The following morning, Holly boarded the bus for work with a spring in her step.

After paying one of the now-familiar drivers and exchanging pleasantries, she took a seat in the middle of the half-empty vehicle.

The bus set off, lumbering past the park and the big houses that gradually got smaller and smaller towards the outskirts of the city. There, the terraces and converted Victorian villas began to morph into raw, Brutalist-style apartment blocks set on disproportionately small squares of scuffed grass edged with vandalised wooden benches that nobody ever seemed to sit on.

She felt lucky to be living with Cora in a nice spacious house in a leafy street in a good area. Not that things couldn’t change.

She’d thought herself lucky to be living in a nice place all those years ago too.

---

When Brendan had first opened the door to the apartment in the Salford area of Manchester, he’d stood back and allowed Holly and Markus to enter first.

‘Wow!’ she’d breathed, hardly able to believe her eyes.

They’d stepped straight into a large open-plan lounge overlooking the water. A glossy white kitchen fitted neatly into one end and a sleek beech laminate floor led to double French doors with a Juliet balcony.

The room had been fully furnished, with petrol-blue couches, a compact dining table with four chairs, a fluffy rug, a coffee table and an impressive flat-screen television fixed to the wall.

‘There are two bedrooms and a bathroom through there.’ Brendan had pointed to another door, but Holly had her face pressed up against the window, taking in the view. ‘That’s the River Irwell you can see out there. I know this place is small, but it’s just for the next couple of nights, until we get you sorted out properly.’

‘A couple of nights?’ Holly had stared at him. ‘I could seriously live here for the rest of my life.’

Brendan had laughed.

‘The business owns a few properties and we use this apartment for visiting delegates, that sort of thing. Trust me, it’s quite basic.’

‘It’s brilliant.’ Markus had nodded. ‘Thank you.’

When Brendan had left, Holly turned and looked at Markus.

‘Why did you lie to me?’ she said accusingly. ‘Why didn’t you tell me that Brendan had arranged last night as some kind of twisted test?’

‘I’m sorry,’ he sighed. ‘I didn’t know where we were stopping for sure. I thought it best to keep it to myself so you didn’t worry on the journey over.’

‘How considerate of you, and I thought we were friends.’

‘We are friends. I have myself to think of, too,’ he tried to reason. ‘I need to prove to Brendan that he can trust me to carry out his instructions. He told me you would be safe; that was the main thing.’

‘But it didn’t feel safe.’ Holly scowled. ‘You were scared too.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Markus said again. ‘Still friends?’

‘Suppose so.’ She’d looked around the apartment then, and despite her best efforts to stay annoyed with him, her smile had returned.

She’d slipped off her shoes and danced around the room.

‘Manchester is simply the best!’ she’d sung to the Tina Turner tune. ‘I never in a million years thought I’d live somewhere like this.’

‘Well, like he said, it’s just for a couple of nights,’ Markus had said.

‘Don’t spoil it!’ She’d sighed and sat down on one of the comfy sofas. ‘I’m going to imagine this is home now. I’m not worrying about what happens in a couple of days’ time. Let’s enjoy it!’

‘I’m just saying… let’s not get our hopes up too much that this is how it’ll continue.’

Holly had wafted her hand dismissively at his boring caution. More than anything, she wanted to immerse herself in this dream start to their new life in a big city.

She’d sprung up again and darted into the kitchenette.

‘Small but perfect,’ she’d announced. ‘Just like the rest of it.’

She’d gasped in amazement when she opened the outsize refrigerator and found it was stocked with provisions.

A bottle of white wine, beer and orange juice sat alongside eggs, butter, yoghurts and milk. Likewise, the cupboards held pasta, bread and tinned produce, while further inspection revealed every piece of crockery or kitchen tool you could wish for, squirrelled away behind the immaculate glossy doors and drawer fronts.

Markus had headed across the room, and together they stepped into a narrow hallway with four doors leading off. There were two reasonably sized bedrooms, one with a river view, and a sparkling white fully tiled bathroom with a big glass shower, while the fourth door revealed a storage cupboard containing an ironing board, hoover and other cleaning tools.

‘Neat.’ Markus had grinned, finally seeming to relax a little. ‘I suppose we might keep it, yes? Better than going back to last night’s accommodation, I think.’

Holly had laughed without humour. ‘I’d rather sleep on the street than go back there.’

‘You can have the room with the view,’ Markus had told her.

‘Really? I would love to sleep in there. We can swap after tonight if you like.’

‘It’s fine,’ he’d said. ‘Knock yourself out, Holls.’

Holly had sensed he seemed a little withdrawn.

‘Are you feeling OK? You’re… I don’t know… a little bit quieter than usual.’

‘I’m fine.’ He’d yawned widely. ‘Sorry, I’m just so tired. In fact, I think I’m gonna crash right now and sleep through until morning.’

Holly had stared at him in horror. ‘It’s only six o’clock! I was going to cook us something. I—’

‘I’m really sorry.’ He’d shrugged, suddenly looking exhausted. ‘I just need to sleep.’

When Markus had gone to bed, Holly sat alone in the living room. Even though it was cool outside, she cracked open the French doors slightly and stared mesmerised at the view.

The silence and thinking time allowed her to analyse the unfamiliar feeling in the middle of her chest. She’d had it for the last couple of hours: a sort of lightness, a feeling that everything was going to be fine. It made a change from the usual way she felt: that there was something in the air to fear or dread.