"Hello – Quick Call Cabs!"

 

"Er... Hi, do you have a car available now, please?"

 

"I'll just take a look for you. Hold on... ... ... there's no one free right now, but I can have someone with you in about twenty minutes if you're local. Where's your pick-up point?"

 

"I'm walking down Saddler Street, heading towards the junction where Coleson Way crosses, by the old bookshop. Someone's following me!"

 

"Are you sure, love?"

 

"Yeah... They've been about forty feet behind me since I left my friends at The Burrow Arms ten minutes or so ago. They stop whenever I stop and have followed every turn. Please... can you see if there's a car free?"

 

"Okay, I'll find out if anyone can hurry up. What's your name, love?"

 

"Emily... Emily Hanson – thank you!"

 

"Okay, Emily, my name is James. How far are you from the junction?"

 

"Er... I'm not sure... er... maybe about a hundred feet. I can see the triple street light outside the betting shop up ahead."

 

"Well, keep going Emily – won't be a minute... stay on the line."

 

"Okay... "

 

"... ... ... Emily, are you still there?"

 

"Yeah... I can't see anyone right now. Please, is there a car free?"

 

"I have a driver that's just done a drop-off, but he is on the other side of town, so might take five minutes to get to you. How far is that street light, love?"

 

"I'm nearly at the junction now. I'm taking my shoes off so I can run, hold on... ..."

 

"... ... ... Emily?"

 

"... ... ... Yeah, I'm just crossing the road now."

 

"Good! Go and stand under that street light, and check where security cameras are."

 

"Okay! ... ... Okay, I'm outside the betting shop ... and there's a camera on the wall above the window."

 

"Good! Is there anyone else around? Anyone walking or whatever?"

 

"Not that I can see, no. And it's pretty well lit, so I would see if there were."

 

"Okay, well, keep a lookout, love, and stay where that camera can see you!"

 

"Okay."

 

"... ... ... The car coming for you is white, Emily, and the driver's name is Dave. Okay?"

 

"Okay, 'Dave'. I can't see a white car... ... How long will it be?"

 

"... ... ... It's nearly there now, just a few minutes."

 

"James... there's someone standing across the road. I think it's him. Shit!"

 

"What does he look like, Emily? What's he wearing?"

 

"I can't see – just in black, I think, with a hood up, can't see his face!"

 

"What's he doing?"

 

"Just standing there!"

 

"Okay, have a look around. Is there anyone else?"

​

"Er... ... ... No, no one."

 

"... ... ..."

 

"James?"

 

"Dave's just coming down Saddler Street now, Emily. Look f..."

 

"He's coming across the road, James! 'What do you want? GO AWAY!"

 

"Emily?"

 

"Shit! He's running... ..."

 

"Emily?"

 

"NO! ... ..."

 

"Emily!"

 

"... ... ..."

 

"Ah, fuck! Emily!"

 

"... ... ..."

 

"... ... ..."

 

"... ... ..."

​

"Emily?"

 

"... ... ..."

 

"Shit!"

 

"... ... ..."

 

"... ... ..."

 

"... ... Hello?"

 

"... Dave? Is that you?"

 

"Yeah, just pulled up."

 

"Where is she?"

 

"No one here when I got out, J."

 

"What?"

 

"Just this phone on the ground and a pair of black high heels."

 

"What? Are you sure? Check around!"

 

"... ... Hang on... ... "

 

"... ... Dave?"

​

"No, no one here, J."

 

"Shit!"

 

"... ... ..."

 

"I'm phoning the police. Stay there."

 

"Will do."

 

"... ... ... Shit... ... ..."

 

"Emergency. Which service?"