‘What will you have to drink? I’ve roasted a chicken.’

They agree on wine. Freya offers to drive and Robin’s relieved. He’d fancied more than one tonight. They sit on the comfy sofas, glasses in hand, and talk inevitably turns to Finn and Josie. Sandra’s been speaking to Josie every day, but she’s worried about how she’s coping.

‘She’s barely sleeping, Robin,’ Sandra says. ‘All she’s ever lived for is that boy, and now he’s in trouble.’ She shakes her head sadly. ‘I’m worried about them both. So how bad is it looking for Finn?’

Robin catches a look from Freya. But there’s no point in lying. ‘It’s not good,’ he replies. ‘They have a substantial amount of evidence pointing towards Sharp’s death being carried out by Finn.’ He sees Sandra about to say something. ‘Whether he meant to or not. Finn and Sharp were the only two in that van. Footage from the outside shows nobody else arriving after the cameraman left. And with Finn still in hospital, we’re in a catch-22 situation. Nobody knows what happened, except him. He gets better, and they’ll interview him then charge him. He stays ill, and we’ll never find out.’

There’s a long pause while they all take a sip from their drinks. The wine has gone straight to Robin’s head on his empty stomach, but he appreciates the bit of anaesthesia.

‘What happens…’ Sandra starts. ‘What happens if he doesn’t get better?’

Robin sighs. ‘A doctor will need to assess if he’s fit to stand trial. And if not, my best guess is he’ll end up in a secure unit.’

‘For how long?’

‘For as long as he needs.’

The room plunges into silence again. Sandra isn’t as close to the realities of policing as Robin or Freya, but she’s realised. One way or the other, Finn’s in a prison.

His life, as he knew it, is over.

35

Robin’s given Freya the headlines from the case against Finn, but hearing him laying it all out for Sandra is sobering. She knows, as well as Robin does, that there is no good news here.

Fortunately, the oven timer rings, disturbing them all from their silence, and Sandra stands up. She shakes her head, as if the physical movement could obliterate the bad feeling in the room.

‘Come on, both of you,’ she says. ‘Let’s eat.’

The roast chicken and crisp potatoes are the best meal Freya has eaten in a long time. And, with the delicious food, the mood has changed. Sandra has been happily telling Freya about what it was like living between the Butlers and the Masons. Freya laughing in response, Robin shaking his head, good-natured, as Sandra tells her stories.