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Maria shook her head. ‘I think everything built up in his head and he exploded. But I believe it was less in anger and mostly about protecting you. I gave a half-truth for your son, but the shock was genuine on all our faces and I think the inspector saw that. I don’t know if he smells anything amiss, but he gave no indication of that to me. And Leni, it sounds like Lawrenz was in a whole world of trouble that would have come to your doorstep and profoundly affected Danjel’s future.’ She searched Valentina’s face. ‘Your job now is to take care of Danjel. Tell him his father was already falling, and his part was small, if it mattered at all. His father died of an accident. That’s it!’

‘You’re right.’ Valentina breathed shallowly. She was starting to return to herself, and it was starting to sink in that Lawrenz was gone. Truly gone.

‘Pull yourself together now,’ Maria said. ‘There will be more questions, more police visits, a funeral to organise and attend, but we’re all agreed. This was a tragic – fortunate – accident.’

There was a knock at the door. ‘I’ll go,’ Maria said.

Valentina heard muffled voices at the doorway and then Peter was standing there.

‘Maria’s gone – she said she’ll check in later. And I saw Danjel.’

‘Did you speak to him?’

He shook his head. ‘He was with a mate. How is he?’

‘Shocked, like all of us.’ Valentina walked over to the window where just days ago she’d kissed this man with a passion she’d never felt for Lawrenz.

It was as though he heard her thought; suddenly his arms were around her, but he didn’t kiss her. He simply held her, and it was exactly what she needed.

‘I’m so sorry, Valentina,’ he murmured against her shoulder.

‘I’m not. That makes me callous, doesn’t it?’

She felt him shake his head gently. ‘No. It makes you human. Lawrenz was an ugly person who seemed to hate himself as much as everyone else. I don’t know why, when he had so much that others didn’t. It was as though his mind lacked some essential component that gave him affection, love, joy… I don’t know. I barely knew him.’

‘I believe he had a mental illness. But you know what he did to me, and to Danjel. Nothing excuses that.’

‘Yes, and for that I shall not mourn his loss.’ He pulled back to look at her. ‘I need to tell you something.’

She frowned.

‘I think Inspector Vella suspects something about today.’

She gasped, eyes widening in horror.

‘No, it’s all right. He suspects, but I don’t think he’s going to do anything, especially with a reputable local witness like Maria holding to her story. Listen to me. Clearly Lawrenz was in trouble. Apparently they received a tip-off?’

‘What?’ Her heart was hammering again.

‘I don’t know the circumstances – he didn’t say. Do you think his brother would…?’

Valentina shook her head. ‘Robertu doesn’t like Lawrenz, but they’re blood. You don’t offer your kin up like that.’

‘No, I suppose not. But who…?’

‘He’s obviously involved with some bad people in Marseille,’ Valentina said. ‘Perhaps one of them…’ She shrugged. ‘What else did the inspector say?’

‘Nothing much. I got the impression that he knows you are not complicit in any of Lawrenz’s criminal dealings, but he can’t quite work out if you were complicit in his death. But he hardly believes we’re all murderers. Maria is the key; she gave the answer first, so now we support that. If we all stick to the story of the fall – which it was – then Danjel is safe.’

‘Yes… yes, Maria said the same thing.’

‘You must not waver. You and Danjel are victims here. You’ve been imprisoned by Lawrenz for long enough, and you and Danjel need a chance for a fresh start in life.’

‘This is true. I just have to move past the shock.’

Peter squeezed her hand. ‘It’s all right to be shocked, to be sad even. But Lawrenz’s actions were not your fault, and certainly not his son’s, who was essentially in a situation of self-defence.’

‘Thank you for being so kind to us, Peter.’ She found a smile as she gazed at his handsome face.