28TH DECEMBER

            'And is that the receipt?'

            'Oh, yeah.' he passed it across to the customer service worker.

            A cacophony of beeps started up. He turned his head to yawn.

            'Hey,' a voice spoke up beside him, 'Just cleaned up the condiments aisle. Joe told me to tell you.'

            'Right,' the customer service worker said.

            He glanced up at the sales assistant. He mouthed 'Annabel' though she wasn't looking at him. She left as quietly as she had appeared.

            '£5.20, sir.' the customer service worker held out the exact change.

            'Cheers,' he said, slowly pulling out his wallet. Money still in hand, he walked away.

            An hour later, he was still in the shop. He scrutinised the electronics section, eventually pulling out a self-stirring mug.

            'I was fairly certain it was him.' he recognised Annabel's voice instantly, even from behind a shelf.

            'And you didn't say anything?' the other voice was husky but feminine.

            'Can't, can I? He's a customer.'

            'Rules don't work like that. So he knew your brother?'

            'They fell out a year back.'

            'But he knows?'

            'It's public knowledge.'

            He replaced the mug on the shelf and moved onto the next aisle.

            'What's happened to Ben?' he eventually said.