Read Chapter 18: — THE MAN IN PINK GLOVES

Ethan met Mick Dawson during freezing rain.

Mick stood beside six cardboard boxes on a skateboard, wearing a woman's long padded coat, a pink kitchen apron and oven gloves wrapped in cling film.

A balloon tied to his backpack read:

TEN TIMES THE FARE. PLEASE STOP.

Ethan stopped because nobody could reasonably drive past that.

"Hospital?" he asked.

"Aye. And before you panic, I'm not ill. I'm devastatingly healthy."

The accent placed Mick somewhere near Newcastle.

The boxes contained protective goggles from a climbing and outdoor-sports business he owned with his brother.

"Not medical kit," Mick said, "but eyes are eyes, aren't they? Hospital says they can use them for lower-risk work. Better than nothing."

"You dragged all this how far?"

"Far enough that I now hate charity."

Mick could not drive. A childhood crash had left him with a lasting phobia. His wife and children were outside the lockdown zone visiting family.

He tried to push money through Ethan's window.

Ethan refused.

"Then take the goggles."

"They're for the hospital."

"Take one pair. If you're driving staff all day, you're part of the hospital with worse parking."

Ethan laughed so hard his face hurt.

They loaded the boxes.

Mick photographed the number plate before letting him leave.

"Trust is lovely," he said. "Evidence is better."

Ethan liked him immediately.