That was true. Mac hadn’t even got drunk at his own stag weekend. It was small comfort. ‘I’m just … rocked by this,’ Grady muttered. He glugged down the remainder of his beer and reached for another, ignoring the knowledge that it was alcohol that had fuelled that long-ago attack. ‘Thanks for finally coming clean but, fuck you, Mac. I could throttle you.’

They sat in silence, Grady rerunning what Mac had told him, struggling to comprehend how quickly drunken ragging had turned into sexual assault, sickened that the brother he’d looked up to could get sucked into it. ‘It’s no wonder Laurel stopped talking to me,’ he rasped. ‘If I hadn’t bust my ankle, I would have been with her that night, walking her home.’

‘I wish you had been,’ Mac whispered.

He fidgeted with his can and sent Grady a sidelong glance. ‘She could still press charges against me, you know. Time doesn’t run out on complaints like that. She could lose me my job and probably my marriage.’ His voice was flat, not suggesting he should be pitied or assisted, just reporting the stark facts in a starkly factual way.

Images of Niall and Tonya flashed into Grady’s brain. He’d always envied Mac his happy little family and couldn’t bear to think of his nephew and sister-in-law being hurt. ‘You stupid bastard,’ he said, bitterly.

One thing was certain, he couldn’t face Laurel until he’d had time to process. He took out his phone and texted her. Sorry, can’t make Saturday. Family situation. I won’t be home so happy for you to come into my workshop and begin on Christmas scene. There’s a key safe by the back door, PIN 161220. He paused, looking at his own words and wondering, dully, how they’d be received. He added: I’m very sorry about the date.

Sending the text felt like the end of something good. His heart felt as heavy as rock, especially when he received in reply: I understand. Hope everything’s OK.

Mac watched Grady’s actions through dull eyes. ‘Who sent you the message telling you about me and Laurel?’

‘Francesca. Ruben’s ex-wife. I can’t work out why, really, unless she’s one of those people who think divorce is an excuse to hurl shit in all directions.’ Grady passed Mac his phone, open at the messages.

As he read, Mac shook his head. ‘It’s ages since I heard from Ruben and didn’t know he’d been married. I don’t really know why his ex would do this. What axe does she have to grind? And why approach you, particularly?’

‘People are complex.’ Grady rubbed tired eyes. ‘Maybe her reasons will become clear one day.’