‘I’m going to meet the bailiffs at nine thirty,’ I remind him. ‘Flat sixteen, Munroe House. Emma is out on visits too, so there won’t be anyone in the office to answer the phone.’

‘Okay, no problem, I can keep an ear out.’

‘Thanks,’ I say. ‘Hopefully, I won’t be long.’

Abayomi rubs at the stubble on his chin. He always looks a bit weary when he first gets in; I think maybe he does a school run, like me, or he has a complicated commute, or maybe he’s just not much of a morning person. I’ve never asked him about it. He certainly drinks a lot of coffee.

‘How many months in arrears is the tenant?’ he asks.

I check the summary that I printed out towards the end of last week, when I realized we were going to have to do something. We had already sent plenty of warning letters. ‘Three months,’ I tell him.

The printout has all the details – quite precise evidence. Abayomi nods when I hold it out to him, his sign of approval, and even though it’s silly really, a bit pathetic, it gives me a warm feeling just seeing that. There was a period a little while back when I was having some problems with Charlie, and I know I got behind and became disorganized, and since then I’ve tried harder than ever to be careful and on top of things. My relationship with Abayomi – our working relationship – means a lot to me. I know he thinks highly of me professionally, and I often have to hold on to that at times when I’m not so sure of myself; I suppose quite a lot of my self-esteem, self-worth, whatever you might call it, is tied up with it. Even last year, I never let him see me slip up. I still managed to come in every day, turn up on time, be smartly dressed, make the switch. Abayomi never knew how bad it got; I didn’t tell him and he didn’t ask, and I’m on top of it now so there’s no need to mention anything.

I check the clock above his head. ‘I’d better head off.’

‘Good luck,’ he says, his cheeks lifting again as he smiles. ‘I’ve every faith in you.’