The lift took Carla to the fifth floor and tiny signs directed her to Gerry’s ward. Nurses were chatting at the nurses’ station, not bothering to look up as she walked past one bay after another, bedsides beeping, patient belongings scattered across movable cabinets, wipe boards scribbled with words dictating what could be eaten and when.

Gerry was the third bay down and furthest from the corridor. Half a curtain was drawn across his bed, light from the television printing colour onto its light blue material; the table by the foot of the bed, empty. Because, of course, who was there to bring him food now?

Gerry’s eyes were closed, his head heavily bandaged, face pale and sallow. She took a seat by the open window, glad of the light breeze, and took his hand. It was warm, sweaty. She held it for a few seconds, remembering the Gerry she’d thought she’d known, remembering the jokes he’d made and the warmth he’d shown her. All of which turned out to be a lie.

She squeezed his hand until his eyes flickered open.

‘Hey.’

He looked at her, surprise showing in his face before it was wiped off by pain. He managed a slight smile and a squeeze of her hand in return.

‘Thanks for coming. I didn’t think you would.’

‘I almost didn’t. Bremer persuaded me to.’

‘Ha. Never thought I’d have anything to thank that man for.’ He closed his eyes with the effort of speaking. ‘I thought once you’d found out my lies you wouldn’t want anything more to do with me.’

They sat for a moment, Carla’s hand on his.

‘Why did you lie?’

He opened his eyes. ‘It’s hard to explain.’

‘Try.’

‘When I first met Mary she was terrified. And in my own way, I was too.’ He closed his eyes. ‘My mum had abandoned me at birth and I didn’t get the best foster homes, so when I joined the police it felt like I’d found a family. I wanted the same chance for her. In one instant I made a stupid choice and all the ones I made afterwards stemmed from that.’

He paused, eyes still shut. ‘I’m not trying to make excuses. Just to explain.’

Carla nodded. ‘Go on.’

‘So we picked a new name. Eve.’ His breathing was heavy. ‘So she could still have a bit of Aoife with her, and it was fine for years. She worked hard to make a good life and her achievements astonished me. Her ability to do anything she put her mind to.’ He opened his eyes and looked at Carla. ‘Whatever happened and however wrong it was, she is a force of nature.’

‘Why a pathologist, though? Surely it would have been better to keep her head down rather than run head first into a role that put her in daily contact with the police?’