I couldn’t concentrate, though. I was staring at our latest crime drama obsession but completely unable to take in what was happening. So many things were going through my mind. That woman earlier – her whole body radiating a sort of hopeless grief – didn’t seem mad or obsessed to me. The truth was, she reminded me uncomfortably of Mrs Mack, which was sending little hot shards of disquiet into me like poisoned darts. We both kept secrets from each other, it seemed. Although, arguably, Anya hadn’t really done anything wrong. I wished I could say the same.

Even though I was exhausted, I didn’t get the sleep I craved.

Anya didn’t stop moving in the bed all night. If she wasn’t going to the toilet and blasting light across the hallway, she was throwing off the covers with heavy sighs, or endlessly turning over.

I kept dipping into shallow, shadowy sleep that was filled with scattered images. I dreamed of schools … not just Beverley Park, but the school I went to, finding myself walking the grimy corridors as my adult self, searching for something.

In the morning we were both groggy and uncommunicative and parted ways with barely more than a few grunts between us. I had a headache that was pressing on my temples and we had run out of painkillers. I cycled in, longing for the weekend, and so I wasn’t really paying attention on playground duty that morning.

A cold wind was whipping around as the kids were coming in. A couple said, ‘Morning, sir,’ and I attempted a greeting in return, but I knew today was going to be a bit of a struggle.

When I saw the bullet-head of Lee Bennett coming towards me I looked away, determined to keep off his radar.

But, it transpired, that was not to be. He clearly had something to say.

‘A word?’ he said as Tyler glanced anxiously between us.

I sighed but forced my face into the most unhostile demeanour I could manage and replied, ‘Yes, Mr Bennett, what can I do for you?’

His face sort of twisted, as though I had said something unreasonable.

‘Do for me?’ He gave a mean sort of laugh and looked around, as though appealing for witnesses. ‘I can’t believe what you have already done, mate.’

I stared at him. ‘Sorry, what do you mean exactly?’ It sounded stupid, but with all the other stuff that had been going on, I genuinely hadn’t given him a thought since Anya’s revelations. Now, the fact that I had reported him to the police came crashing into my head and I felt my face heat.

He was staring at me and then, in a very low voice, began to speak.

‘I watched a friend get blown to bits in Iraq, right in front of me. I’ve made some mistakes, fair enough, but you don’t understand a thing about me.’