She pulled on her collar again. ‘He knew. And even if he hadn’t, I was way too drunk to consent. Again, Ali, I know you’re not thinking straight, but hear what you’re saying. You. I was drunk and maybe I wanted it because we slept together before? Come on.’

‘You’re saying you slept together for years! Twenty-five years, behind my back!’ It burst out of me. ‘What the hell?’ Did I even believe her? Mike had said just one time.

‘I know.’ She looked at the floor again. ‘I should say sorry, I know that. And I am sorry for hurting you. God, I’d never want to hurt you, not ever. You’re . . . But there was just this thing, between us, this terrible dark thing that I couldn’t stop. We’d try but it . . . it always came back. Sooner or later. From the moment we met, that’s how it was, and I watched him with you all these years, and I didn’t say anything because I loved you too.’

‘Not enough not to sleep with my husband.’ I was crying now, tears falling on to my already damp robe, and Karen was screwing up her face, wiping the back of her hand over her eyes.

‘I know. I know. There’s nothing I can say. But none of that means this didn’t happen. Believe me, I wish it hadn’t.’ Her voice broke. ‘I don’t feel safe anywhere. Not in bed, not in an interview room. I can’t sleep or eat or even lie down and I . . . I don’t know if I ever will again. He took that.’

‘What do you want?’ I said desperately. ‘Why did you come here? I’m sorry that you’re hurt, truly I am, and I wish I could help, but how can I? What am I supposed to do?’

‘I came for Jake.’

Then, I understood what she wanted from me. ‘I can’t . . . even if . . . Karen, it’s not up to us. The police actually saw it happen. He’ll get done for assault.’

‘They’re saying attempted murder. You know how long you get for that? A life sentence, could be. He’s only seventeen, Ali, but they could try him as an adult. You could – you could say that’s not what you want. Say he’s not like this, not normally. He’s a good boy, he’s not dangerous. Or that it was an accident, he didn’t mean to hurt Mike. He just slipped.’

I hesitated. ‘But Karen, you know that’s not true. You were worried yourself. Remember?’ A few years ago, she’d taken Jake to a psychiatrist, concerned about the amount of time he spent in his room, his lack of friends, his sullen manner.

She recoiled. ‘That’s not fair! It’s a totally different thing. He’s never been violent.’