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sound like? The noises you heard before you came outside?'
    'I don't really know.'
    'Take a guess, John.'
    John scratched his head and glanced over at his house.
    'Er, I suppose it was a scratching sound, creaking. It was difficult to tell.'
    Sam chewed on his lip.
    'You didn't hear a car drive off?'
    John shook his head.
    'Look, I've got to go. I've told Benjamin to call on me if the police need to ask any more questions.'
    Sam watched him go next door. He sighed and gazed up and down the road. If there had been no car, then it could have been kids trying their luck, especially if they knew the house was empty. Sam walked over to the fence and studied the grass at the bottom of it. No footprints. The same on the other side. He gazed upwards. No clear scuff marks on the fence. Nothing snagged on the top.
    The garden was deserted. The Compton brothers must have gone inside. Sam took a proper look around the garden for the first time. It wasn't large. Some decking at the rear of the house. A small lawn surrounded by thick bushes forming an impenetrable barrier all the way around the edge. No other way in from any neighbouring properties. The only way to gain entry was via the fence or through the house.
    Sam inspected the back of the house. He couldn't see any evidence of attempted forced entry. Perhaps John had scared them off before they got to work. Or maybe he just imagined the noises.
    Inside the cottage, Sam found the tension palpable. Benjamin was pottering around the kitchen, while Arnold was pacing up and down the hallway. Each man was ignoring the other. Sam shook his head. Two mature men behaving like children.
    'Why don't we get some fresh air?' he said.
    Both men looked at him.
     
    ***
     
    'Happy memories?'
    Arnold stopped and gazed around the deserted park. It had been his choice of destination. Sam didn't care where they ended up, he just wanted to talk to Arnold alone.
    'I used to come over here a lot when I was younger...'
    Arnold halted, remembering he was in the company of someone he hardly knew.
    'It's okay, Arnold,' said Sam, keen to put him at ease. 'Benjamin's told me about your father.'
    Arnold looked at Sam in surprise.
    'He has? Well, in that case, you'll have worked out this is where I used to come to escape.'
    'You left home at an early age, I hear.'
    Arnold hesitated, giving Sam a meaningful stare.
    'My brother seems to have told you a hell of a lot about our personal lives.'
    Sam simply shrugged. Arnold sighed.
    'I practically lived on the streets for a while after moving out, but I didn't care. I felt free. Things would only have turned violent if I'd stayed at home. Our father's outbursts used to upset Benny, whereas they made me angry. I didn't see why we should put up with it. Maybe it was because I was the oldest.'
    'When did you move to Scotland?' asked Sam.
    'Thirty-five years ago. I used to come back and see Benny and my mother every so often, but I didn't see my father once during that time.'
    The two men starting walking again. The sun was edging out from behind the clouds, allowing weak sunshine to infiltrate the park.
    'So, how long have you known my brother?' asked Arnold.
    'Quite some time,' replied Sam, caught unaware by his own favourite tactic. The sudden question, delivered out the blue. Arnold Compton was a sharp man.
    'He's never mentioned you.'
    'I'm just a friend,' countered Sam.
    'Benny doesn't do friends,' reasoned Arnold. 'Especially ones like you.'
    'Meaning?'
    Arnold smiled easily.
    'You've got a certain way about you, Sam. A smart mind and a sharp tongue. You know how to handle people. I imagine you're also capable of looking after yourself. Benny would normally run a mile from someone like you.'
    Sam wasn't sure if this was a compliment or insult. He asked Arnold to elaborate.
    'I'm talking about people living on the edge. Wiseguys, hustlers, chancers. People with an eye for danger and excitement.'
    Arnold halted and studied Sam. He tilted his head, an amused look on