“Of course you can. And Carrie too. These reprobates get bored by me all the time; they’ll probably welcome the break.” He’s pulling out a seat for me and I have little choice but to sit in it, with Ben on my left. As we’re such a big party, we seem to be on a fixed menu: the waitress is already laying out sharing plates as starters, and stops to speak to Ben about something. The rest of the crowd is beginning to filter over too. There’s a young couple settling into chairs on my right who are deep in conversation with the people opposite them. I turn to look directly across the table and find myself meeting the eyes of a dark-haired man in his late thirties to whom I know I was introduced earlier. He has an oddly creased face, like rumpled bedsheets, and eyes that are rarely still. Right now they’re picking me over and he’s making no attempt to hide it.

“Hi. I’m sorry, I can’t remember your name.” I’m aiming for disarming charm.

“Alistair. Alistair Jamieson.” Is it my imagination or did he stress the surname?

“Ah yes! Ali.”

“To my pals.”

It might just be his broad accent, but there seems to be something truculent in his manner. It sparks a small rebellion in me. I resolve to use Ali regardless of whether he would like me as a pal. “Excellent. Ali. Sorry.” I grimace theatrically. “I’m useless with names. I’m Ailsa Calder.”

“I ken who you are. It hasnae taken you lassies long to get right to the heart of the community, has it?”

Definitely truculent. I play tone-deaf and smile brightly. “You sound like you grew up here. Did I go to school with you too?”

“Aye, you did.” His lips twist sourly. “Though I’d lay money you only remember Ben.”

“Actually I don’t even remember him, really.” There’s a certain edge in my own words too, now.

“Shove up one, Ali, unless you want me to climb over you.” It’s Jamie, trying to squeeze between the wall and the table to settle into an empty chair.

“Thanks, but I can do without your arse in my face,” Alistair—Ali—grunts, as he moves along one seat. Now he’s facing Ben, and I have my intruder opposite me. This seating plan leaves a lot to be desired. “That your jeep out there, Jamie?”

“Aye, got her last week.”

“Nice piece of machinery.” There’s the beginning of a sardonic smile hovering near Ali’s mouth, and I realize he’s caught the attention of a few others. I sense he’s working up to something. “Couldnae help but notice her out there in the car park. Did you park her blindfolded with a ferret down your trousers?” A bark of surprised laughter escapes me to blend with the general hilarity Ali’s words have prompted.