‘You’re not bad at this. You seem to know what you’re doing.’ Dana pours herself a cupful.

‘I watch my grandad a lot. Or used to. And Mum and Dad used to do a bit, too. They made me help a few times. I never used to enjoy it. But this time it was good. I feel … I don’t know…’

‘Grounded.’

‘Yeah, that’s it.’

‘Like you’ve given something back. Like you belong a bit more.’

‘Yeah. Exactly.’

Dana drinks her hot chocolate slowly, thinking something over.

‘How are you?’ I ask.

‘Fine. Why?’ Her question is accusatory, sharp.

‘Just … asking. Being polite.’

Suddenly, she turns on me. ‘Have you got any idea what you’re getting into? Who you’re hanging around with?’

‘God, will you stop going on about it?’ Dana’s constant attacks are starting to get to me. ‘Anyway, I thought you were on board with all this … stuff. He is your boyfriend, after all.’

She looks away. ‘I told you about that.’

‘About Carl? You said something about being lowered down a well.’

‘So you were listening then, that day in your room. Just…’

‘Just what?’

‘Just didn’t do anything about it.’

‘What was I supposed to do?’

The warmth of the hot chocolate is curdled by another heat, the anger rising again. ‘You’d just told me I was absolutely fine about my dad being murdered and how much you admired that.’

Dana’s testy, angular demeanour is rubbing off on me.

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘And your boyfriend had already hit me once, so I didn’t fancy another black eye. I was probably justified in having a few problems with your boyfriend on my mind.’

‘Stop calling him that. He’s not that.’

‘What? Your boyfriend? You call him that. Don’t you?’

‘You know what he’s like. You’ve seen him in action. He has a way of making you … be someone he wants you to be. Of making you … do things.’

‘So you don’t believe in what he does? In all of the—’

‘What do you think?’ Dana’s question lashes into me. ‘You think I’m one of you soldiers? Some nasty, violent kid who gets a kick out of hurting people, like Vince? Do you think I’m like his wet sack of a brother? But don’t let me stop you, “Soldier”. I bet they’re dead pleased to have you on board.’

‘I’m not on board,’ I protest.

‘You’re doing a fucking good job of pretending.’ Dana downs the rest of her drink and slams the lid back on the vacuum flask. ‘What are you doing here, Josh? Why are you spying on me? Why are you turning up to my place – my place – as if it’s yours as well? Why do you think you’re being helpful?’

‘Do you want me to go?’