Page 103 of The Family Remains

‘Just to see Phineas?’

‘Yes.’

‘And? Have they seen him?’

‘Not as far as I’m aware.’

I shift my position. This still makes no real sense. ‘I understand that your brother, Henry—’

‘He’s not my brother, he’s my uncle.’

‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Of course. Your uncle. I understand that he was infatuated with Phineas. When they were children. To the extent of changing his appearance to make him look more like Phineas? And now of changing his entire identity?’

‘I have no idea. I wasn’t there.’

‘No. No, of course you weren’t. When did you first meet them? Your mother, your uncle?’

‘Last year. Around about this time. A few weeks after my birthday.’

‘And before that you didn’t know about them?’

‘Well, no. Only what I’d read in Miller’s article. I mean, I knew they’d existed once. But that was all I knew. And then one day after I inherited the house, I came to visit it and Henry was there. And then Lucy came and since then – well, they’re just family now. They’re just a part of me.’

‘And do they ever talk to you, of what happened in that house? Of the abuse?’

‘Not really.’

‘Not really?’

‘I mean, I know that things were difficult. I know that it wasn’t a dream childhood, for any of them. But they haven’t gone into detail about it.’

I sigh. ‘Miss Jones, before I let you go, can I ask you – why all the lies? What are you trying to protect your uncle and mother from?’

‘I wasn’t trying to protect them. I just didn’t want – I don’t know. They’ve been running scared their entire lives. Since they were children. Running.’

Libby Jones is crying, and Miller Roe has his arms around her and is pulling her into his big chest. He looks at me angrily.

‘I think we’re done here,’ he says.

‘Yes. I agree. We are done here. I am sorry to have upset you, Miss Jones. But what we mustn’t forget, whatever the truth of this situation, a young woman was killed in that house. Violently killed. This must remain the focus and I will keep making people cry for as long as it takes to find out who did it and why.’