When there was still no reply, Max approached the window. ‘You’ve been critical of me from the moment we met. Putting me down. Telling me I can’t do stuff, that I’m not good enough. But I am good enough. So what’s the problem, Hector? Why did you decide I wasn’t going to make it from the moment you set eyes on me? Why did you set up that paracord trap and make it look like Lukas did it?’

Through the window, he could see Lukas, Sami and Abby walking onto the parade ground. He could also hear a helicopter. He didn’t stop to wonder what it was. All his attention was on Hector. The older man turned to face him. His face was bathed red in the glow of the setting sun. His eyes were watery. When he spoke, his voice sounded unnaturally thin.

‘The commanding officer who sent your dad on that night-time assault? The guy who led the rescue mission with your mother?’ He looked at the floor. ‘That was me. I sent Reg to his death. I led Maddy to hers.’ He stared out of the window again.

The others were standing in a line. The helicopter sound was louder.

‘I was given six months’ leave. The first thing I did when I got back to England was come and see you. You were five months old. I tried to adopt you, but as a single man, and a soldier …’ He shook his head. ‘It was never going to happen. I’ve checked up on you over the years, Max. Watched you from a distance when you were walking home from school or wandering around town. I never made contact because I didn’t want to make your life more complicated or confusing. But I made a promise to myself to keep an eye on Reg and Maddy’s kid. Make sure you didn’t come to any harm.’ He looked at Max again. ‘You saw what happened to Jack,’ he said. ‘He’s lucky to be alive, and that could have been any of you. How could I honour my promise to keep you safe, and at the same time let you join the Special Forces Cadets? When my superiors insisted on bringing you into selection, I decided there was no way I could be responsible for another member of your family putting their life on the line.’

Max blinked at him. He could barely believe what he was hearing. ‘So when it looked like I was going to pass, you set me up?’

‘I looked after you.’

‘By making sure I’d get sent back to my boring life?’ Max was outraged. ‘How is that looking after me? I belong here. Isn’t that obvious?’

‘I’ve made my decision,’ Hector told him.