Fear clouded my judgement the closer we got to his flat. The conversation had stalled, and we were walking in silence. Was I going to my own execution? Despite my apprehension, I was curious to see inside. I had expectations of chrome and gadgets galore. I wasn’t disappointed, it was minimalist, light and airy with plenty of space. An open plan lounge/diner with a hard wood floor and white walls. The lounge area had an enormous television mounted onto the wall in front of two brown leather sofas surrounding a coffee table on a plush cream rug. The walls were bare except for a large framed black and white Scarface poster in the dining area. I looked around in awe at a living space so different in style to my own eclectic tastes.

‘Wow. It’s lovely.’

‘Thanks, it’s still quite new. I bought it when it was being built, so it’s only a year old.’

‘You’re so tidy,’ I said, unable to see anything that looked out of place.

‘I have a cleaner who comes in twice a week. She was here this morning.’ There was no hint of embarrassment at the admission.

‘Lucky you.’

‘I’ve got beer in the fridge, or would you prefer a coffee?’

I hesitated, not wanting to prolong being here with him any longer than I had to.

‘Coffee, please.’

He took my coat, hanging it up by the door. I looked at it longingly, my escape route. I tried to control my breathing as my anxiety spiked at being alone with him.

‘Okay, I’ll order a taxi to come in twenty minutes.’ He walked out of the lounge and into the kitchen, and I heard the tap being run. A second later the kettle began to boil.

I didn’t have time to worry. Scanning the room until I found what I was looking for. The sleek black modem was slotted into a glossy bookcase, its lights blinking. I swiftly took a picture of the security key sticker with my phone. Pausing to listen, I heard clinking of mugs and the kettle whistling.

‘Could I have sugar in mine, please,’ I called over the noise, my voice higher than intended. I needed to buy another minute.

Rummaging in my bag, I pulled out the PetCam which I’d broken out of its plastic casing at home to make it smaller. I wanted to be able to watch Ian’s comings and goings, to see what he got up to.

On the third tier of the bookcase there was a small space on top of Great Expectations, it was there I wedged the camera. A layer of dust confirmed my suspicions. The book, along with other classics like 1984 and The Great Gatsby, were for show and rarely moved.