As I seemed to have developed insomnia in the last few days, I’ve had plenty of time to lie awake scheming and plotting. My original plan had been to wait outside Jake’s office from the crack of dawn to see who he arrived with. Job sorted. However, my insomnia was cured round about 7.00 a.m. this morning and I fell into the deepest, soundest sleep I’ve ever had, which continued long past the alarm clock and then I had to scramble and rush into the office. Which is where I am now, pretending that I care about work.

‘I need to talk to you about this,’ Monica says as she puts some copy on my desk.

It’s fast approaching lunchtime. ‘I have to go,’ I tell her.

‘You’ve only just arrived.’

‘This is important.’

‘And earning your salary isn’t?’

‘This is catching Jake with new girlfriend type of important.’

‘Ooo.’ Monica’s eyes and mouth widen slightly. ‘We haven’t had this instalment yet.’

‘That’s why I’ve got insomnia.’

‘You said you overslept.’

‘That was after the insomnia.’

Monica puts her hands on her hips in a very authoritative manner.

‘I’ll buy some doughnuts for afternoon tea,’ I promise in my best grovelly voice. ‘Cover for me.’

‘I’m your boss,’ Monica points out. ‘I’m the one who shouldn’t catch you skiving off.’

‘Don’t give me a hard time, Mon,’ I plead. ‘My lips are one cross word away from a full-on wobble.’

‘Go on,’ Monica sighs. ‘“Nappy and You Know It” will have to wait.’

I pick up my handbag. ‘Thank you. Thank you. I love you. You’re like a…friend to me.’

‘How long are you going to be?’

‘As long as it takes,’ I shout over my shoulder. And hope against hope that it isn’t very long at all.

It’s a fabulous day. The rain has finally conceded defeat. The sky is bright blue, mockingly so, and dotted with billowing white clouds that grow, spread and drift like the wax bubbles in a lava lamp. The air is cold and, for London, relatively clear. I take a cab to Jake’s office and get the driver to drop me off just round the corner from the glass tower of Dunston & Bradley so that I can take up my spying position unseen. The only good thing about there being so many detective shows on TV these days is that you can get loads of information for mounting covert operations. I hadn’t previously considered this a plus point. Funny how your perspective on all sorts of things changes when you find yourself a wronged woman.