‘You know, there are children. In camps. Who do not know who they are. What or where their country was … living this …’

‘Half-life?’ suggested Nefyn.

‘Yes. War is their whole story.’

Nefyn shuffled off the chair. Went to sit on the blanket on the floor beside him. Rested her head on his shoulder.

‘You’ll find him.’

Hamza closed his eyes. Put his hand over Nefyn’s. A sudden fear overwhelming him.

‘Come with me,’ he said.

Nefyn smiled. He opened his eyes. Turned to face her.

‘You can’t stay here. Not with Joseph.’

He pushed her hair behind her ear. Nefyn caught his hand, laid it on her lap. Looked at it. Shook her head.

‘But why?’

‘I can’t leave.’

‘We could find a house. By the sea. We could find Hussein. We could be together.’

Nefyn let him talk.

‘We could hide away and no one would know.’

Nefyn placed her hand over his mouth, her eyes darkening with tears.

‘Stop,’ she said, her voice tight in her throat, ‘stop.’

Then he held her. Closed his eyes. Nefyn stared over his shoulder, her dark eyes wide.

‘It’s a good story,’ she said.

‘Yes,’ he said, his voice deep, ‘yes, it is.’

The report clearly stated that Owens must have entered the water in the three-mile range south of the military base. His next of kin had been informed. The most likely point of entry into the water was a small cove. No trauma injuries or sign of a fall or an attack were found, suggesting that the most likely cause of death was suicide. The toxicology report noted substantial levels of alcohol and marijuana, which would have hastened his death and made swimming more difficult.

The Lieutenant Colonel had read the report and closed the file. He sat, his hands spread palms down on the table in front of him, before calling the DCI to ask him to make discreet enquiries at any properties near the cove. They should ask whether anyone had seen anything. If anyone had been in contact with the deceased before he had entered the water.

Within a couple of hours, two police officers had been dispatched. They took the winding coastal road out of the village. They parked, and walked the path into the cove. It was getting dark, and there was nothing to see. They looked into the boatshed, too. Some tools. Ongoing work on an old boat, nothing that you wouldn’t expect to see on the coast. By the time they reached the top of the path once more, they were both breathing hard. They looked towards the small cottage balancing on the cliff.