‘I’m … Heather doesn’t remember,’ Margot blurts out, suddenly wanting this man to know her daughter isn’t a monster. ‘I don’t understand why she’s done this. If she’s done this. There was another set of fingerprints on the gun. She’s not been charged with anything yet. She …’ Margot runs out of steam.

Norman’s eyes widen. She notices that they are a clear jade, like a tropical sea, flecked with brown. From the photographs of Clive in the newspaper, he doesn’t resemble his brother. Clive was short and squat, with grey hair and a square jaw, while Norman is long and thin and sinewy, like one of the little wooden mannequins Heather used to have in her bedroom to help her draw people in proportion.

He holds up a hand. ‘I’m just trying to understand why,’ he says sadly. He backs away, the gravel crunching under his heavy boots. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. I didn’t think.’ He retreats down the pathway until he’s swallowed into the darkness of the night.

When Jess turns up half an hour later, she’s aghast when Margot tells her of Norman’s visit.

‘Thank goodness you didn’t let him in,’ she says, taking off her coat and hanging it on the peg behind the door. Margot notices her outfit: bright turquoise tights with a blue corduroy skirt and a jumper covered with small pink pom-poms. Her clothes have always been a bit … wacky.

It cheers her to see how comfortable Jess feels in her home. ‘I felt sorry for him,’ she replies. ‘He had an aura of sadness around him. He’s just looking for answers. We all are.’

‘But to turn up here at this time of night? That’s a bit weird.’ Jess follows Margot into the kitchen and refuses the glass of wine she offers but accepts some chicken casserole that’s been in the slow cooker all day. She takes a seat at the table while Margot bustles about with plates and cutlery, making sure to leave enough food for when Adam gets home later.

‘He said he was in the area,’ she says, as she hands a plate of casserole and vegetables to Jess.

Jess takes it with thanks. ‘This smells delicious.’

Margot scoops some out for herself and sits opposite Jess at the table.

‘I bumped into Norman earlier while I was doing some digging on Clive. I found out a few things about him. Like he was banned from the local pub for drug-dealing.’

Margot’s mouth falls open. ‘What?’