It was quite an undertaking, even more so when you weren’t properly dressed for the weather which, taking in the fabric of his jacket, he wasn’t.

‘Like I said,’ he shrugged. ‘I just fancied a walk.’

‘You’ll have to do better than that if you don’t want me to call the police,’ I said, reaching for my mobile, even though I knew there was no signal among the trees.

‘You’re not going to call the police from here, are you?’ he tutted.

Not liking the change in the lad’s tone, Bandit stood up again, but didn’t bark. Thankfully his change in posture, was enough to weaken the impostor’s regained attitude.

‘I often come here,’ he relented, his shoulders sagging, ‘and to the reserve, but no one usually sees me.’

‘What do you come here for?’

I couldn’t interrogate him for walking around the reserve because that was open to everyone, whereas Wynter’s Trees wasn’t. Not generally after dark anyway.

‘Like I keep telling you, just to walk,’ he explained. ‘It’s so peaceful here. No one to moan at me or nag me. I can just walk up and down a bit. The trees smell nice. I used to come here with my nan when I was little.’

Suddenly he looked more like a small boy, and a vulnerable one, than a bolshy teen already the size of a man.

‘Come on,’ I said, moving off, ‘let’s go back to the lodge. It’s freezing out here.’

The lad didn’t move and I turned to look at him.

‘Don’t even think about running off,’ I told him, my eyes on Bandit. ‘He’d hunt you down in a heartbeat and he’s got an extremely high prey drive.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘It means it’s in his instinct to take a chunk out of you if he catches you.’

Once inside, I added a log to the burner, leaving the door open to further spread the warmth and got out two mugs, while the lad rubbed his hands in front of the flames, closely watched by my canine companion. So much for my evening of relaxation. I had no idea what I was going to do with him, but my years of teaching told me there was something troubling him. Why else would he be tramping over the countryside in winter to walk around some rows of Christmas trees?

‘Tea, coffee, or a hot chocolate?’ I asked him.

‘Nothing,’ he shrugged. ‘I really should be getting back.’

‘Well, I’m having a drink,’ I told him. ‘Because I’m freezing and it will warm me up.’

‘Coffee then,’ he said. ‘Black, no sugar.’

‘I’m having hot chocolate,’ I said. ‘It’s just as easy to make two as one.’

‘That then,’ he said. ‘Thanks.’