‘Ah, the same fella that was here yesterday,’ he says, making it sound as if my paranoia is all beginning to make sense.

‘Mmm,’ is all I can manage.

‘I’ve been thinking,’ says Leon. ‘Maybe we should let him have the flat, if he still wants it, of course.’

A breath catches in my throat. It’s as if he knows exactly what I’ve done and is playing some kind of tortuous cat and mouse game to see how far he has to push me to confess.

‘Why the sudden change of heart?’ I ask, trying to keep the air of suspicion from my voice.

‘Well, I think you’re right. The holiday rental market isn’t quite as predictable and it’ll mean we have a guaranteed income, all the while helping out someone in need.’

My pulse quickens as I dare to hope that this might be my lifeline out of the sticky predicament I’ve got myself in.

‘OK, great,’ I say, as if it doesn’t matter to me one way or another. ‘I’ll let him know and see what he says.’

‘Are you able to call him?’ he says. ‘Or do you not have that kind of relationship?’

‘He’s actually coming to see me tomorrow, so I’ll talk to him then.’

‘Again?’ exclaims Leon. ‘Do you normally see him twice a week?’

‘If that’s what a client feels they need,’ I say, keen to make it more generic, ‘then yes.’

‘Hey, why not?’ he says, leaning in to give me a kiss. ‘I suppose it’s all money in the bank at the end of the day.’

‘I’ll see you tonight,’ I say, eager to remove myself from the pressure cooker I feel I’m in.

I’ve not even opened my office door before my first client calls to say she’s running ten minutes late. That means twenty, which will knock me off kilter for the rest of the day. Leon says the hour should start from their appointment time rather than when they finally manage to turn up, but I can’t tap on my watch after forty minutes and say, ‘Sorry, your time’s up.’ They’d often just be getting started. Though it still irks me, today more than normal, that my time is so carelessly disregarded.

As soon as I’m inside, I call Jacob’s mobile, eager to catch him before his school day starts.

I keep a watchful eye on the house. Not that Leon would normally come down, but I wouldn’t want him to overhear this particular conversation. It’s not one I particularly want to have myself, but the ice needs to be broken and I’d rather just get it over and done with.

It rings four times before clicking into voicemail.