When we got outside, it was freezing. A bitter wind whipped around us, and my teeth chattered uncontrollably. Ian offered me his coat, but I declined. The taxi stand had a small queue, but no cars came by in the few minutes we waited. It was only a short walk back to my flat, but there was a difference between walking home alone at seven o’clock at night, and at ten o’clock. Especially knowing Ian could follow me.

He frowned at my shivering and pulled out his phone. ‘I’m ten minutes away, come back to mine and I’ll book an Uber. You can wait in the warm.’

My heart leapt into my throat and my mind raced for reasons not to.

‘Umm,’ I said, to make it look as if I was considering it, buying some time. What the fuck was I supposed to do? If I declined, it looked weird. Why wouldn’t I go back there? Because I wasn’t going to offer myself to him on a plate, that’s why. Then I remembered I’d packed the PetCam in my bag, just in case I had the opportunity to plant it. ‘Okay.’

‘Great,’ he said with a smile, steering me by the elbow. Perhaps he thought the alcohol had gone to my head. Or maybe he wanted to get me back home for a repeat performance? The thought made my blood run cold.

Sunday 28 January 2018

I screamed outside in the bitingly cold air for a full minute until someone came out to see what had happened. A middle aged man emerged from one of the houses over the road; no one from Ian’s apartment building came out at first.

‘Mr Woodcock,’ Detective Becker says, checking her notes.

I had no idea what his name was, but he had kind grey eyes and a sizeable belly you could rest your pint on, or so my dad would have said.

‘He was the first one to find you?’

I nod, wiping my good eye. Now they are both swollen and sore. I must be dehydrated with the amount of tears I have shed, I should have grabbed the offer of water when I had the chance.

‘Yes, he called the ambulance and gave me a coat. He tried to get into the building, I told him Ian was hurt, but no one answered their buzzers.’ I sniff.

‘How long did the ambulance take to get there?’

‘I don’t know, it was quick. The police arrived at the same time, by then neighbours had come out and they got in to Ian’s apartment. They sat me in a car, until I was brought here.’

‘Okay, Eve, you’ve done brilliantly. Is there anything else you can remember? Anything you want to add?’

I shake my head. What happens next? Am I going to be charged?

A light tap on the door interrupts Hicks. A young uniformed officer pokes his head round.