Aifric sighed. “You look up to the detectives too much, Carrie. Don’t believe everything that comes out of their mouths, all right?”

Carrie shook her head.

“What?” Aifric said.

“What does he look like?”

“Sorry?”

“Robert Collins. What does he look like?”

“Why?”

“I just wondered. He’s a young man. You’re angry and you were picking at the lads earlier. And now again, suggesting . . . you know, that people are lying. I wondered if he reminded you of Séan.”

“For God’s sake, Carrie. Not everything is about Séan.”

“I know that. But this case . . .” She’d never known Aifric to seek out witnesses in the middle of the night before.

“Robert Collins is twenty-two years old, not seventeen. And he’s been accused of murdering his girlfriend, not a hit-and-run. And no, he doesn’t look anything like Séan, all right?”

Carrie held her hands up in defeat. “Fine. But if it has nothing to do with Séan, then I don’t understand why you are so quick to believe Collins. I know it’s your job to defend him, Aifric, but he killed his girlfriend. Beat her over the head because she didn’t want to go out with him anymore, then dropped her into the canal. And then just went about his business. For days. The only place that lad belongs is in jail, so he can’t get his hands on anyone else.”

Aifric had always been good at hiding what she really thought, even when they were kids. She did it now, turning her gray eyes to her sister, eyes that gave nothing away. “You’re very sure of things, aren’t you? You haven’t read a single page of a single statement. And yet you just believe everything they tell you.”

“And you’re telling me I shouldn’t?”

“I think . . . I don’t know what to think.” The admission was so unlike Aifric that for a moment, Carrie was stunned into silence. Aifric was sitting in the big armchair nearest the fire. She had curled her legs underneath her and hugged a cushion to her body.

“Robert Collins says he’s innocent.” She held up a hand. “I know, I know. But, Carrie, you should see the file. The evidence against him comes down to two statements. Robert says he left Laura in the bar and went straight home to bed. His roommate, a guy called Dermot Mulvaney, says that he was up all night and Robert never came home. But Robert says Dermot was asleep when he got home, and tonight I found evidence that backs up that story.”

Carrie made a face. “That evidence better be rock solid. And there must be more to the case, anyway. Charlie Sweeney didn’t charge him on the strength of one witness statement.”

“I swear to God, the only other meaningful evidence is a statement from the victim’s best friend.” Aifric frowned. “I’ve read it three times, and there’s something not right about it. Not to mention the fact that Robert says he’s never heard of the woman, never saw her with Laura, and never heard Laura talk about her.”