The copper looked strained and tired. He’d clearly been through this spiel a hundred times already, and no doubt had the same reaction from every driver.

Ted said, “Let me talk to your commander.”

“The super? I don’t think that’s necessary, sir. If you’ll just—”

From his chest pocket Ted dug out his old warrant card, now — melodramatically — stained by blood. “I can help, son. I won’t cause you grief.”

The copper hesitated. “Come with me.”

Ted beckoned to Jack, and then clambered out of the car.

So they walked through the traffic, Ted leaning on the copper’s arm, clutching Jack’s hand, all three moving at the stately pace enforced by Ted’s weakness. There were coppers everywhere, trying to get irate drivers to cool down and be patient.

…You’re telling me I’ve got to leave my car up there? What gash is this? I’ve got three kids here. How am I going to carry this luggage? Are you going to help me?…

…Why do I have to go to the Rest Centre? I have a sister in Prestonpans. If I can get to her house…

…You guys don’t know what you’re doing. Do you? You don’t fucking know…

The control centre had been set up on the roundabout itself, in the back of a police Land Rover which had been bumped onto the grass, leaving untidy scuff marks. The local commander turned out to be a superintendent, a thin, forty-ish man surrounded by a ring of officers, and beyond that by a wider, untidy crowd of irate drivers There were maps of the area opened over the back of the Rover, Emergency Procedures Manuals spread out on the grass.

The atmosphere was tense: the crackle of lapel radios, officers watching the crowd nervously, eyes sharp.

Ted knew that look well. Trouble brewing.

With an effort, Ted’s tame copper got him through to the centre of things.

Finally the super made eye contact with Ted.

“Billy MacEwen,” Ted said.

The super’s thin face creased. Ted knew what he was thinking: I don’t need this complication. “Ted Dundas. I haven’t seen you since—”

“Since you were a buck-toothed copper on the beat. You’ve done well for yourself.”

“Is Murphy here trying to get you to the Rest Centre? Ted, you should—”

There was blackness around the edge of his vision. Just a little longer…

“Listen to me,” Ted rasped. “You’re not going to be able to keep this up.”

“What?”

“Christ, boy, this isn’t 1940.”

“The Procedure Manuals—”

“ — are out of date. Just look around. This is how people behave now, Billy They have their cars. They aren’t going to get out to be processed by us, and herded onto buses. Get out of the way. Let them leave. Back off, and just keep the roads open. Manage the traffic, Billy, not the people.”

“But the registration—”