I stare at the ceiling trying not to panic, but it’s so difficult. It’s going to be a long night.

Chapter Eleven

Charlie

The next morning, I find Bethany waiting by the library’s back door.

“Sorry I’m late,” I pant as I hurry towards her. “Have you been waiting for ages?”

She shakes her head. Her hair is dyed a deep purple today. I remember my grandma having that colour, but concern for my bollocks means I won’t mention it.

“I’ve only been here for ten minutes.” She holds up a cardboard cup. “Your coffee should still be warm.”

“Oh thank God,” I groan, pulling out the library keys and opening the door. “I haven’t had a cup yet. I’m gagging for it.”

“A fact that most of Haunt nightclub now knows,” she says primly. Then she spoils the effect by laughing loudly. “Oh, Charlie, your face.” She hands me my coffee and then pokes me in the ribs. “You obviously had a good night, you dirty stop-out. You smell like a polecat.”

I will not blush. I will not blush. I turn off the burglar alarm and gesture her in. “When did you last sniff a polecat?”

“When we went to London Zoo. Don’t you remember? The little enclosure that smelt bad and they kept popping out of holes.”

“That was the meerkats.”

“Oh.” She considers my words. “Oh well, that makes me look at the Compare the Market adverts a lot more favourably.” She shakes her head. “Anyway, back to your sex life, Charlie.”

“Shut up,” I mutter as I see Sue walking up to us.

“Morning,” Sue says happily and then gives us both a suspicious second glance. “What’s going on here?” She pauses before saying with delight, “Tell me it’s gossip?”

My “Not at all” is completely ruined by Bethany saying loudly over me, “Charlie slept with Misha last night.”

“Oh God,” I groan, rattling my keys and opening the door that leads upstairs to the staff area. “Bethany, did you miss out on queuing up for the discretion gene?”

She winks. “I’m not sure that’s how biology works, but I’ll bow to you, Charlie, as your sex life is vastly more active than mine these days.”

“You slept with Misha?” Sue squeals. “How exciting.”

“What are you doing?” I ask as she starts to root through her handbag.

“Ringing my husband.”

“Why? Please tell me it’s not to relay that piece of information?”

“Pah! Of course it is. We’ve had a bet on it for years. He was about to give up, but I said no after seeing you both at Jemma’s Halloween party. I said this year is our year.”

“How romantic,” I sniff. I try to conjure details of the Halloween party that had been held by one of the library assistants. I’d talked to Misha most of the night and…