‘In which case I will.’ She smiled. ‘I really appreciate having you to talk to about all this. I’d have talked to Amy but she hasn’t met Leo and she would probably just see him as a good-looking older man, perfect for my mum. And if I said anything against him she’d just think I was jealous, or that I wanted to be the only one with a presentable boyfriend.’

He grinned. ‘Glad to know you think I’m presentable.’

‘Obviously I’m bigging you up a bit for friendship’s sake,’ said Helena, smiling back at him. ‘Were you going to get wine?’

‘I was and I am.’ A few minutes later he handed her a large glass of red. ‘I hope you like it.’

‘What we have to wonder is would Leo like this wine? He’s obviously a bit of an expert,’ said Helena.

‘I don’t actually care if he likes it or not. But I want you to have something you like. Then we have to find a solution to your problem.’

‘Oh, that’s delicious!’ said Helena, having taken a sip. She was finding Jago very easy to talk to and the wine would make him even more so. ‘I’m not sure we can find a solution. It happened such a long time ago.’

‘I have some contacts that might make it possible. Can you give me the details of the road, the day, and the time of your near miss?’

‘Yes I can.’

‘Well, that is amazing! Do your superpowers mean you remember dates as well?’

‘Not the super-recogniser one, no, but the other one.’ She paused for effect, enjoying the fascination in his expression.

‘You have two?’

‘I kept a diary so we know the date and we can work out the road because of where we going.’ She felt very smug. Being a super-recogniser was interesting and rare but it was a God-given talent. Keeping a diary meant effort.

‘So why did you keep a diary? Or is it something all girls do?’

‘I did it because the recognising thing made me different at school and I was bullied a bit. It’s why I don’t tell everyone – anyone really – unless I have to. The diary was my friend. I had Amy, of course, but I put more in my diary than I told her.’

He nodded. ‘After all, you couldn’t expect Amy to care what the date was when you went—’

‘—to visit my bro at university,’ she finished.

He got up and fetched the bottle of wine. When he had topped up their glasses he said, ‘Why don’t you give me all the info and let me see what I can find out?’

It took Helena a few moments to grasp what he was offering but much longer to think what to reply. ‘The thing is, Jago, I’m not used to other people dealing with my problems.’