"Were you even a scout?" Simon asked, slightly distracted. "Hard to believe."

He took a long pull of the drink, enjoying the way the cheap whiskey burned on the way down. "I've already replied, actually. Sent him my phone number to see if we can arrange a meeting. If he'd contacted my parents first I'm sure they would have wanted to go through their solicitor to be 'safe,'"--at this he put down his glass to make air quotes--"but I've waited too long for that."

He wouldn't realize until much later how wrong he was.

"Maybe. Sounds like he's a lawyer of some variety, so he might have the money for it."