‘He said he had seen evidence that they couldn’t use. Someone roughed someone else up for information so the police can’t use it. I didn’t listen, not to the full thing. My temper, since all this – I don’t listen, I just bite.’

‘It’s OK, mate. That comes to us all. You just saw me lose my shit with a jacket!’

‘I’ve just been feeling more and more … useless. I’m not washed up just yet, I know I’m not … but we’re not what we were in our prime.’

‘You speak for yourself, old man!’ Glenn’s guffaw was back. ‘If this ain’t my prime then I’m still on my way up!’

Richard smiled. His old friend always had a way of making him feel better. There was a longer silence. Glenn made the most of it, using the time to lift their drinks from the tray.

‘Look, Rich, everything changed for you in an instant and I think you’re still trying to catch up with it all. But you’re getting there, I know you are. You talk about Angela a lot. Maybe you told someone about the Missy thing? That’s possible, right? And some arsehole picked up on it and is throwing it back at you to mess with your mind.’

‘You think people would do that?’

‘Hundred per cent. You said yourself about those phone calls you had. People like to say things for a reaction – shitty things. You only have to go onto that Facebook thing and see what people say. I’m part of some veteran groups and sure as eggs are eggs, you’ll get at least one a month come on there spouting some shit for a reaction. People can’t help themselves. It’s a cry for attention from someone who can’t live without it. There are some sad little shits out there.’

‘Are you talking about me or the Facebook thing now?’

‘Both maybe!’ Glenn chuckled.

‘This wasn’t some little oik. He was older, well dressed, well spoken. And when I got angry he apologised and left. If he was after a reaction why would he leave when I was just getting wound up?’

‘Maybe he got what he wanted. Probably just enough to go home and rub one out. That’s the sort of person you’re talking about,’ Glenn said. The smile on his face now had an edge of sympathy.

‘You don’t think he knows anything? You think it was just a windup?’

‘Twelve months later. Why come to you now? And when you’re chatting to your wife’s headstone. That’s an emotive place, he could have bet on a reaction there. I think he might have got what he wanted.’

‘I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I’m worried that I won’t be able to stop thinking about it until I know for sure,’ Richard said.