’d been at it for almost twenty minutes now and no amount of reassurance seemed to soothe her mother’s anxiety about her working on a rape case.

‘The fact that Chris told me shows just how worried he is about this, Claire.’

Chris told you?

Claire felt the anger surge through her. ‘We don’t want you to have another turn, that’s all,’ continued her mother.

Claire closed her eyes at her mother’s antiquated language. Another turn? It’s called a nervous breakdown, Mother!

‘I know, I know,’ pacified Claire, ‘but I promise you I’m barely involved in it.’

‘Well, that’s what Chris said,’ acknowledged her mother, ‘but you know he already thinks you’re overdoing it at the office.’

Damn Chris for dragging her mother into this.

‘Why? What else did he say?’ quizzed Claire.

‘Nothing, nothing, love, just that you’d had a few late nights, that’s all.’