Victoria snorts and almost chokes on her cigarette smoke. ‘I wish! I haven’t sucked that dick since the August bank holiday. He hasn’t been that interested recently. He had better not be getting sucked off elsewhere.’

‘Do you think that’s why Charlotte dumped Stevie?’

‘Oi! Shut up. You’re supposed to support me.’

Jamie laughs. ‘You said it first.’

‘Yeah, but I didn’t mean it!’

‘Maybe it’s not Charlotte. Maybe it’s Stevie.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Stevie is sucking Hugo off.’

‘Ugh! Stop. The thought makes me want to vomit.’

‘I’m only kidding.’

‘Anyway, babes. Are you driving?’

‘I’m in a cab.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘I’m meeting a client.’

‘Tell the truth.’

‘I am!’

‘You’re such a liar, Jamie. You’re either meeting that policewoman or a slaginder.’

‘A what?’

‘Slag from Tinder.’

‘You have a vivid imagination, my dear.’

Victoria rolls her eyes and inhales a glorious lungful of Dunhill smoke. ‘Where are you meeting this mysterious client?’

‘I’m not sure, actually. We’re almost there.’

Victoria hears the click of the cab’s indicators.

‘We’re just pulling over. Give me a minute, Vics.’

She hears the car door closing and Jamie is talking. ‘Thank you. Bye,’ he says.

‘Are you still there?’ he asks.

‘Yes, babes.’

‘Wow, this place is weird.’

‘In what way?’

‘Well, I’ve no idea where I am. Somewhere west of London. Ealing.’

‘Ealing . . . ugh. First that horrid little hovel in Waterloo and now Ealing.’

‘That’s nice, Vics.’

‘Well, you know what I mean, babes.’ She exhales a large plume of grey smoke.

‘It’s an old manor house,’ he says. ‘There’s no one here. The place is empty and there’s a weird smell.’

Victoria feels a fluttering in her stomach that she cannot explain.

‘I’m just going to look inside.’

‘Wait. I don’t like it, Jamie. Call the taxi back and go home.’

‘Oh, Vics, that would just be rude. Perhaps the client wants to sell this property?’

‘I know, babes, but you know weird shit has been happening in London lately.’

He doesn’t respond but she can hear his footsteps as they crunch on what sounds like glass.

‘Jamie?’

‘What the hell is that?’

‘What do you see?’

‘There’s three large glass cabinets in the middle of this building.’

‘Oh God, Jamie. Get the fuck out of there now!’

‘Fuck this. I’m leaving.’

‘Thank God.’

Relief washes over her but ebbs quickly back when she hears Jamie grunting followed by a cracking noise. Horror grips her. She wonders if he has just dropped the phone. ‘Jamie?’ she calls, with a frightened whisper.

He doesn’t respond.

‘On my God! Jamie? Jamie!’

She can hear a horrible gurgling sound that stops suddenly.

‘Jamie, what’s going on?’

She hears footsteps approaching the phone.

‘Jamie!’ she calls.

All she hears is heavy breathing.

‘What have you done? Where’s Jamie?’