He drops Bruno at Maura抯 house. He wears a mask when he hands the dog over but, once again, he thinks that he really should be making other arrangements. Again, he considers whether he should ask Jan if she can look after Bruno, just until lockdown is over. He tries not to think about predictions from the Chief Constable that lockdown will go on for months, maybe even for a year. Will Michelle stay away all that time? George is due to start school in September. Nelson tries to put this out of his mind, but he doesn抰 sing as he drives the rest of the way to the police station.
Judy is in the shared area, her hand sanitiser and her water bottle, correctly labelled with her name, on the desk in front of her. Nelson is pleased that it抯 Judy抯 turn in the office because he likes working with her. On the other hand, she抯 the most likely to notice if anything is different in his manner. He must be careful not to mention Ruth.
慡orry I抦 late,?he says. It feels odd talking to Judy from across the room. Not that he抯 one for sitting chummily on people抯 desks or clasping their hands, ?la Jo, but it goes against human nature to stand so far apart.
慖t抯 only nine thirty,?says Judy. 慍an I have a word about the Avril Flowers case? I think I might have discovered something.?
慜f course,?says Nelson. 慖抣l just grab a coffee first. Leah!?He raises his voice to a polite shout.
慡he抯 not in,?says Judy.
慠eally??Nelson can抰 remember the last time Leah missed a day of work.
慡he left a message on the answerphone.?
慗esus. It抯 not Covid, is it??
慡he doesn抰 think so. Just a bug.?
慡he should get a test, just in case.?
慣here aren抰 enough testing kits. I was hearing something about it on the radio.?
慣here抯 not enough of anything, if you ask me. I抣l just go and get myself a coffee then.?Nelson follows the arrows to the break room but then tracks back to ask Judy if she wants anything.
慛o thanks,?says Judy. 慏o you know, I think this is the first time you抳e ever offered to make me a drink.?
慣hese are strange times,?says Nelson.
Ruth finishes her toast, has a quick shower, dresses in her loosest trousers and joins Kate in the garden. The air is so sweet and pure that it almost takes her breath away. It抯 as if nature is conspiring to make lockdown a less terrifying experience. Ruth has already noticed herself becoming interested in the tracks left by the foxes and watching the progression of the blossom on her tree. She leaves food out for the birds and has secretly named a crow Corbyn. Ruth wouldn抰 normally think about her garden except on the one （usually rainy） day a year when she decides to have a barbecue. Of course, it抯 only been a week and Covid hasn抰 yet hit her or her friends personally. She抣l feel differently when it does. But, today, she feels alive and invincible. Nothing to do with Nelson and last night, of course.
She props her laptop up on a garden chair. As she does so, a large animal appears in front of her. It抯 the size of a small dog but is striped like a tiger. Ruth takes a step backwards, but Kate says, 慣hat抯 Derek.?A voice says, 慖s he with you? It抯 the first time he抯 been outside.?
Zoe, wearing what looks like pyjamas, appears at the other side of the fence.
慪es, he抯 here,?says Ruth. 慔e抯 gorgeous.?
Derek is looking at the laptop with interest. Ruth feels that she has to explain, for his sake as much as Zoe抯。
慦e抮e doing yoga with my friend via FaceTime.?
慍an I join in??says Zoe. 慖抦 wearing the right clothes.?
Zoe may be in her pyjamas, thinks Ruth, but they are stylish ones, dark green with white spots. Zoe抯 hair is tied back with a matching scarf. When Cathbad appears on screen, Ruth explains that they have an extra participant.
慉ll are welcome,?says Cathbad graciously. He is dressed in loose white trousers and a T-shirt with chemical symbols on it. His grey hair gleams in the sunlight. Ruth can see Michael and Miranda in the background. Miranda is standing on her head.