Then I copied the image next to my name and did a reverse image search on Google, but nothing showed up. I sat back, confused. The men who’d called me were the least of my worries, really. They had no idea where I lived and now that I had the whistle I could get rid of them easily. It was the person who’d posted my details that I was concerned about. Who had done that? Why would anyone do that?

I wondered then whether my name was on other sites. Maybe my address was on them! “I can come round to yours,” the man had said. Did he know where I lived?

I jumped up and went to the window, pulling the curtains shut. As I did so I could see in the distance two men walking down the road in the direction of my flat.

I froze. Were they coming here?

I had no reason to think they would but the way they walked, with such a determined air, frightened me. As they came near to the edge of the row of shops I reached out and turned the lamp off and, holding a curtain to one side, peeped out. In darkness I watched as they walked past, with no hesitation or glance toward my flat, and continued on down the street.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief. My heart was thudding and I put the lamp back on and slumped onto the sofa.

Who had put my name on that site? I sat in the quiet room thinking who it might be. My age was in the right category. The woman in the photo was a brunette, just as I am. I thought of the calls I’d had—there’d been well over a hundred by now—and shuddered.

Again I regretted not having a bottle of wine in the fridge, but knew it wouldn’t really help. This was something I had to do on my own. I poured a glass of water with shaky hands and went back into the living room. I was afraid to play music or watch a movie on my laptop in case I didn’t hear someone knock or call my name. Someone wanting to pay me for sex.

I couldn’t read. Couldn’t focus. I just sat curled up on that sofa, careful to avoid the dip that made my back ache, and tried to think who might have done this to me.

CHAPTER 41

Ruby

When the agency in Chester had told me the job was basic, they really did mean it. After a few days, I thought I was going mad.