‘Well, I…’ Moving over to the press I pull open a drawer. ‘I think I have the list here somewhere.’ I rummage through all the crap and surprise myself by finding it. Holding it out I tell her they were the people invited, but not all arrived.

‘Can you tick off family members for me?’

Well, that won’t take long, I have the smallest family in Dublin.

My hand shakes as I go through the list: Tom, myself, Ellen, Amber, the boys. Tom’s cousin Mick who always brings his kids along without the wife, and that’s it.

‘Why do you need that?’ She ignores my question, handing the list to her partner.

‘That’s all for now, Sally, thank you for your time.’

When the detectives leave the house, Amber rushes out to the hallway. ‘Well, what did they want?’ I’m not comfortable with Amber seeing all this.

‘Ah, they were just asking about the day of the party, who was here, stuff like that.’

‘Why?’

‘I wish I knew, Amber.’ Lifting her face in my hands I look her in the eye. ‘There’s nothing to worry about.’

Amber wraps her arms around me and hugs me. ‘I hope so, Mam, I really do.’

When Cian and Aaron are finally in bed and Amber has gone around to Sarah’s place, I give in and ring Tom. It’s hard to believe a man who spent the previous night being questioned in the local police station is probably now swallowing pints with his mates, like nothing happened.

I was right, he is in the pub, said he had to get out and clear his head. I didn’t bother asking him where he went today, why he left Amber with the boys. Deep down I know what his answer is and I don’t want to have to deal with it. He went to see Kenny. Can’t stay and mind his own two boys.

Maybe I’m being unreasonable. Naturally he has to go and see the boy. The kid is probably in a terrible state over his mother’s murder. But he didn’t have to go to the pub, we’re all feeling the pressure. He should have come straight home afterwards, spent time with Cian, Aaron, Amber.

Tom says he won’t be long, that he’ll be home after the match. Like I know about ‘the match,’ care about the match. I couldn’t give a bloody damn about a match. Will he ever grow up?

‘I want you home now, Tom, your real family needs you too, the cops were here asking questions.’ The anger in my voice must have frightened him, for a moment he doesn’t answer. I can hear him taking a deep breath.

‘What did they want?’

‘Just get home, I’ll tell you then.’