A phone rang. It was answered quickly.
‘It’s me.’
‘I know who it is. I told you not to get in touch and never to use this phone.’
‘Someone’s snooping around.’
Silence.
‘Then you know what to do.’
‘I can’t. I put all that behind me.’
‘Let me remind you of what’s at stake here.’
Speech stilled. There was nothing but breathing from either end of the phone.
‘I can’t.’
‘You have no choice. None.’
‘But…’
‘Nip this in the bud. Deal with the loose ends. All of them. You should have done that years ago.’
‘But—’
‘No buts. Sort this out now.’
They cut the connection.