There was no concrete proof; I was assuming he knew about Nuthatch. Guessing that the boy in the cupboard was him. I could be putting two and two together and making five. My ‘evidence’ was circumstantial at best, but deep down I knew it was him. Everything added up. His controlling nature, the violent porn and aggression. I’d always known. As soon as I saw his unfeeling blue eyes in the gym and the physical effect he had on me. I was frightened of him. My entire body tensed when he was near, reacting for me. It knew before I did.

In a few days Ian and I would have dinner. He would invite me back to his flat. For what purpose, I wasn’t sure? What were his motives? To rape me again? To beat me? To make love? I had so many questions and I knew the answers to none. But I would be going back to his flat. I needed to prepare.

Plucking my phone from my bag, I dialled as I walked home.

‘Jason?’

‘Hello?’

‘It’s Eve.’

‘Hiya, you all right?’

‘Yeah fine. I meant to ask you earlier. You don’t know anyone that runs self-defence classes for women, do you?’

‘No, not offhand, but I can always show you a few moves if you like.’

I smiled, I was hoping he’d say that. ‘Brilliant, thanks. Just half an hour or something.’

‘Sure, I’ll come in earlier tomorrow, before you finish. We can do it then.’

‘Perfect. Thanks Jason. See you tomorrow.’

My Tuesday was filling up fast. Work in the morning and Doctor Almara in the afternoon. I had to try and squeeze a workout in too. Just four days until Saturday, the thought made my insides squirm.

At home we were starting to run out of food again, but shopping would have to wait until later in the week. I ran a bath and lowered myself into the hot water, Was Ian with his father now? Or had that been a lie? Maybe I shouldn’t have deleted the PetCam app and the window it gave me into Ian’s life, but I had a plan and I had to stick to it. Deviation would be foolish, and I had to be smart.

I spent the evening waiting for the sound of Ben’s key in the door, but it never came. I had no idea if he was on shift this week or whether he was with Amy, but I missed his company. Jane called me in her break, she was on lates this week and her shifts didn’t finish until ten. I could tell she was running on empty.

‘Only a few more days to go now, chicken,’ I said.

‘Yeah, I can’t wait. I meant to say, everyone’s been asking about my fob watch, they can’t believe I have such amazing friends.’