Greenhaisen floundered for a reply, his lips twitching. ‘Of course – I mean – of course, please take your time, these are important decisions.’

‘Yes,’ Grace said. ‘They are.’

He felt tears welling up. He stood, shook hands with Greenhaisen, thanked him with a faltering voice and turned away.

69

Friday 6 September

Roy and Cleo arrived home shortly after 1 p.m., to be greeted by Humphrey holding another of his collection of ragged stuffed toys in his mouth – with half the stuffing gone, like most of them. He was wagging his tail but seemed more subdued than usual. Grace knelt and hugged him. ‘Brought me a gift, have you, fellow? Thank you.’

Humphrey dropped it, a small bear with both eyes missing that had once been Noah’s before he’d appropriated it, then looked at him, a tad balefully. Did he sense something? Roy suddenly remembered a book Cleo had given him for his birthday last year, a volume of short stories titled Explaining Death to the Dog. Did this creature understand something? That Bruno wasn’t coming home again?

Roy heard beeps and tings and a series of quacks and grunting sounds coming from the lounge – Noah was active in his play area, with his noise-maker toy.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kaitlynn approach. ‘I thought you guys might be hungry,’ she said gently in her Californian accent. ‘I’ve done you a tuna salad and I found some bagels in the freezer which I thought I’d toast to go with it. There’s no need to speak, I know how hard this is for you both. Just know I’m here and can help when you need.’

‘Thanks,’ Cleo said, ‘that’s really thoughtful of you.’

Roy stood up and smiled his thanks, not trusting his voice.

‘I’ve taken Noah and Humphrey for a good walk, so you don’t need to worry about Humphrey for a while,’ she added.

‘Just going to go up to Bruno’s room,’ Roy said to Cleo. ‘See what I can find for some ideas for his—’

‘I’ll come up with you,’ she said, and turned to Kaitlynn. ‘Lunch in ten?’

‘Sure, tell me when you’re ready. You OK?’

Cleo nodded and said in a quiet voice, ‘Yeah, thanks, trying to hold it together – we just feel like we’re in a daze.’

They went upstairs and entered Bruno’s immaculate bedroom. His trainers, football boots and shoes all neatly in a row in front of his white wardrobe. Grace looked at the two posters of Bayern Munich football team on the wall. Alongside them was a large photograph of his local hero, the German footballer Pascal Groß, who had joined Brighton and Hove Albion and was dressed in the team’s blue-and-white strip. Below, sat a red model Porsche Turbo on a shelf beside a row of books and computer games.

‘I’m pleased we can have his coffin printed in the Bayern Munich colours,’ Cleo said.

Roy’s reply was interrupted by his job phone ringing.