“I didn’t say it was. I’m just asking where you went,” I said, only to feel unreasonable. “No, I know that. I’m asking why you did.”

“You know,” Roy said from the kitchen doorway, and turned his stare along the hall. “He knows.”

“What on earth do you think you’re—” My protest faltered as Bella appeared beside him, and I didn’t know whether I was apologising or complaining as I said “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sorry, Patrick. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“You’re doing nothing of the kind. You’re involved.”

As Bella risked a smile smaller than her mouth, Roy said “How do you know where we were? Have you been tracking my phone?”

“I wouldn’t know how. The lady from the cottage was in touch.”

“Who, that old bitch who didn’t try and save your aunt?”

“Roy, even if that’s fair I don’t think you should—”

“She lives in one of those cottages you liked,” Roy was already telling Bella. “The ones you said show you can’t kill the past.”

“Maybe that’s why Thelma went there.”

“Could have been,” Roy said and turned on me. “So why was the old, why was she telling tales on us?”

“She didn’t seem too pleased we were there, if you remember. She mustn’t have liked you going back.”

“Nothing to do with her. She doesn’t own the place.”

“Are you going to tell me why you were there? We’d already seen there was nothing worth the trip.”

“It was my idea, Patrick.”

“To do what, Bella?”

“To try and see what Thelma saw. She was always trying to see further.”

“There’s a lot that doesn’t explain. She took some items from her studio with her.”

“She must have meant to start work on something.”

“Not that kind of item. Jars of nothing much.” As Bella gave me an oddly remonstrative look I said “The lady from the cottage says Thelma dropped them off the roof and then went after them.”

“I can’t tell you anything about that, Patrick.”

“I wouldn’t expect it.” I felt unhappy for catching them out as I said “The lady also says you and Roy were searching for something outside.”

“Shit, was she spying on us the whole time?” As I let Roy’s first word pass unrebuked, not that Julia would have, he said “Bell dropped it while we were looking over.”

“Is it a secret?”

“I wouldn’t keep that kind,” Bella said. “It was my earring.”

Though her hair was concealing her ears, I knew how small the lobes were. “I didn’t know you wore them.”

“I just can.” She swept a blond lock back from her left ear. “It was one of these,” she said. “Roy bought them for me.”