‘You think Andrew wouldn’t do that? You really don’t know my husband. He’d say I couldn’t possibly look after Niamh if I’m about to have surgery and all the follow-up treatment – on top of everything else.’ She sighs. ‘It’s true I went to pieces after Dylan died. Andrew has kept it out of my medical records, so far … but he said that if he wanted to, he could tell the airline enough that I’d lose my job.’ For the first time, she looks directly at me. ‘Basically, my husband’s been blackmailing me.’ She pauses, swallowing. ‘And I’ve let him.’

It might sound implausible to anyone who didn’t know them, but I can all too easily imagine Andrew Buckley’s exaggerated account of the problems his wife has, no doubt most of them caused by years of his abuse. Shaking her head, Elise changes the subject. ‘This is what I wanted to show you.’ She passes me an envelope.

Inside there’s a single piece of paper. Taking it out, I unfold it, feeling a sense of shock as I read it, the missing pieces falling into place at last, as I discover the reason behind Dylan’s death and Hollie’s behaviour, why Andrew Buckley had to force Hollie and Dylan apart.

It was nothing to do with Hollie’s problems. It’s to do with an affair Andrew Buckley had, years ago. With Hollie’s mother, Kathryn.

Hollie Hampton was Andrew Buckley’s daughter.

I look at Elise in disbelief. ‘You didn’t know?’

She shakes her head. ‘I had no idea. But I’d no idea the bastard was shagging Stephanie, either. It’s ironic, because we moved here to make a fresh start after Andrew had been having an affair – it must have been soon after that he met Kathryn.’

‘Where did you find this?’

‘Niamh had it. She has a collection of things that were Dylan’s. It was among them.’

‘She knows you’re showing me this?’

A new calm seems to have come over Elise. As she nods, I ask, ‘Is she here?’

Elise glances towards the door. ‘She’s upstairs. I’ll call her.’

She goes to the stairs to call her daughter and I think of Niamh, keeping her secret all this time, determined to protect her mother. When Elise comes back to the kitchen, she looks exhausted. ‘Niamh was worried what it would do to you if you found out.’

‘Yes.’

As Niamh comes in, her expression is wary as she looks at me. ‘I should have shown you before.’ She glances anxiously at Elise.