She’d waited not-so-patiently all through the brutal winter, sure that eighty-seven-year-old Arthur would pop his clogs by March. But the old git was still going strong. Apart from his hearing and his sight, he was healthy as a horse, worse luck. Nicole had hoped the icy conditions would have weakened him, especially as she’d accidentally on purpose left the heating off one night. Arthur had said that it would take more than a bit of cold to see him off.

She realised with alarm that old people lived to be past one hundred these days. It was selfish. Make more room on the planet, she thought. Toddle off early for fuck’s sake. But no, now it was spring, and Arthur was still hanging in there, sprightly as ever, holding on to her inheritance.

Nicole jiggled the key in the front door, the April rain had swollen the lock and it was a bugger to open. Finally, the key hit home and she turned it and pushed open the door, shaking her umbrella out over the front step and stepping into the hallway.

It was her turn to do earlies this week. She yawned, took off her raincoat and hung it over the bannister, tramping up the creaky stairs. She wondered who had been on nights. Nicole never minded doing the night shifts; the spare room here was a lot nicer than her grotty place, and she got paid more for the privilege.

‘Morning, Arthur!’ She rapped on his bedroom door and called out again. He was becoming deafer by the day.

‘Morning,’ she heard him reply.

Nicole eased open the bedroom door. Arthur was sitting up in bed wearing a pair of checked pyjamas.

‘You just missed Natalie,’ he said. ‘She had to leave a few minutes early – her daughter had a doctor’s appointment. I told her she needn’t have bothered staying all night, I’d be fine on my own until you got here, but she’s a conscientious girl. She’s new. Have you met her?’

No, Nicole had not met her, and she didn’t like the sound of her. Not at all. She hoped this Natalie person wouldn’t become Arthur’s new favourite. If Natalie was on nights, she’d get to soothe his nightmares and while away the evenings with him. Arthur might change his Will again, and Nicole couldn’t have that. She’d have to be especially nice to the old git from now on. Nicer than she already was.

‘Let’s go and get you washed and shaved,’ Nicole said, ‘and then I’ll lay some clothes out for you. How about your grey trousers? And then I thought a pale green shirt and dark green jumper – the one your Margaret always liked. Will that be all right?’

‘Yes, that’s fine. You know I’m not fussy about what I wear, dear.’

Did she detect a bit of impatience in his voice? She’d have to be careful not to irritate him. Nicole helped him out of bed and onto his feet, wondering just who this Natalie person thought she was, trying to move in on her Arthur. Nicole had been with him for months now, listening to his boring stories, cooking for him, picking up after him, having to be nice to him, and she wasn’t about to let some jumped-up newbie take preferential place. No way.

Despite his blindness, Arthur always insisted he could find his way around his own house perfectly well, but Nicole took his arm anyway, and led him out onto the landing, suddenly wanting to make herself indispensable.

‘How about I cook you a nice fry up this morning?’ she asked. ‘With all the trimmings?’ That should get her into his good books. Arthur always loved a cooked breakfast.

‘I’m not sure,’ he said. ‘Natalie was telling me about these people in California who are vegetarians and, according to her, they’re the healthiest people in the world – just eat nuts and berries and raw vegetables, can you believe it?’

‘You want nuts and berries for breakfast?’ she asked, one eyebrow raised.

‘Well,’ he chuckled. ‘Natalie was very persuasive. She wants me to try a new healthy diet – said she’d try some of her vegan recipes out on me. I was very impressed with her, I don’t mind telling you. Not sure she’d be happy with me eating a fry up.’

Nicole led Arthur over to the bathroom door, her blood boiling at the thought of this vegan bitch putting all these healthy-eating ideas into Arthur’s head. It would ruin her plans. He’d live much longer if he stopped eating fry ups and stuff. Plus she would have to work twice as hard to keep him sweet with this new girl as competition.

Or…

‘Are we going into the bathroom, dear?’ Arthur asked. ‘You’ve stopped.’

‘Sorry, Arthur, miles away.’ She eased his body around and led him away from the bathroom door.

‘Just a couple more steps,’ she crooned. ‘There. Door’s open. You go in first.’

‘Aren’t we going in the wrong direction?’ he said, turning his head from left to right, trying to make sense of his surroundings. ‘The bathroom’s the other way. Are you sure this is the—’

‘In you go,’ she said brightly, giving him a little nudge.

Arthur took a step. Instead of the bathroom floor, he found nothing beneath his foot. He wobbled but somehow managed to stay upright.

‘Careful, Arthur,’ Nicole said, letting go of his arm. ‘You don’t want to slip.’ With her toe, she nudged the back of his calf – the one that was still on firm ground. His slippered foot shot out from under him and he slipped backwards towards her. ‘Don’t worry, Arthur, I’ve got you,’ she cried, giving his back a light shove so he ended up careering head first down the steep flight of stairs.

‘Arthur!’ she screamed, suppressing a smile. ‘Oh my God, are you okay?’

There was a crunch and a thud, and then silence. The air seemed to thicken for a moment as if holding its breath.

Nicole stared at the crumpled shape of the old man at the bottom of the stairs, admiring her handywork. This would be easy. She’d say that when she arrived Natalie had already left, and she’d found the old man dead in the hallway.

Nicole couldn’t believe that the new girl had left Arthur on his own this morning. What a slacker. And now look what had happened! Natalie – or whatever her name was – was supposed to have stayed with him until Nicole got here. You couldn’t leave these old people on their own – that was how accidents happened. There were rules about that sort of thing. God, that girl was going to get into so much trouble.