By the time she reached the front door, she could smell the acrid stink of body odour. It smelt of fear. She stopped with a hand on the doorknob, suddenly afraid to open the door. Maybe she’s an axe murderer. Peter’s voice was so clear in her head, she jerked around, searching for him. She remembered she’d laughed, had insisted Jo was no danger to her. But now… well, it appeared Peter knew more about dodgy types than she’d given him credit for. Jo possibly – probably – wasn’t an axe murderer, but she was certainly a dubious character.

The doorbell sounded again. A short burst this time. A little reminder from the woman standing expectantly on her doorstep. It seemed Allison was left with little choice. She’d open the door, tell Jo she wasn’t up to visitors and send her on her way.

A good plan. She hoped it worked out better than her plan for her wealthy, comfortable future.

As it happened, the only part that worked out was opening the door.

‘I thought you weren’t going to let me in!’

‘I’m sorry. It’s been a tiring morning and I’m really not up to visitors. You’ll understand, I’m sure.’ That should have been it. Jo should have agreed her understanding of Allison’s position and fucked off. Instead, she found herself being grabbed in a hug and propelled backwards into the house. Before she could regain control, the front door was shut and she was sitting on the sofa in the living room, Jo standing over her like some bloody avenging angel.

‘You need someone to take care of you.’ Jo nodded to the tray. ‘Looks like you’ve had a visitor already this morning.’

‘My solicitor visited to see if I was okay.’ Allison had been, before his arrival, before he’d turned her expectations into a mirage. ‘It was more tiring than I’d expected so I’m sorry, I think I’d better head back to bed.’

‘I bet you’ve had nothing to eat.’ Jo bent to pick up the tray. ‘You sit there, rest; I’ll make us fresh tea and find something for us to eat.’

Allison, still stunned from the earlier revelation, tried to stand firm. ‘I’d prefer—’ But it was too late; with a smile that was possibly supposed to convey understanding and sympathy but merely looked creepy, Jo was gone.

Maybe she was right. Perhaps after something to eat, Allison would feel… something, anything… because she felt numb and unable to process the reality of her situation. The stark, unbearable reality that all her carefully made plans had come to nothing.