He took the carrier bag when I held it out and stowed it under his arm, the movement releasing a powerful wave of stale-sweat stench. With his head bent, Colin meekly allowed me to steer him out into the yard. The sun’s force was like a battering ram. Since he seemed submissive I led Colin on towards the street entry at the side of Penny’s house. When I glanced back I saw that Penny and Andy had moved as one to the bindery door, to keep me in sight.

‘You’ve already got your beautiful book,’ I reminded him. ‘Your mum must have been impressed with that.’

At the gate, Colin pointed down the road. ‘There’s my bus.’

‘Don’t miss it. You never know these days when there’ll be another one along.’

He hesitated, then looked at the back door of the house. ‘Where’s that kiddie of yours?’

‘She’s not mine. She and her mum moved away.’

Colin peered down at me. His moist lower lip protruded and he looked genuinely concerned and upset. ‘Oh, dear. That’s a pity. You must miss her.’

‘Yes. Quick, here comes the bus. Bye now, Colin.’

He shambled into the middle of the the road, first causing the bus to brake and then taking the opportunity to wave the driver in to the stop opposite the house. I waited until he had lumbered on board and the doors had hissed shut behind him.

Penny and Andy watched me come back down the yard.

‘Was it just me, or did our Colin seem rather sinister today?’ I asked.

‘It’s the heat. Makes everyone weird,’ Andy judged.

We went back to work. The tasks I had to complete were unenticing and the atmosphere in the bindery was depressed. Penny hardly spoke at all and Andy objected to whichever CD I chose to play. The scorching day dragged and I was relieved when it was finally time to go home. I was looking forward to spending the evening with Jack. We were going to talk about his father and the new baby, and I’d tell him about Mr Rainbird and me so that he wouldn’t need to feel that I was keeping secrets from him.

I got in at ten past six to find the house empty and close-smelling. I went round opening the windows and the garden doors. The air outside was no fresher than what had been trapped inside, but it seemed worth making the exchange. At half past six I went out and sat in a deckchair in the garden to wait for Jack. I had a slight headache so I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.