Chapter 36

Charlie came back into the room and laid the coat gently across Harry’s lap. Harry smiled his thanks and began rifling through the pockets which of course were empty. He let the searching become increasingly frantic and then he laid it down and put his head in his hands.

“What’s wrong?” he heard Charlie ask.

“It’s all gone,” he whispered. “My money, papers, everything.” He screwed up his eyes and to his surprise the tears that sprung there were genuine. He was sick and tired of running, sick and tired of looking over his shoulder. Sick and tired of having less than nothing, being less than nothing. He covered his eyes with his hand.

He felt Charlie kneel by his chair and take the coat gently from his hands. Harry lifted his head and stared at the man by his side. His eyes were really quite beautiful. Blue, clear and honest. And, at the moment, looking at him with such tenderness Harry wanted to weep again.

“Don’t distress yourself. Whatever you need I can help you with.”