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‘No,’ he said.

I blinked. ‘No?’

He smirked. Oh, he thinks he’s funny.

‘Great,’ I muttered. ‘Love a mystery. Nothing makes me feel safer than being kidnapped by a man in the Gorbals.’

He laughed under his breath, then winked.

Immediate fanny flutters. Shit. Why does he wink so coolly? I hesitated, then said, ‘So, emm . . . Was your mum all right about us ditching the soup kitchen?’ A stab of guilt hit me, thinking of Lucy and her kids. I didn’t want to be absent when I’d half-promised to make decorations with them.

‘She was buzzing,’ he said, chucking gum into his mouth. ‘She really likes you.’

I turned to look at him. ‘Me?’ For all the small interactions I’d had with Ina, I had no idea why she’d like me. I’d been a fucking nightmare since I first arrived. Maybe he was just saying that.

‘Yes, you. My mum loves helping out; it gives her a purpose in the community. Stops her from going insane.’

‘Is that why you do it?’ I asked.

Jamie shook his head. ‘I mean . . . I’m a joiner by trade. That’s what I do. But I started the charity mainly for my mum. It’s basically become a full-time job now, though. There are too many people to feed. I can’t remember the last time I picked up a hammer.’ He laughed.

So, he’s good with his hands, I thought. Jesus, Harri – stop! I checked myself immediately.

‘And do you get paid for it?’ I asked.

‘Aye, it’s a registered charity, totally legit. So I get paid basically the same amount as I would if I were still working full-time as a joiner – and any extra goes back into the kitchen or to help find my brother.’

I turned to look at him. ‘Your brother?’

There was a brief silence in the car.

‘Aye. My brother Jayden has been missing for the past five years.’ He sighed, his voice carrying the weight of it. He seemed a lot more vulnerable all of a sudden. ‘He’s a great guy, but got into drugs. First, a bit of weed, just messing about, but eventually he got on the hard stuff. That’s when he properly caused havoc. He had a row with my mum one day and just . . . left. We haven’t seen him since.’

‘Jesus,’ I said quietly. ‘That’s awful.’

‘Aye, but that’s life, unfortunately,’ Jamie said.

I watched him concentrate on the road, his dark eyes tracking the traffic, his arms easy on the wheel. I’d always hated the way Rupert drove with his face about an inch off the steering wheel, hemming and hawing over every turn. Jamie was the opposite – relaxed, calm, not a sat nav in sight. Jesus, excuse me. Why was I comparing them?

‘Have you gone to the police?’ I asked, feeling somewhat naive about how these things actually played out.

Jamie signalled as he overtook; we were moving along the motorway now. ‘Aye, he’s on the missing persons list. There was a suspected sighting down in London about a year ago, so whenever I’ve got free time, I go down and search the shelters.’

I turned to him. ‘Is that what you were doing in London when I saw you?’ I asked.

He grinned. ‘Aye. And the month before, my train was cancelled, and they reimbursed me by sending me a first-class voucher. That’s when—’

He started laughing. Not a wee chuckle. Full-on losing it.

I stared at him. ‘What’s so funny?’

He tried to speak but physically couldn’t. ‘You!’ he managed through snorts of laughter.

‘Me? Why me? Jamie!’ I smacked his arm. ‘I was having a full mental breakdown on that train if that’s what you mean!’

‘I know,’ he wheezed. ‘I know – I’m sorry – I just thought you were absolutely cracked.’

I gasped. ‘You watched me completely lose it and, rather than help, you drowned me?’