After what? So many things had happened.

She lowered her voice to a whisper: ‘Jack?’

‘Ah, the town grapevine.’

Norma looked embarrassed. ‘I didn’t mean to …’

‘No, it’s okay.’ I felt awful for making Norma feel bad. ‘It’s just that I know there will be a lot of people around here who’ll see this as a tragedy.’

Norma reached out and took my hand. ‘But not you and not me.’ Her look was one of solidarity.

As I was thanking her, Crystal reappeared and we headed off to the car.

We buckled up and moved off down the main street. I was trying to think of the best way to start the conversation when Crystal beat me to it.

‘You need to talk to me about something, don’t you?’ Her voice was curious.

‘It’s nothing you’ve done,’ I assured her quickly.

‘Phew!’ She laughed.

Turning onto the road that would take us to the Mowbray house, I said, ‘I need to talk to you about your parents.’ I glanced at her to gauge her reaction.

She was staring straight ahead.

‘I know the truth,’ she blurted.

She caught me off guard. ‘The truth?’

‘Ever heard of Google?’

I nodded. She’d googled. Of course she had. ‘How long have you known?’

‘Like, when I was in year three. We had to do our family tree for a project. I tried to talk to Russell but, as usual, he shut me down. So I went on my school iPad and …’

‘Googled.’

‘Yep.’

‘Why didn’t you tell him you knew?’

She shrugged. ‘I didn’t want to make him sad.’

‘You wanted to protect him?’

She nodded. ‘Him. And everyone else. Teachers. Other kids’ parents. It’s weird, because adults are so careful never to mention it in front of me, but they forget kids talk too. You think no other kid has ever said, “Your dad killed your mum, nah-nah ne nah-nah”?’

‘Oh God! That’s terrible!’

To my surprise, Crystal laughed. ‘I guess. But it’s just what some kids do. Believe me, I’m used to it.’

Suddenly Crystal made sense. The shoplifting, the tough exterior. Russell had told me she had a history of getting into fights at school. Here was this kid carrying this huge burden that she couldn’t share because she wanted to protect the people who were trying to protect her.

I pulled the car into the driveway.

‘Just tell me one thing,’ Crystal said, turning to me as I turned off the engine. ‘Do you know why my dad killed my mum?’ Her eyes glistened. Maybe I was the first one she could ever ask.

‘Crystal, I actually knew your dad when he was little. And you know what? I’m not sure he did do it.’

Tears welled in her eyes. ‘Really?’ she said in a voice no more than a whisper.

‘I’m going to look into it.’

‘Promise?’