‘Are you okay?’ I ask, sidestepping his questions. He really doesn’t look well. I’m trying to work out whether I could manage to duck beneath his arm and make it to the front door. But what if he grabs me? What if he really is dangerous? And even if I’m able to get away, he could still call the police, have me arrested.

‘God, I feel like shit.’ He blinks and cringes against the light. ‘I’ve got flu. Don’t feel good at all. Why are you here?’

‘You look terrible. You should go back to bed.’ This is weird. He’s so out of it that I could probably leave and he’d think he’d hallucinated me.

‘You! What are you doing here?’ Shaun barks at me this time, suddenly more alert than a second ago. He wipes the back of his hand across his clammy forehead. ‘Stop shining that thing in my face!’

‘I’m sorry.’ I turn off the torch and take a small step back. ‘I… I left my wallet here when I dropped Bella off the other day.’ It’s a crap excuse, but it’s all I can come up with.

‘How did you get in?’

‘I knocked but no one replied. So I saw an open window…’

‘You broke in through a window? Kate was right about you.’ He staggers a little and puts his hand against the wall to steady himself.

‘I’m sorry. Look, I’ve got my wallet now. I’ll go.’

‘You can’t just come into our property like that. It’s breaking and entering.’

‘I know, I know. I’m sorry.’ And now I’m stressing about the broken window. About how I’m not going to be able to bluff my way out of it. He’ll see it after I’ve gone and know I’m responsible. What the hell am I going to do? ‘Look, Shaun, I did something I shouldn’t have.’

‘You need to go. I don’t feel well. It’s really hot in here. Are you hot?’

‘I’ll go, I’ll go in a sec, but please just listen.’

Shaun coughs, sinks down onto the hall floor and leans back against the wall.

‘Shaun, I’m sorry, but I broke a window to get in.’

‘What?’ He’s suddenly alert again. His eyes widening and then closing as though he’s in pain.

‘The bathroom window, it’s broken. I’ll pay for it. I’ll sort it out. But please don’t tell Kate I was here. She really doesn’t like me.’

Shaun nods and gives a short laugh. ‘I know.’

‘What did she say to you about me?’ I ask.

‘Did you say you broke a window? This wall is so nice and cool.’ He presses his cheek against the paintwork.