In the car park, she stood a moment looking across the brightly-lit but deserted space feeling suddenly anxious. It was safe, of course, there’d be security men. She hadn’t convinced herself, but she also couldn’t stand in the doorway all night. She wanted to get home, get into bed and sleep forever. Halfway to her car, she got the distinct impression she was no longer alone. Stop and look around or run like hell. She didn’t do either, afraid to look around, too weak to run. Instead, she kept walking, one shaky foot in front of the other.

She almost gasped with relief when she saw her car, pulling out her keys and rushing towards it. When she saw the yellow wheel clamp that said her car wasn’t going anywhere, her squeal of anguish echoed around the car park. There were instructions as to what to do, phone numbers to ring, fines to pay. Ignoring the lot, she walked away, and exited the car park onto the street. She was in luck, a taxi pulled in and four noisy and already inebriated passengers climbed out. Despite the taxi driver’s complaint that he had a fare to pick up, she jumped in. ‘I’ll give you a fifty-pound tip,’ she said, giving him her address and resting her head back. ‘You might have to wake me when we get there, I’m wiped out.’

She fell into a sound sleep, woken by a rough hand shaking her with more force than she thought necessary. ‘Okay, I’m awake, for goodness sake you don’t need to be so brutal.’ Glaring at the driver, she rubbed her arm.

‘I’ve been trying to wake you for about two minutes,’ he said calmly.

‘Sorry, sorry,’ she said, taking a deep breath. ‘I have to go inside to get your money.’

To her surprise, he got out and followed her to the front door. ‘No disrespect, miss,’ he said with a rueful smile, ‘but I’ve learned not to trust people too much.’

She needed to trust him; her head was spinning so much she couldn’t get the key in the door. Inside, he gave her back the key and she slid her hand along the wall to the living room.

Her bag was where she’d left it. ‘Help yourself,’ she muttered, pointing towards it.

With an audible tut, he picked it up, took out her purse and opened it. ‘The fare is twenty-five plus the fifty tip.’ He showed her three twenties and a ten. ‘We’ll leave it at seventy, okay?’

She didn’t care if he took every penny as long as he went away.

‘Do you see?’ he persisted, holding the notes up.

‘Yes, yes, fine.’

Pocketing the cash, he looked at her with concern in his eyes. ‘You sure you’ll be all right?’