‘Spy on me, more like. It’ll be bad enough having Will there, watching my every move.’

‘He loves you.’

He sighs. ‘That he does. That’s the worst thing about all of this. I feel so guilty for what I’m putting him through. He’s got his own life; he doesn’t need to be worrying about me.’

‘I’m not sure your recent actions are going to help stop him from worrying about you,’ I can’t help reminding him.

‘Yes, yes. Like I said, it was a moment of madness that I regret. Now, how are you at crosswords?’

‘Hopeless. I can just about manage a word search when I’m on holiday, but crosswords elude me.’

He smiles. ‘My wife was the same, but they’re not as hard as they seem. You just have to understand how they work. Would you like to help me finish this one?’

‘I’m not sure I’ll be any use.’

‘We won’t know unless we try, will we?’

‘Can I ask a controversial question?’ I ask him some time later. The crossword is finished and we’ve been sitting in surprisingly companionable silence for a while. I’m not sure I’m any closer to understanding how crosswords work, but it’s been a welcome distraction from everything else in my head and I’m surprised how comfortable I feel around Mr Barwell.

‘Is that allowed?’ he replies with a smile.

‘I’m not on duty, remember.’

‘Go on then.’

‘How do you think your wife’s death affected Will?’

To my surprise, the question completely floors him and he stares at me with those extraordinary eyes for what seems like an age before answering.

‘Do you know,’ he says eventually, ‘I never thought about it. I’ve been so caught up in my own grief that I never stopped to think that he’d be grieving too. God, what a selfish old bastard I’ve been.’

‘I don’t think you’re selfish,’ I reassure him. ‘Will told me that you were the full-time carer for your wife in her final years. She was your whole life and, even though her illness would have been progressive, it would still have been a massive shock when she passed. I think the fact that you’re here speaks to that. So it’s not altogether surprising that you might not have had the mental capacity to think about Will as well. But maybe this time together will be good for both of you. You can support each other.’

He considers it for a moment. ‘Hmm. I’m not really one for navel-gazing and group hugs.’