‘I waited five minutes then got a taxi home. Sorry.’ She leaned into me and kissed my cheek. ‘I didn’t want you to know how irresistible I found you. Do you forgive me?’

‘Yeah, of course. It’s no big deal. Though I wouldn’t have thought you were a slut, you know. I was smitten within ten minutes of meeting you.’

‘Ditto.’

The codeine was starting to wear off and I felt a twinge in my knee. I needed another pill.

‘Maybe you and Sasha will become friends,’ I said, hobbling over to the kitchen to retrieve the painkillers. I had enough for a few more days, even though I’d been taking more than I should.

‘I’ll try, Andrew,’ she said.

‘I’m sure you’re wrong about her not liking you. She’ll think you’re awesome.’

She pretended not to hear, staring at something on her phone.

I swallowed the codeine tablet.

Six days had passed since my fall and Charlie went off to work, leaving me in bed with my laptop. I had given her my keys so she could let herself in and out, and I spent most of the day sitting around looking forward to hearing the scratch of the key in the lock.

It hadn’t snowed for over twenty-four hours but, according to Charlie, the ground outside was treacherous, in need of gritting.

‘I’ve seen around ten people slip over in the last week,’ she said. ‘You’re lucky, being safely cocooned in your little flat.’

‘Don’t forget Sasha’s coming round tonight,’ I said as she left.

She rolled her eyes. ‘How could I?’

She texted me a dozen times during the morning, telling me lots of filthy things she wanted to do to me.

Shortly after lunch, the doorbell rang. Fortunately, I had remembered that Kristi was due and was up and dressed. I buzzed the door and listened as footsteps ascended the stairs.

A middle-aged woman appeared on the landing. She had frizzy hair and a face that looked like it should have been a warning picture on a cigarette packet. Wheezing, she approached me and said, ‘I cleaner.’ She handed me a card bearing the logo of the cleaning agency.

‘Where’s Kristi?’ I said, as she peered over my shoulder into flat.

She shrugged and scowled.

I led her into the flat and showed her where the cleaning stuff was. She couldn’t take her eyes off my crutches.

‘So . . . is Kristi on holiday or something?’

The woman, whose name was Maria, stared blankly at me. ‘Sorry. English, I . . .’

I was surprised by how disappointed I felt that Kristi appeared to have been replaced. Perhaps she was on holiday, but it seemed unlikely. I remembered the bruises she’d had on her face the week before. What if something had happened to her? Unable to rest, I needed to find out.