Rather than go back to my flat, I decided to go to the Grove and have a drink and watch some football. It was an hour or so before kick-off and Nick and Andy weren’t there, so I treated myself to a seat in the lounge on ‘Emily’s seat’. I flicked through my recent phone calls so that I could have a good long stare at her telephone number. Maybe I should call her and ask if she fancied popping down for a drink. Much as I wanted to, I declined. I had put the ball in her court and that was the correct way to proceed. I doubted, though, that I could resist for many more days or even hours. The football would be a useful diversion.

At kick-off time I moved through to the bar to take up my usual position at the end of the counter. By half-time Nick and Andy had still not arrived, so I watched the entire match on my own. It was a mid-table Championship match, so despite being drenched in effort and commitment, it was bereft of any skill or joy.

At the end of the match, I felt very alone in the half-empty bar, not just for tonight but in the most general sense. I flicked through my phone for a while and supped my fourth pint of lager. I decided to ring the number I had found on the note at Brendan’s house. As a precaution, I blocked my number first. After a few rings it was answered:

‘Hello. DI Peterson.’

I was too scared in that moment to reply. He spoke again:

‘Hello. DI Peterson. Who is this please?’

I ended the call. I was in full sweat. It was hard to be sure, but I thought I recognized the voice. It was the man I knew as DI Cowley. I turned off the phone, downed my pint and went home.

That evening I found it very difficult to get off to sleep. Why had I rung that number? Who is this Cowley/Peterson bloke? Is he a real copper? (In which case, come the crunch, I shouldn’t be in any trouble.) Is he a thug who is after Brendan and thinks I might know more than I’ve let on? (In which case there might be trouble ahead.) Was that a gun on McCoy’s desk? And, once again, Why had I rung that number? What a prick I was.

Eventually I drifted off to sleep but would wake up intermittently and hear Lassoo next door whining and occasionally barking.