Bloom tutted. She’d forgotten how easily Jameson could flip from serious work mode to frivolous nonsense.

‘I mean it. He wasn’t wearing a ring. And I’m sure he had a thing for you. You should keep in touch. Look at Karene. Don’t you want a bit of that?’

‘And go through what she’s going through? No, thank you.’ Bloom fought a smile. Not because of Drummond. But because of Jameson’s tone. He was teasing her, just like he used to. Was it a slip? Or a sign of him loosening up?

14

Eighteen Months Earlier

Karene had no idea where she was. The room was dark and the iron bed frame unfamiliar. She searched for any hints, any memories of the large bay windows and smoked-glass light fittings. Then she felt the warmth of Harry’s body by her side and everything flooded back. She lay as still as she could, trying not to wake him as she replayed their evening in her mind.

She had travelled to Portsmouth on the afternoon train to find Harry waiting on the platform. He was wearing tan shorts with a blue checked shirt and deck shoes; the uniform of the off-duty naval officer. It amused Karene that those required to wear uniform for work still adhered to a set way of dressing in their free time. Part of her wanted to encourage some individuality but truthfully she found it endearing.

‘Hey, honey,’ he had said before pulling her into a long kiss.

‘I could have caught a cab,’ she said, taking his hand.

‘Every second counts.’

His apartment was in a double-fronted white building right by the coast. He had the whole of the second floor. It was furnished in neutral colours and the southern sunshine flooded the living area with a bright yellow glow. Karene deposited her bag in the spare bedroom knowing full well she had no intention of sleeping in there. But the façade seemed appropriate for what was essentially their third date.

Half an hour later they were sitting outside a seafront bar drinking.

‘Happy?’ said Harry.

‘Nah, this is rubbish.’ She placed a plump olive in her mouth. ‘So, this is your life? Seems pretty tough.’

Harry nodded, his expression grave. ‘This is why I need to be so resilient. Do you see that now?’

‘It’s becoming clearer.’ Karene sat back in her chair. ‘I never fancied living by the sea. It’s so smelly and the buildings always look a bit tragic. Then you have all the tourists crowding the place with their inappropriate clothing and their greasy chips and ice creams.’

‘Are you done insulting my home town?’

Karene laughed. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I just meant that I’m surprised by how much I love it here.’

‘You love it?’

‘Uh-huh.’