‘Who did you bring, Richard?’ The voice was instantly recognisable and Richard’s eyes opened to the strong sunlight. He was forced to look down, where he took in a pair of smart tan shoes with contrasting blue streak.

‘Bring? What do you mean?’ Richard said.

‘Someone followed you here. He’s watching. What did you tell him, Richard? Why did you bring him here?’

‘Tell him?’

‘About this. About me … What did you tell him?’ The man was different – his voice was laden with emotion that seemed to be more sadness than anger.

Richard tried to look at him, but the man was just a silhouette, the sunshine directly above his shoulder and Richard had to turn away. He did a sweep of the whole of the grounds, lingering on the wrought-iron entrance gate. He couldn’t see anyone else. But Glenn hadn’t taken well to being told he wasn’t to come up here. Richard had been clear – he didn’t need him – but he wouldn’t be surprised if his friend had still followed him up here.

‘Look, we’re basically brothers. And I don’t know you, I don’t know who you are or why you did what you did.’

‘I told you why. I told you I was doing a good deed. I know you’ve been suffering and I just wanted to give you the chance to make it right. But this was between us, between me and you. I told you that. This wasn’t for other people. The moment you start involving other people it becomes … messy.’

‘Messy? Not at all. I told you, I trust him like no one else left in the world. If he’s here it’s only to watch my back, just like he’s always done. We’re both suspicious of good deeds. I guess we were trained to believe that the world’s just not like that.’ Richard again tried to make eye contact with the man but he still wore the sun on his shoulder.

‘Sometimes it is. Surely that’s not so hard to see. And you trust this man?’

‘With my life,’ Richard said.

‘And he knows what you did?’

‘That’s how much I trust him,’ Richard confirmed.

The man sighed, and his stance changed a little – less tension perhaps. ‘Look, spend some time with your wife, I shouldn’t keep interrupting you here. But you have to understand that you cannot talk about what happened, about what I did for you, OK?’

‘Do you think I want people to know? Glenn is different … He understands. We were in the army together, brothers-in-arms, we always had each other’s back then and we always will.’

‘Spend some time with your wife, Richard. These times are so special.’

‘What about all this? Will I hear from you again?’

‘You have your answers.’