Stunned, Franny whispered, ‘My God. I’m so sorry, Alf.’

‘I moved away from the area, got put away in a boys’ home. It was bad, but it was better than being around Barry. Then some years later, Charlie tracked me down. Turned out he knew all along what his dad was doing to me.’

Franny gasped. ‘And he never said anything?’

With his head down, unable to hold eye contact, Alfie shrugged. ‘Fran, he was petrified himself. He was an innocent kid as well. Back then, there was still hope for Charlie. He wasn’t like he is now. Anyway, he asked for my help. He had this one sister who was still living at home. She was having a terrible time. Cut a long story short, he needed me to give evidence against his dad. None of his sisters would go to court – they were too scared – and his mum, well she was a drunk, so that only left me and Charlie. And however tough it was, there was no way I was going to say no.’

‘And that’s why you and Charlie have an understanding?’

Alfie shrugged. ‘I dunno about an understanding, but we’ve got that connection.’

‘So what happened to his sister in the end?’

‘Charlie never really talks much about it. I don’t think he sees any of his family, but I wouldn’t know; last time I knew anything about them was years and years ago. I couldn’t even tell you their names. We were just kids back then. It’s only really been this past year since we moved back up to Soho that I’ve spoken to him. Like I say, he’s a different guy to the one all those years ago. After the court case we never spoke again. The only thing I do know about that sister is she was in and out of mental institutions most of her life then ended up overdosing in a back alleyway. She had a kid apparently. God knows what happened to her. The whole thing’s a mess.’

Franny reached over to touch Alfie. He drew away. ‘Don’t fucking touch me, Fran. I’m so angry with you … You know, the things Charlie’s dad did to me, that never goes away. You just learn to live with it. That’s all you can do, and that’s what I did do until …’

‘I sent those letters?’

And as the rain continued to pour down and dawn began to break, Alfie said nothing, only stared, and a tense silence fell between them.

It was a few minutes later before Alfie’s phone rang, breaking the silence. Sitting in the mud, he wiped away his tears and after rubbing his face, he took a deep breath before answering the phone. ‘Hello?’