He was suddenly aware of the way the older man was looking at him, fists beneath his chin, as if Sean was one of his clients. He felt as if he was being scrutinised by Alistair the counsellor, the accredited professional who spent his days listening to other people’s problems. As if Alistair was mentally taking notes on what he said, how he said it, what he left out, to create a profile and make a diagnosis of his shortcomings. To put them on show for the world to see.

And how about you then, Alistair? Have you ever turned that penetrating gaze on yourself? Ever done anything that you knew was wrong? Have you ever looked in the mirror, ever taken a close look at your own flaws and failings as a man, a father, a husband?

Sean felt the sweet sting of guilt, his constant companion.

Have any of us, for that matter?

Russ’s iPhone started ringing softly again on the tabletop. Sean leaned over to see if Rowan’s number was showing on the display, but it was an unrecognised number. After a few rings it stopped, then almost immediately began ringing again.

Alistair nodded towards the ringing phone.

‘He’s a man who seems to be in demand.’

‘Maybe it’s urgent,’ Sean said, standing up. ‘I’ll take it up to him.’

He grabbed Russ’s phone, walking as casually as he could out to the hallway. Stopping halfway up the stairs, out of sight of Alistair, he pressed the phone’s power button, just in case –

Just in case what?

In case it isn’t locked. In case it’s Rowan.

The phone’s screen came to life, asking for an unlock code.

Damn.

Sean pressed the power button and the screen went black again. He resumed his climb up the steps to the first-floor landing, padding quietly along the corridor to Odette’s room. The door was ajar so he gave the lightest of knocks and pushed it open a little more, peering into the shadows of the bedroom lit by a single bedside lamp.

Odette was in one of the two single beds, sucking her thumb, a white muslin cloth trailing from her little fist. Russ lay next to her on the floor, flat out on his back with a storybook open on his chest and an empty bottle of beer next to him.

Both of them were fast asleep.

Chapter 24

24

Most of the house lights were off when we got back from the restaurant. Sean and Alistair were watching Aliens on the big screen in the lounge, feet up on the coffee table next to a cluster of empty beer bottles.

I hung my jacket by the door and looked around.

‘Where is everyone?’

Sean paused the film and stood up to stretch.