‘According to the police, who want you to do it. Hardly impartial advisers, are they?’

‘We can talk about this later,’ Alice said. ‘You go out tonight and I’ll see you when you get back.’

‘So you’re cancelling Kay?’

‘No. Don’t worry about it.’

‘What about Jo? What will we do with her?’

‘She’s at home with Martha now. Maybe Martha can stay later.’

‘Where are you?’

‘I’m working in Sliders.’

‘Sliders?’

‘The café in Penketh. I often come here. Anyway, I can ask Martha if she’s free this evening.’

‘And if she isn’t?’

Alice paused. ‘I’ll drop her off with your mum. It’ll be fine. I’ll let you know what I arrange.’ She ended the call abruptly.

He wanted to hurl his phone into the water, but he stopped himself. It would be satisfying, but he’d regret it when he had to foot the bill for a new one.

He closed his eyes, his heart racing. For the first time in their marriage he wondered whether he’d be better off without Alice, whether they simply weren’t compatible.

No. It was just the stress.

But it was not a happy thought.

The Baby

It is such a strange thing. Most of the time it is just there, something to be dealt with, but when you stop and look at it, you see how odd it is.

It is hard to believe it is human. It does not think or speak or feel like a human. It does not have plans. It does not have any sense of who it is.

It merely has a sensation – hunger, or cold – and it cries so that someone alleviates it. Like a drunk or an addict, it has only needs.

You understand all about needs.

That is not what it is to be human.

That is what it is to be an animal.

And animals can be eaten or harnessed or exterminated if it is to a superior being’s benefit.

Humans can too, as far as you are concerned, but you know many others disagree. But animals? Yes, there are those who wish to protect them, but the majority of people eat their morning bacon without giving a second thought to the pig who died to provide it.

It is a failure of logic, as far as you are concerned: that bacon could come from another animal – a dog, or cat – and they would be up in arms. But what’s the difference?

It could come from another human.

Why are people so squeamish about that? It is just meat. If you can eat a pig you can eat a human. You would, without a second thought.

You have often thought you would like to feed people human flesh, then tell them afterwards – days later, so they could not vomit it up – what they had eaten.

That is for another day.

Now you have to deal with this baby.