‘If he could just get back on the show...’

‘Dr Barry.’

‘I know it wasn’t Shakespeare or anything.’

‘I never knocked it. Is he there?’

‘He’s in LA. Some “business” trip.’

‘He said he’d call,’ said Alec.

‘Well, that’s Larry. But I know he wants to speak to you. He talks about you more than anyone.’

‘Really?’

‘I guess he thinks he should be over there. Maybe. I don’t know. I mean, why would he tell me what he thinks?’ The telephone bleeped like sonar. Alec heard her sniff and sigh. ‘Poor Alice. I really love her.’

‘Come on,’ he said, afraid that she would start something in him. ‘Do some Zen breathing. How does it work?’

‘Ella,’ she said, ‘are you on the extension, honey?’

There was silence, then a tiny, hesitant, ‘Yes.’

‘It’s your Uncle Alec. Calling from England. Say hello, honey.’

Alec waited. At last, a faintly lisped hello crossed the six thousand miles between them.

‘It’s night here,’ he said, talking to the girl. ‘A little while ago I heard an owl hooting at the end of the garden. Maybe you’ll hear it when you come for Granny’s birthday.’

‘She’d love that,’ said Kirsty. ‘Now put the phone down, baby, and let me talk with Uncle Alec. Come on, Ella, put it down...’ There was a subtle click. ‘She does that all the time. I really want to get her more help but it’s so darned expensive.’

‘Is she still borrowing stuff?’

‘Larry found one of my earrings in her booty last night. At least he knows where to look for them. She likes you, Alec.’

‘I haven’t seen her for a year.’

‘She remembers you.’

‘Has Larry picked up the tickets?’

‘I guess so.’

‘Why don’t you all fly together?’

‘I want to finish this course. I know it’s selfish but Endo’s too good to miss.’

‘You’re right,’ said Alec. ‘Solve your riddle. Then come.’

‘Have you tried scalp massage?’ she asked. ‘You use your fingertips to move the scalp over the skull, like you’re washing hair.’

‘Is that a Zen thing?’

‘Not everything’s Zen, Alec.’ She paused, trying to recall what she had been taught earlier in the day. ‘Well, maybe it is. Anyway, you should do it for Alice. It’ll make her feel good.’

‘Not if I did it,’ he said. He found the idea absurd to the point of comedy.

‘You’re not such a klutz.’

‘Thanks.’

‘How’s your Romanian guy? Or was he Albanian or something?’

‘Hungarian.’

‘Right. Didn’t you say he was some kind of old freedom fighter? A sort of Che Guevara?’

‘Something like that.’

‘I know it’s a lousy time for you, Alec. Larry’ll be there soon.’

‘The cavalry!’

‘I hope you two aren’t going to fight.’

‘Why should we?’