Pauline explained to Janet that they were struggling to keep up with the mortgage repayments, and their house was close to being repossessed. Janet sat, stunned, listening to the mess the aging couple had got themselves into.

‘But why are you here?’ Janet scratched her dry scalp.

‘It’s my last throw of the dice,’ Pauline added miserably. ‘My daughter has given us two thousand pounds to help us keep up with the payments, but she can’t afford to keep bailing us out. I thought, maybe, just maybe, I might be able to double our pot.’ Pauline hung her head in shame for a second time that morning, while Janet sat and chewed on the sleeve of her faded blue top.

After a long silence, Pauline quietly said, ‘You won’t tell anyone about this, will you?’

Janet looked, sadly, at someone she had once respected as a proud, astute woman.

‘No. I won’t tell anyone.’

‘Thank you.’ Pauline cleared her throat and sat more upright.

‘What you going to do then?’ Pauline watched out of the corner of her eye, as one of the regular punters crumbled when his horse didn’t finish the race.

‘I’m going to roll the dice one last time.’ Pauline removed a fat wad of cash from her bag. ‘Any tips?’ Her eyes were pleading.

‘I don’t gamble.’ Janet shook her head slowly. ‘But,’ she added thoughtfully, ‘if I was going to, I’d not do it on horses. I think football is a safer bet.’

‘I don’t know anything about football,’ Pauline said, turning up her nose.

‘I don’t suppose you do,’ Janet mused, ‘but lucky for you, a few of the fellas who come into the shop, do.’ She nodded in the direction of a tall man who was standing hunched over a betting slip, with a rolled-up cigarette tucked behind his ear.

‘He’s a winner,’ Janet winked. Pauline, looking the man up and down, would certainly not have described him as that.

‘World Cup’s on at the moment. Have a word with Jim. He knows a thing or two.’ Janet returned to the till to take the money off yet another helpless soul who was hoping to win big.

‘Thank you for listening.’ Pauline got up and pulled her sunglasses back down over her eyes.

‘No worries. Our little secret.’ Janet grinned, showing yellow teeth. ‘Just a word of advice though, no matter how bad it gets, just be grateful you’ve got your health. Poor old Toni ain’t.’

‘Yes, well.’ Pauline stiffened.

‘What is it?’ Janet’s eyes narrowed.

‘That woman is partly responsible for my situation. I can’t say I’m sad she’s dead.’

‘Responsible how?’ Janet paused, holding the change she was meant to hand over to the man on the other side of the till.