‘Bad night’s sleep. I need the energy.’

‘Makes sense.’ Saskia crosses her arms and leans forward on her elbows. ‘Why couldn’t you sleep?’

Beth pauses. She needs to tell Saskia about Mark; she promised Simon that she would, and anyway, part of her likes the idea of her beady-eyed neighbour looking out for her welfare, putting her nosiness to good use for once. But she needs to get the balance right, provide enough information to put Saskia on the alert without her starting some rabble-rousing publicity campaign against him. ‘There’s this kid. Man, I suppose. He’s called Mark.’

‘Oh?’ Saskia raises her eyebrows.

Beth rolls her eyes. ‘He’s said some things.’

‘What things? Who is he?’

‘No one important, just some dumb kid. But he kind of threatened me.’

‘Shit, Beth. What did he say?’

Beth takes a sip of coffee. She can’t let this escalate, nor does she want to give Simon an ally in his bid to contact the police. ‘Something and nothing, I promise. I’m not worried really. But Simon’s in Dublin until Friday evening, and he made me promise to tell you.’

‘Wow, Beth, I can’t believe you needed Simon to remind you who your number-one confidante is.’ Saskia shifts her gaze, nods and smiles at the woman who accosted Beth – Lou, Beth suddenly remembers – and Beth can’t work out if her friend is hurt or annoyed. Not that she has any right to be either. Saskia knew how unhappy Beth was about that MyNeighbour post, but she still took two days to remove it, and hasn’t offered a word of apology since, even though Beth’s made it very clear that one is required. Really, Beth wants to continue keeping her distance, to show Saskia that actions have consequences, but she can’t do that now. She needs her friend’s eyes.

But that doesn’t mean Saskia can treat her as the guilty party. ‘I guess I just don’t want my problems to be content for your next social media post.’ She shouldn’t risk another falling-out, not now, but allowing the words to slip out is so satisfying. Like unclipping a corset. But the relief is short-lived as Saskia whips her head round, eyes ablaze.

‘Jesus, Beth. How can you still be mad with me about that?’ she demands. ‘Did you even read it? I called you a bloody superhero.’

‘You plastered my picture all over the internet!’

‘Don’t be dramatic,’ Saskia says, lowering her volume, and digging her eyes into Beth’s as an instruction to do the same. ‘All I’m guilty of is telling our neighbours what an inspiring thing you did, and now you’re throwing it back in my face.’