‘Did you notice anything strange about his apartment? Anything unusual?’ Hicks asks, his stomach straining the buttons holding his shirt together. They are like a tag team today. Becker doesn’t look quite as together as she did yesterday. Overnight, the dark circles under her eyes haven’t completely receded.

‘No, nothing. It was tidy, I remember that, but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary.’ It was spotless, clinical even. Minimalist design with everything in its proper place. I was frightened to touch anything. I had to though, there was one reason I’d agreed to go back with him. It wasn’t for more of his charming conversation or to get out of the cold.

‘Okay, you spent twenty minutes there. Did Ian make a pass at you at all, did you feel uncomfortable?’

I almost laugh then, uncomfortable? How about revolted. I thought he could see straight through me. The way he looked at me I was sure he knew, but the conversation flowed, and it wasn’t until the taxi arrived that he attempted any physical contact.

‘We had a kiss goodbye when the taxi arrived, but that was it. He walked me downstairs and opened the car door for me.’ When Ian leaned in to kiss me, I shut my eyes tight, hoping my pounding chest would be mistaken for excitement and not panic. His tongue darted between my lips like a snake and I had to fight the urge to shrink away from him. Thankfully the kiss was short-lived.

‘When did you hear from him after the date?’ Becker asks, interrupting my thoughts.

Sunday 29 October 2017

I jumped out of bed, unable to understand why bright sunlight shone through my window when it should have only just been starting to get light. It wasn’t until I checked my phone that I realised I’d completely missed the clocks going back. It was eight thirty and, worried I was going to miss him, I skipped the shower and threw on yesterday’s running clothes.

Jogging towards the railway bridge my knee twinged, so I took it slowly, keeping my eyes peeled for him. The streets were quiet, everyone else enjoying their extra hour in bed. Yesterday I found out where he lived, today I aimed to find out his name.

I took a gamble and waited at the entrance to his road, the opposite end to the bridge, and did some stretches. There was a possibility he might not come out at all. I had visions of watching him walk out of the apartment, a woman by his side pushing a pram. I prayed that wouldn’t be the case. He’d ruined enough innocent lives.

As I waited, occasionally jogging up and down the road when I got cold, my thoughts turned to the girl from yesterday. I hoped she was okay and that I’d stopped him before he caused any unrepairable damage.