‘Got it in one. Elliot wanted a safe pair of hands to run the shop while he trained. But it never worked out for him. He said he was so much older than everyone else on the course, and I know he resented the fact it wasn’t as prestigious a course as the Slade. When he graduated, he tried to make it as an artist, but he was too old to be a Young Turk, and this was in the nineties when the art world was all about pickling sharks in formaldehyde. There wasn’t much interest in the mid-century stuff any more.

‘And you know what the kicker was? Turns out I wasn’t all that good at running an auction house on my own,’ Fred admitted without any apparent rancour. ‘I could do it when I was just in charge of admin, but I never understood the art side of things. And the auction house took a dive. To be honest, Elliot should never have left me in charge. After a few years, he realised he’d never make it as an artist. That boat, if it was ever going to sail, had left harbour years ago. And if he didn’t come back to run the auction house, he’d lose that as well. So he relieved me of my duties. And relief is the right word, from my point of view. The one thing I’d learned from running a business was, I never wanted to run a business. All that pressure. All those people working for you. This suits me much more,’ Fred said, indicating his postman’s uniform. ‘I’m out in the fresh air, and when I finish my day’s shift, I don’t take work home with me. I get a good night’s sleep, every night. And that’s priceless.’

Fred smiled.

‘But how was Elliot when he came back to the business?’ Judith asked.

‘The same. A bit superior, a bit full of himself at times, but a good person. Honest. Reliable. A good boss.’

‘You really don’t have a bad word to say about the man who sacked you?’

‘Why should I? I hadn’t run the business well, and he didn’t sack me. We agreed it would be better if I left, so that’s what I did.’

Suzie couldn’t quite believe that Fred could be so laid-back, but Judith smiled, finding that Fred’s lack of regret for paths not taken chimed with her.

‘Now, if you don’t mind, ladies, I need to get back to the depot,’ Fred said with a smile, ‘or they’ll think I’ve bunked off.’

‘Thanks for your help,’ Suzie said.

‘Although, can I ask, why are you so interested in Elliot?’

‘Oh no reason,’ Judith said with a fake smile.

Fred considered Judith’s answer, and then decided he’d let it go.