He scoured over all the details, wanted it told from the beginning, properly. It hurt to talk of it. To talk of the pub, being seen as a gay man, as a woman. To talk of the roadside, the van. Matty was shivering, mouth dry, teeth chattering. Hypothermic. The body becoming smaller and coiled, knees drawn to chest. Dale wasn’t named.

It had got to the part about Brigid coming along the road again when Franklin came in with some food, and they both sat back. Joe didn’t say anything to him, watching Matty, distracted when Franklin tried to talk.

Matty stood up, looked at the two columns of CDs, an uncontrollable trembling in one leg, shifting to try and still it. Stacks of music, artists he used to listen to on tape. Country music compilations. Some rock albums. Queen.

‘I hope I’m going to pass the test,’ Joe said. He sounded almost natural, as if nothing had been said. ‘They’re mostly mine.’

‘Yeah,’ said Matty, trying to seem normal too.

It was easier with Sheanna there. She seemed quite happy that Matty was suddenly part of the equation, and probably hadn’t entirely taken it in, though who knew how much Franklin had explained while they were out. She sat between them with a book on marine life to point out the illustration of the living cuttlefish, before moving on to submersibles and megamouth sharks.

Joe fell asleep. ‘He does that sometimes,’ Sheanna said in a whisper. Franklin put a blanket over him, up to his shoulders, and took her out again. Matty sat in the opposite corner of the sofa, head against a pillow, watching his chest rise and fall. His mouth was open, ungracefully. There was a textural quality to his breath.

Matty fell asleep, too.

The rapid thud of feet coming down the stairs. ‘There’s a man outside.’ Sheanna skidded along the polished wood of the hallway and poked her head round the door. ‘Someone’s outside. He’s in the garden.’

Matty sat up, went to the front window. Saw the dark blue car with its dents and looked at Joe, who was stirring. ‘It’s him.’ A desperate flare of panic.

‘It’s who?’ said Franklin, leaning towards the window.

Joe rubbed one eye, stood up. ‘OK.’

Cormac was walking round from the back of the house towards the front. He had his hands in his pockets, and was craning to look up at the second floor.

‘The bike,’ said Matty. It was still leaning on the wall around the back.

Sheanna had already opened the door and was shouting a greeting.

‘Sheanna, shut that door,’ Joe said. He turned to Franklin. ‘Will you take her upstairs?’

Franklin was looking between them. ‘What’s going on?’

‘I’ll explain later.’

‘Joe.’

‘Just take her up. Now.’

Franklin put his lips together. Left the room, calling to Sheanna.