His tired voice reminded him where he was. He made sure the door was locked, hurrying into the passage to pick up the travel case. Patty stood by the front gate with Misra. He waved, double-locking the front door, trundling down the path.

‘Got everything?’ she said, high-pitched and concertedly cheery. ‘No coming back if you’ve forgotten your wallet.’

The skin beneath her eyes was grey and heavy. Her strained smile made Dapo tremble, and he couldn’t hold back his tears. Misra turned away, her face hidden in her hands. He reached for Patty, pulling her close. They embraced, her slim body shaking.

‘Stop it, you,’ she said into his jacket. ‘Stop it. I won’t have any of it.’

‘Just take care of yourselves, OK?’ Dapo heard the offbeat crunch of car doors streets away. He squeezed his eyes tight.

‘You’ve got our address, right?’ Misra said. ‘I texted.’

‘I have. Now go on and don’t be silly, you two.’ She let him go, backing off, fanning herself. ‘Look after your lovely son. As soon as Charlie’s well enough, I’ll drive us.’

‘Promise?’ he said, holding her by the elbows.

‘Promise.’ She was looking at something he couldn’t track. Dapo wanted to repeat the word until she held his eye and said it properly. He couldn’t. His hands dropped to his sides.

‘All right,’ he said. ‘We love you.’

‘We love you too. Now go.’

They left her, hefting the last bags into their Honda, climbing in and wrenching doors closed. He tried not to look at the empty space where Shola’s four-door Lexus had been parked until last night, that light rectangle or the darker road around it. Nor to think about Misra’s parents, who’d encouraged them to leave. He started the engine, watching Patty in the rear-view. Misra and Iye turned, waving. Patty didn’t. She stood by her gate until their car rounded the corner.

‘Why’s Auntie Patty crying?’ Iye said, legs kicking.

‘She’s happy,’ Misra said. She opened the glove compartment, moving things around until she found tissues. ‘Sometimes adults cry when they’re happy. She’s glad we’re going to have a good time.’

‘In the night? We’ll have a good time in the night?’

‘Yes, in the night.’

‘Is Uncle Charlie happy too?’

‘Yes, he is.’

‘You know the Petries found those things in the house?’ he said, slipping into westbound traffic. Misra glared. ‘What?’

‘You know what.’

‘I’m just saying.’

‘Don’t. Please.’

He shut his mouth and drove. When he looked at Iye he was silent, body swivelled, staring out of the window.