He remembers his own dad. Gordon Butler was a mechanic by trade, a skill that hasn’t been passed down to his son. Robin remembers him always twiddling with something in his hand, a screwdriver never far out of reach. A toy of Robin’s that no longer worked. A piece of oily carburettor. A plug that needed rewiring. He left the discipline to Robin’s mother, and then, after she died, to Georgia, even though she was only two years older than her brother. He was a quiet man, undemonstrative about his love for his children, but unwavering in his presence. He never missed a football game or rugby match, and there were many.

Robin realises now how similar he is to his father. The same frown. The same introversion. But loyal to the people he loves, to the last.

Robin sighs and pushes the thought away, then grabs the next box to look through.

After a few hours of digging, his headache has got worse, he is desperate for a litre of water and a fry-up, and he is starting to wonder why he came. There is so much crap. Robin is debating paying a company to get rid of it all, when he comes across a box – PHOTO ALBUMS is scrawled on the side. He heaves it out and pulls open the tape. There are five identical-looking albums in here, ones he remembers from his childhood. He gently runs his fingers over the blue fake leather cover of the first, tentative about the emotions that might be unleashed should he open it.

He shuts the box again decisively, then pushes it out into the corridor outside the orange door to his unit. He’s starting to feel shaky – no food, no coffee in stomach – and has one last look inside before he flicks the light off. He shuts the door, padlocking it closed. He will come back and sort all this shit out, Robin promises himself.

But one step at a time. And he hauls the box of photo albums into his arms and heads back to his car.

37

Sophie still hasn’t heard back from Robin. But what did she expect? The man has buggered off to Devon, Josie had told her, and at the one time when Finn needs him the most, so he’s hardly going to go out of his way to help.

She’s sitting on her sofa, the news playing out in front of her. The media interest has faded now that there’s nothing new to report. Finn is still in hospital. Simon Sharp is still dead. She’s heard the BBC are going to be putting together a tribute Storm Chaser episode for Dr Sharp – some sort of ‘best of’ compilation to celebrate his life. She knows that will stir up interest again. For a while it was even trending on Twitter: #justiceforSimon. What about justice for Finn? she thinks, tears threatening.