Guy was smiling, but not in his eyes. His eyes gave him away. It was a smile she recognized: wide, open, easy, charming. He had been doing it all his life, but now she realized it was all a sham. It was a mask. Had it always been? And why was he going on about clothes sizes?

He handed her an envelope. ‘Take a look.’ She unfolded a piece of A4 paper.

It was a birth certificate for someone called Angelica Rina Schmidt, born in Munich in 1984.

She caught his eye. ‘I don’t get it.’

He smiled. Again it did not reach his eyes. It was not like a smile at all; more like a deliberate rearrangement of his features.

‘It’s brilliant,’ he said, his voice almost reverent. ‘Genius.’

‘What is?’ she said. ‘Who is Angelica Schmidt?’

‘She’s you,’ he said. ‘This is a birth certificate I … procured. And with it I can get you a passport, everything you need for identification. You’ll be Angelica. Angie. Guy and Angie. Got a ring to it, no?’

She was amazed he had not seen the flaw.

‘But, Guy,’ she said, ‘people will still recognize me.’

‘No they won’t,’ he said. ‘Not if you change your appearance. Short hair, different colour.’

He was wrong. People would see through that, eventually. But that was fine by her. She’d get recognized and this would be over.

‘OK,’ she said.

‘You’re thinking that’s not enough,’ he said. ‘And you’re right. That’s the plan. We are going to fundamentally change the way you look.’ He leaned down, his face close to hers, his lizard smile fixed. ‘Plastic surgery,’ he said. ‘Quite extensive.’

She stared at him.

‘Great idea, no?’ he said. ‘I’ve spoken to a plastic surgeon already – an American, who can be relied on to keep quiet. He can’t work any more, officially at least. He found his female patients a bit too appealing, shall we say. You’ll be safe, though. I’ll be there for your surgery, so he won’t get up to any of his mischief with you. Anyway, he said that to make someone unrecognizable you need to do quite a lot of work. Nose shape, cheeks, jawline. None of it impossible, though. He’ll be here this Friday. No point wasting time!’

He backed towards the door.

‘I’ll be the only person in the world who knows who you actually are,’ he said. ‘Think about that! You’ll be all mine. I hope I still love you when you look different.’

She blinked. She had no idea what to say.

‘Just joking,’ he said. ‘I’ll always love you. Anyway, I have to go. I can’t be out of the office. We don’t want to mess this up when we’re this close, do we?’

He held index finger and thumb a half-inch apart.

‘This close,’ he said. ‘Right?’

She nodded. ‘Right.’

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