The incident review had reached the result he had been waiting to confirm, rather than an informal assurance from someone who expected a file to be closed soon.

He explained what still required routine compliance and what no longer needed a response from me that morning.

“Keep the copies,” he said.

“I will.”

Then his tone changed.

“How are you, Fiona?”

I looked at the path beside the water.

For three years, I had measured that question against what Zachary would find acceptable.