‘Here we go, now who’s having the sweet potato?’ The smiling waitress placed down the bowls and Fiona leant back, gazing over the table at Debs as she did. What the hell did Pete see in her? She opened her mouth to speak then picked up her spoon instead. This must have happened in the first year they were living up in Glenisla. She remembered Pete getting the train down and staying overnight in Edinburgh, said he had to meet a mate from home. When she queried him about it the next day, he said it had gone okay, they had got drunk then crashed at some room in the Premier Inn in the Grassmarket. She’d had no reason not to believe him.

‘The thing is, Fiona, it all ended badly.’ Debs glanced at her then looked down at her soup. ‘In the morning, I realised I didn’t have any money for the bus so, when he was in the shower, I shouted through to ask if I could borrow money for the fare. He said yes so I took out his wallet and got out £1.50. That’s all I took, it’s what I needed to get to work.’

She lifted her spoon and dipped into the large bowl. She looked at Fiona, her eyes moist. ‘So then I don’t know why I did it but I looked in the backflap thing in the wallet where he had his passport. I love having a laugh at folk’s passport photos. Anyway, I pulled it out and a photo fell out.’ She paused to take a swig from her can.

‘That was when he came back into the bedroom. He was smiling, happy – well, you know guys after a night of rampant sex…’

Fiona glowered at her. Was she really so stupid? Could this slut really not be aware of her feelings?

‘Sorry, it’s all coming out wrong,’ Debs muttered. ‘Anyway, he was smiling, then when he saw me with his passport his face changed immediately. Suddenly he had this dark angry look, his eyes were full of, well, hate. He came towards me and ripped it out of my hands. Then he swung at me with his fist but I just jumped backwards and fell on the bed. Then he called me a fucking whore and other stuff I couldn’t even begin to tell you. He started ramming his clothes on and I just kept saying sorry. Then he was gone, out of my flat in two minutes. Slammed the door so hard I thought it was going to splinter.’

She swallowed. ‘I tell you, I was actually terrified, thought he was going to kill me. That look on his face was so scary.’

‘Did you see him again?’ Fiona pursed her lips tight together.