I woke at first light and my first thought was that I would get myself a bedside table just like this one for the flat. David was sleeping, and I crept about among the furniture, trying to find my phone. When I found it, I had the urge to stuff it down the back of a sofa and be done with it forever. Instead, I turned it on reluctantly. Oliver had sent a string of increasingly irate texts and Hutchinson had called eleven times. There was also a message from a caller who’d withheld their number. I perched on the wing of an armchair and listened to the recording, waiting for the message. For the first few moments … nothing. Silence, an open line, and then, Peter’s voice.

“Andy, it’s me. Please stop looking for me. Please. I’m fine. I just need some time. I’m in the States but I’ll be back in a few weeks. I’ll be in touch, okay?”

I heard a faint sound in the background, faint but discernible. There was no mistaking it. Peter heard it too, because his voice changed, unmasked itself. “Please Andy. I got your message. None of it was your fault. I’ve done something. It’s a good thing but you mustn’t look for me anymore. Don’t … don’t come here.”

But I had always looked after Peter. In my way. I couldn’t hear his warning, only registered the fact that Peter was scared. Peter was being threatened, and my heart roared, blocking out all reason.

It was bells I heard. Church bells pealing, and among them that one booming flat. I would have known them anywhere. Clever Peter, but not clever enough.

David opened his eyes as I was putting on my coat. Once I had liked waking him up, liked watching him swim back to me.

“Popping out for a packet of cigarettes, Andy?”

“Off to see a man about a dog.”

“Don’t go—”

“Peter called. He’s gone home. But there’s something wrong.”

A pause. “I suppose it is your turn. To disappear.” I sat down for a moment and took up his hand. “I didn’t call it, but I remember it. I wish I had, you know, if it makes any difference,” David said.

“What?”

“The number. The red phone box. 4203417.”

CHAPTER 18

HOMECOMING

At the airport, the floods had been cleared from the runways and planes were leaving again. The London flights were booked out, so I bought a seat on the next plane to Bristol. Once past security, I scurried to the gate to make it in time. As the flight attendant performed the pantomime with the life vest, my eyes were already closing. When I awoke, we were coming down through thick clouds.