‘Saoirse O’Neill…’ Holding out her hand she takes mine. ‘It’s terrible, isn’t it?’ she says. ‘The poor child, imagine losing your mother at such a young age and in such horrific circumstances.’

‘It is,’ I say, wondering is this a tactic. Does she know I lost my mother at a young age? If Tom has told her anything about me I will kill him.

‘Tom tells me you’re not too happy about helping Kenny out for a while.’ So Tom has decided to put all this on me. What happened to us both agreeing it was a bad idea?

‘No, I’m not, I don’t think it’s a good idea.’ The waiter arrives and puts the two cups down on the table. Saoirse lifts her hand almost shooing him away.

‘Thanks,’ I say as he walks away.

‘I totally understand your concerns, Sally, it’s a very hard thing Tom is asking you to do.’ What does she mean Tom is asking me to do? She is asking me to do it. Tom was on my side until she got her hands on him.

‘Sorry – eh, Saoirse, is it? Are you saying Tom wants to take Kenny to live with us, because that’s not what he told me?’

‘I did get the impression he would like to help his son, yes.’

‘There’s helping and there’s helping. Uprooting our whole family life is not an option – we don’t even know this young man. Sure, for all I know he could have killed his mother.’

‘There’s no need for that, Sally?’

‘Why… do you know who did it?’

‘Kenny is in a terrible state over the murder of his mother, Sally. He is helping the police with their enquiries but he is not a suspect.’ She’s talking in a soft tone and staring at me with a gentle smile on her face like she feels sorry for me, like I’m a fool who just said the worst thing in the world. I’m not listening to any more of this crap.

‘Saoirse, it’s been lovely to meet you but I have to go now. The children I am responsible for are waiting for me.’ I stand up and button my coat, the coffee hasn’t been touched.

‘I’ll make arrangements for you to meet Kenny as soon as possible. You can see for yourself what a lovely boy he is?’

‘I have to go, have to pick up the kids, goodbye.’

Heading for the exit, I try to ignore her voice calling after me. ‘I’ll be in touch with the details.’