Chapter 85

How are you?”

“Oh, you know.

Busy. Just taking a few hours out, an evening with Bryan.”

“That’s good,”

Lee said. He crossed his arms across his chest, tightening his coat around him.

“Um. Very good.”

“For God’s sake,

come in,” Bryan said from behind Patrick. “It’s freezing out there tonight.

What are you both doing, exchanging nonsense in the doorway?”

Lee stepped

inside and Patrick shuffled to one side—barely—to let him through the hallway.

Three grown men huffed and apologised and wriggled about until the logjam was

cleared and they all arrived in the living room. Lee took the armchair, and

Patrick and Bryan sat on the sofa opposite.

Lee gave a

nervous smile and glanced at his watch. “I can come back tomorrow, if you’d

prefer. It’s already a bit late to be calling. I was visiting a mate in Clapham

and thought it was worth the diversion, to ask you a quick finance query. But

they cancelled half the bloody trains on the Northern Line tonight.” He glanced