When she didn’t respond he seemed to falter momentarily. Then he spoke her name hesitantly, as though he had something crucial to impart. ‘Adele… I just want to say that what you saw that night… well, when I saw that guy hold a knife to your throat, I knew I had to stop him.’

‘But he’d already let me go,’ she said.

‘I know, but something in me just snapped. I couldn’t let him get away. Not after what he’d done, and not when I could see how terrified you were.’

She blinked. There was no point denying how frightened she had been that night. Anybody would have been shaken up when they’d had a knife held to their throat.

‘I-I didn’t mean to shoot him. Not really. The guns are just for protection. But, like I say, it was instinct.’

Despite herself, she was touched by his contrition, and the thought that he’d done it for her.

‘It’s OK,’ she said. ‘I understand.’

‘How are you getting home tonight?’ he asked.

‘I’m on the bus. But it’s OK; I’ll be alright.’

‘Have you moved into your new flat yet?’

‘Yes, at the weekend.’

‘Ah, right. So this’ll be the first time you’ve had to go home to an empty place?’

‘Yes, but I’ll be fine,’ she protested.

‘Look, I can see you’re a bit shaken. You’ve no need to go home alone; I’ll take you home.’

‘No, I’ll be OK, honestly.’

‘I wasn’t asking; I was telling you,’ said Glynn. ‘What time are you finishing?’

‘Don’t know.’ She shrugged. ‘About six, I suppose.’

‘OK,’ said Glynn. ‘I’ll be here.’

Then he patted her on the shoulder and left her office before she could protest any further. She smiled to herself, secretly flattered at his attention. And the way he wouldn’t take no for an answer made her glow all over.

She continued to work on her accounts, her attention still drifting. But this time she wasn’t fretting over strange noises; she was thinking about Glynn and her excitement at the prospect of him taking her home.

*

The day dragged and Adele was willing the time to pass so that she could see Glynn again. She kept staring at the wall clock, concerned when it reached five past six. Irritated with herself for being so keen, she decided she would give it another five minutes before she gave up on him and set off for home alone. Then she heard him; his confident, masculine steps heading up the corridor. When his face appeared at the door she actually felt butterflies in her stomach.

‘It’s your very own Prince Charming, come to escort you home,’ he joked, and she couldn’t resist smiling at him.

‘I’ll just pack my files away,’ she said.