After this afternoon’s fiasco I’m trying to work out how best to bring about my talk with Barry when my subconscious makes me stiffen slightly, all my senses on full alert. I glance about me but nothing seems to have changed and then … ‘Jesus, Barry you frightened me! What are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack.’
Barry Mason is standing just behind to my left, a slightly arrogant look on his face. ‘Sorry, I thought you’d have heard me.’
‘No Barry, I didn’t.’ I take a deep breath to calm my nerves and turn to look into the overgrown area behind the bench. ‘Where did you come from anyway?’
Barry indicates over my head, ‘Over there, there’s a small gate in the wall, leads into the back lane that runs down to the river.’
‘Oh, I’ve never noticed it.’
‘It’s not really for general use.
