Chapter 6

Home, since the separation and divorce, was a small two-bedroom flat. The nicest thing that could be said about it was it was quiet and secure. Every window had a security screen over it, which meant he could leave windows open at night. It was also air-conditioned and had recently been repainted.

He lived above an elderly woman called Mrs. Taylor, who was partially deaf. Of course, he could never mention anything about it in front of her or she’d have his arm off. No one liked to get old. It meant her television was sometimes turned up a little louder that it should have been, but as she went to bed at eight every night, like clockwork, it wasn’t a huge problem. In the flat next to his lived a young woman, Olivia. She was fond of flirting with him, despite the fact she had a boyfriend. Several times he’d come close to telling her that her boyfriend stood a better chance with him, but thought it best, in the interests of neighbourly peace and harmony, not to.