He drifted through his workload the following day, dreading five o’clock when he’d have to face Ezra and break the bad news, which didn’t only concern the coming winter, but the next eleven or twelve winters. Possibly more.
At five-thirty, the day was already getting dark. Autumn had arrived and the days were getting shorter. Liam drove to the beach, his heart heavy in his chest. He parked his car, changed out of his suit, and grabbed his towel. Like a man heading towards the gallows, he walked to the sandy beach. As usual, he encountered dog-walkers and joggers, but he passed them as if they were ghosts, and unseen. He swam to the end of the rocky cliff face, with one arm attempting to hold the towel out of the water, and scrambled over the small ledge to the other side, uncertain if he’
