Now, Scott dropped down behind his desk, burying his face in his hands. He heard Lauren approach slowly. Scott had expected things to be awkward after Casey sent her the dick pic, but Lauren had been professional, focusing on the kids.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

He looked up. She was a few years younger than him, in her mid-twenties, with a bob of blonde hair. She always dressed smartly, in pleated trousers and a buttoned-up shirt. She had a hipster look about her. “I meant what I said about the you-know-what. So I hope it isn’t that.”

“It’s…” He waited as she sat. He couldn’t tell her, could he? They had only ever discussed school matters. “I’m seeing Natalie’s parents later. It’s the first time since her funeral.”

“Why?”

“Why am I seeing them or why is it the first time?”

She shrugged. “Both.”

From beyond the classroom, sounds of lunchtime reached them: yelling and music played from phones and one of his colleagues calling for somebody to slow down.

“I’m seeing them because… well, it’s the right thing to do.” That wasn’t entirely a lie; it was the right thing to do for his investigation. Investigation. It was a joke. “And the reason it’s been so long is they’re horrible. I know that’s a terrible thing to say about your dead wife’s parents, but... At Natalie’s funeral, her mother refused to speak. She said it was all well and good attending, but she wouldn’t grace a suicide with loving words.”

That was Theresa, and she didn’t even know the full truth.

Scott picked up his stress ball, gave it a good squeeze. “Can you believe that? That’s how she phrased it.”

“That’s messed up. Are you sure it’s not anything else? I don’t mean to pry.”

For a second, Scott thought about telling her. At least then she’d understand why he had massive bags under his eyes. And why he’d found it even more difficult today to put up with Beth Vaughn’s crap. She was one of his year eleven students and by far the most disruptive. Scott sensed she didn’t have the best home life. Like a lot of troubled kids, Beth hid behind a shield of sarcasm and cruelty to deal with it.

But he didn’t know Lauren. They weren’t friends.

“That’s it,” he said. “Trust me. That’s bad enough.”

“You can speak to me. If you need to.”

“Can I? Why?” His tone was too snappy. He couldn’t help it. “My personal problems aren’t your concern.”

“Maybe I could help.”

“With Natalie’s parents? I highly doubt that.”

Lauren fiddled with her bracelet. “You seem a little distracted today. That’s all. As long as it isn’t about the you-know-what.”

Scott looked around the room, laughing darkly when he saw they were alone and the hallway was empty; in a busy school, it was always wise to check. “Dick pic, Lauren. You can say it. I sent you a photo of my dick by accident because I’m an idiot who should’ve thought about what he was doing before he did it.”