He spoke like the old man he was, a little tired, a little defeated.

‘This is the worst year of my life.’

He stared down at the border he’d been tending. The earth, newly turned, looked dark and rich, like crumbs of chocolate cake. A few worms and wood lice had been disturbed and were still looking for their old homes. ‘And it’s going to get worse, isn’t it?’

Rebus shrugged. His feet were cold, the damp seeping in through his shoes. He was standing on the rough roadway, Lintz six inches above him on the grass. And still Lintz didn’t reach his height. A little old man: that’s what he was. And Rebus could study him, talk with him, go to his home and see what few photographs remained according to Lintz - from the old days.

‘What did you mean back there?’ he said. ‘What was it you said? Something about what I was capable of?’

Rebus stared at him. ‘It’s okay, the dog just showed me.’

‘Showed you what?’

‘What you’re like with the enemy.’

Lintz smiled. ‘I don’t like dogs, it’s true. Don’t read too much into it, Inspector. That’s the journalists’ job.’

‘Your life would be easier without dogs, wouldn’t it?’

Lintz shrugged. ‘Of course.’

‘And easier without me, too?’

Lintz frowned. ‘If it weren’t you, it would be someone else, a boor like your Inspector Abernethy.’

‘What do you think he was telling you?’

Lintz blinked. ‘I’m not sure. Someone else came to see me. A man called Levy. I refused to talk to him - one privilege still open to me.’

Rebus shuffled his feet, trying to get some warmth into them. ‘I have a daughter, did I ever tell you that?’

Lintz looked baffled. ‘You might have mentioned it.’

‘You know I have a daughter?’

‘Yes ... I mean, I think I knew before today.’

‘Well, Mr Lintz, the night before last, someone tried to kill her, or at least do her some serious damage. She’s in hospital, still unconscious. And that bothers me.’

‘I’m so sorry. How did it ... ? I mean, how do you ... ?’

‘I think maybe someone was trying to send me a message.’

Lintz’s eyes widened. ‘And you believe me capable of such a thing? My God, I thought we had come to understand one another, at least a little.’

Rebus was wondering. He was wondering how easy it would be to put on an act, when you’d spent half a century practising. He was wondering how easy it would be to steel yourself to killing an innocent ... or at least ordering their death. All it took was an order. A few words to someone else who would carry out your bidding. Maybe Lintz had it in him. Maybe it wouldn’t be any more difficult than it had been for Josef Linzstek.

‘Something you should know,’ Rebus said. ‘Threats don’t scare me off. Quite the opposite.’

‘It’s good that you are so strong.’

Rebus looked for meaning behind the words. ‘I’m on my way home. Can I offer you some tea?’