“Christ knows. Even if he’s just popped out for a country drive, he’s in breach of stringent and hard-fought bail conditions. If one were to call the police, he’d be picked up and put in gaol until his trial. One would obviously prefer him to come back, and for the authorities never to know about his little aberration.”

“But?”

Kim sighed. “But there’s a non-trivial chance he’s planning to commandeer Father’s steam yacht, which is moored a few miles away, and make for the Continent.”

“Can he do that? Get over there, I mean?”

“He could be in Vlissingen for afternoon tea tomorrow. It’s not a one-man craft, but there’s men in the village who’d act as crew.”

“Oof. Why would he do a flit?”

“Maybe he hasn’t. Maybe he’s just gone for a pleasant country drive. But if he takes the yacht, the obvious answer is: because he’s guilty as sin and he wants to escape the rope. Do you recall how much my father said he was paying in blackmail on Chingford’s behalf?”

“Three hundred a month. Why?”

“Because I’m pretty sure the sum against Chingford’s name in the notebook was a hundred and fifty.”

“Can’t you check?”

“That was my notebook I showed him. I gave Fairfax’s to Merton.”

One day Will would see all the lies coming. “So, what, Fairfax was going halves with someone?”

“I suspect someone was going halves with him. My father was wiring the money to Chingford, remember, and I have no doubt he was taking his word for the amount. Hence Chingford’s reaction.”

“Your old man was paying his blackmail, and Chingford was cheating him? Jesus. Why?”

“Good question,” Kim said. “He’s invested in a couple of failed businesses but my father gives him an allowance commensurate with his station, always has, and I’m not aware he’s profligate by the standards of his—our—set. I wouldn’t have thought he’d need to steal.”

“I wouldn’t think he’d have needed to take bribes. What the hell did he need all that money for?”

Kim just shrugged. Will took a substantial swig of beer. “You should have let me beat some answers out of him.”

“It may yet come to that.”

“All right. He’s on bail, he’s gone, he might be making for the Continent. If we don’t call the police, does that make us accessories?”

“Probably,” Kim said. “In fact yes. We are morally and legally obliged to advise the authorities.”

“Are we going to?”

“Well, I’m not.”

Will sighed. “Fine. And we hope he comes back?”