I push down the door handle to the phone box, hold the door open, let her go in first. She couldn’t have managed the door herself with her bandaged hands. Coming out, she presses close to me. Her hair comes close to my face. I’d never have thought you could pull that trick off with your boss so well, girlie! Hats off to you, still waters run deep. I was standing beside her while she rabbited on and on, talking like a waterfall. She really chatted up that guy at the other end of the line. Turned him on. I could see she was enjoying all this more and more. Talking herself into a fine state.

But back at the mill, she can hardly bear the pain. I noticed in the car how the painkilling effect was gradually wearing off. Now I can see it in her face. She is turning paler all the time, her features are more and more convulsed.

‘My hands hurt again. You must give me another injection!’

‘Better not. Your head won’t be clear, you could mess this whole thing up!’

‘Please! It hurts horribly. I can’t stand it. Please do something, help me!’

Reluctantly, I fill a syringe and pull the plunger up, because with the pain she’s no use to me either. The way she looks now, that guy wouldn’t fancy her at all. It takes exactly the right dose to control the pain. Well, she doesn’t have to seduce him, just entice him here and then distract his attention, that’ll do. I’ll deal with the rest, because her boss will never fall into her honey-trap, not the way she looks. I have to think up some idea or we might as well say goodbye to the whole plan. Slowly, I press the plunger down in the syringe. I hope she’s not had too much.