About half an hour later, a dark mass of overexcited kids appears in the playground. As it disintegrates into individual shadows, two of them are sent in Beth’s direction. The sky is pitch-black now, so Mark can follow more closely. He watches the three of them cross the road and walk back down the hill. They stop outside a double-fronted house with three steps up to the front door, one of the biggest on the road. He listens to the click-clack of the girls’ school shoes skipping up the steps, followed by a muted bark when their hallway is exposed for a moment, low lighting glowing on a patchwork wooden floor. He watches them all disappear inside, and the door slam shut behind them. So that’s where she lives, he thinks, and takes note of the house number.

He’ll be back tomorrow, he promises. And the next day. In fact, he’ll be her shadow, a reminder of what she’s done, until he decides how to properly avenge Jon’s death.

Mark pushes on the back door of the empty shop unit and it swings open. The chain and padlock are still hanging there, but only for decorative purposes now. It feels so good to be back here, safe, surrounded by memories of Jon. The old man believed in him – knew that he had prospects and wouldn’t be homeless for long – but he also had the patience not to push Mark too hard. He was worth a hundred of her, and he deserves his retribution.

He turns on the small battery-powered light – another gift from the day centre – and looks at the collection of Pret sandwiches he was given earlier. What he really wants is a hot meal, his mum’s roast chicken or a lamb curry, but a ham and cheese on white will have to do. Then he walks into the main front room and sinks down onto the sofa. As an ex-dress shop, there are various mirrors on the walls, including a huge ornate one leaning on the mantelpiece of the Victorian-style fireplace opposite the sofa. Mark looks at himself with a growing sense of disgust. His stubble is getting unruly, and his hair must stink beneath his beanie. He used to spend hours in front of the mirror when he lived at home, trying on new clothes, and daydreaming about his future in the big city. He didn’t think for a moment that it would look like this.