This emotional meltdown resembled the ones that Mack had seen Isla have. She tried her best to calm her, while beside her Dexter whined and pawed at Flora. When Flora didn’t respond to Dex, he pushed his snout underneath Flora’s arm, forcing her to sit back.

“He doesn’t like anyone to cry,” Mack said.

Flora scooped him up in her arms and hugged him tightly. Dexter licked the tears from her face.

“You see?” Mack ran her fingers through Flora’s wet hair. She was disgusted with the two men who’d wanted to humiliate Flora, pure and simple.

“Is this what you’ve had to live with?” Mack asked.

Flora wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. Dexter was helping, Mack could see.

Flora took a few deep breaths. “I can’t cope with this any more. It’s mostly just crude words and gestures. This is the first time—” Tears came again and stopped Flora from finishing her sentence.

Mack cupped her cheeks and wiped away Flora’s tears with her thumbs. “You won’t have to cope with it. I’ll deal with it.”

“How will you?”

“By having a chat.” Mack stood up, took off her jacket, and hung it on the coat stand.

“No, please don’t. It’ll just make things worse. It always has in the past. I called the rental management company and the council noise control department—it just got worse.”

Mack saw Flora rub her nose and tap her chest frantically. She crouched and brushed the wet hair from Flora’s eyes. “I promise you that you won’t have to worry about them again. Do you trust me?”

Flora looked into her eyes and nodded.

“Good, because I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll keep you safe from anyone. Okay?”

Once again, Flora nodded.

“Now take Dexter in the kitchen, and shut the door. I won’t be long.”

* * *

Once Mack got outside, she tapped the back pocket of her jeans to make sure her razor was there, not that she’d need it.

She pressed the security buzzer, and a man with a well-spoken Highlands accent answered. “Yes?”

“Delivery,” Mack said.

The door unlocked, and Mack walked upstairs to the front door of the upper flat. She knocked, and a weedy man opened the door. There was a look of surprise on the man’s face. He’d obviously seen her walking in behind Flora.

“Did that crazy cow send you up to complain?” This one sounded local but just as posh. “Are you her boyfriend?”

He obviously thought that would upset her. It didn’t. “I’m more of a man than you’ll ever be, ya prick.” Mack grabbed him by the throat and pushed him into the flat. She slammed him up against the wall. “You like intimidating women, do you?”