‘I—’ she began, but Damian stopped her.

‘You don’t have to say it.’ He rooted around in his pockets and pulled out a mobile phone and a wallet. ‘Here …’ He took out a credit card and three hundred euros and pressed them into her hand. ‘You won’t get far with what you’ve got.’

‘I can’t take that.’ She pushed them back at him. He ignored her and tapped at his phone.

‘Damian, please. It’s really kind of you but I can’t take your money. I don’t know when I’ll be able to pay you back.’

He held out his phone. ‘I’ve unlocked it. If you open the notes app you’ll find my credit card pin and my email address. Send me an email when you get to wherever it is you’re going. Just let me know you’re okay, please.’

‘I can’t take it.’

‘Look,’ Damian said. ‘You might find porn in the browser history and … maybe in the video gallery … but don’t hold it against me. I’ve been single a while.’ He laughed. ‘That’s supposed to be funny, by the way. You’re supposed to smile. Seriously though, just … just use what you need. You can pay me back when you’re back on your feet. Or I can cancel the contract and the card and send a hitman after you. That was a joke too.’

Tears welled in Jenna’s eyes. ‘Why are you doing all this for me? I don’t deserve it.’

He shrugged. ‘I was hoping for a shag but friendship will have to do.’

‘Was that a joke too?’

‘No, but feel free to laugh.’

She leaned towards him then and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. ‘I can never thank you enough.’

‘Just email me to let me know you’re safe. Promise me you’ll do that?’

She nodded into his shoulder. ‘I promise.’

He pulled away and reached into the side compartment of the car. ‘Here …’ He handed her a baseball cap. ‘If you’re planning on disappearing, you might want to hide your shaved head.’

‘So Damian’s always known,’ Fran says, sipping at her tea, ‘that you were here, in Valletta?’

‘Yes. I figured the least I could do was keep my word so I emailed him when I checked into a hotel. I didn’t know where else to go. When I got off the ferry and the taxi driver asked me where I wanted to go it was the only place I could think of. It was either Valletta or the airport and I … I couldn’t come home.’

Fran looks at her thoughtfully and Jenna feels another pang of guilt.

‘Is Damian in love with you?’ Fran asks, changing the subject.