After we had eaten, I bought another couple of drinks, and as we sat back to enjoy them everything seemed charming and snug. I felt increasingly reassured that she wasn’t still working for McCoy and a part of me didn’t care anyway. She told me how she had met Tommy and how they came to be in London. I casually asked her about Tommy’s work and if she ever got involved. She shrugged her shoulders and said, ‘Occasionally.’ I didn’t sense any nervous reaction to my question. Then I asked her where she was staying at the moment.

‘I’ve spent the last two nights in this hotel at the Elephant and Castle called the Grand Saffron.’

‘Is that where you’re staying tonight?’ I enquired.

‘No, you see, that’s the thing, Gary. I’ve run out of money and I was going to ask if maybe I could stay at your place till I get myself sorted.’

I wanted to say, ‘Yes, you can stay forever, rent free,’ but resisted.

‘Have you not got family or friends you could stay with?’ I asked instead.

‘Not really, and anyway, Tommy will be keeping an eye on them. It’s not good that he found out about you. Maybe I should see if my dad would put me up for a bit in Brighton.’

‘I thought you and your dad had fallen out big time?’

‘Yeah, but I don’t think he would turn me away.’

The possibility of her deciding on another option rather than staying with me caused me to panic.

‘Listen, I would love you to come and stay at my place. I’ve got three locks on my door – yes, three – and my next-door neighbour has a ferocious dog that I’m sure she would let us borrow for a few days. Honestly, I’d be very happy to help.’

Emily’s eyes began to water. I hadn’t realized just how exhausted and desperate she really was.

‘Would you like to do that?’ I asked.

She nodded her head and placed her hand around my forearm.

‘Thank you,’ she whispered with a sniffle and a smile.

‘Is it okay if I finish my pint?’ I asked. ‘It’s a very refreshing one.’

‘You can have as many as you like. I love it in here,’ she replied and gave me the most pleasing smile I had ever been subjected to.

We stayed for a couple more hours and not once did she raise the subject of Brendan or dongles or anything to do with ‘the case’.

When we got to my block, we approached from the Peckham High Street entrance so that we emerged at the western end, away from the parking and the stairwell. I told Emily to wait while I went up and checked that the coast was clear. It was, so I beckoned her from the bottom of the stairwell to come and join me.