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lashes and, although her mouth was
     quite wide, her lips were pressed tightly together as though she had a headache. She looked exhausted, and for a moment Frankie
     felt quite sorry for her. It must be a tough life being a professional ballbreaker, and he wondered what “her world” was.
    “Right.” Alex opened her eyes smartly.
    “You look like you could murder a drink.” Saff patted her shoulder. “Is there a bottle open?”
    For the first time Alex smiled and the transformation was astonishing. Her eyes softened and her cheeks dimpled. Now that
     was something she ought to do more often. “Would you like one?” She turned to look at him and he flicked his eyes guiltily
     away.
    “No thanks. I haven’t finished my coffee.”
    She didn’t ask twice, reached for her bag, branded with the famous Zencorp logo, and took out a leather folder with the same
     branding. Either she was a big fan or
this
was her world. That would explain the sporty image. “Let’s get on with it then. Can you cook? Have you had a recent background
     check? Do you have references?”
    The questions rattled at him like machine-gun fire, each one designed to leave him in no doubt as to the nature of what would
     be expected of him. Alex glanced up at him occasionally as he tried to formulate his answers. He started to feel uncomfortable,
     but soldiered on, the size of the phone bill at the front of his mind. Yes, he could cook—he’d worked in restaurants for several
     years and had even gotten a basic food hygiene certificate after doing a stint in a sandwich shop in the city. Yes, he’d had
     a recent background check because he’d done theater for schools. Yes, he had references—he handed them over.
    “Do you have experience of looking after an elderly person?” she asked suddenly. Frankie looked around, surprised. What had
     this got to do with it?
    “Not exactly,” he faltered. “But I was a porter at St Thomas’ Hospital before college.”
    Saffron brought a glass of wine for Alex and one for herself, and gave him a sympathetic wink as she set them on the table.
     On and on the interview went and he knew his answers were good but he couldn’t help thinking she was just going through the
     motions.
    “I might as well explain the situation,” she said eventually. “I work very long hours. I’m often away. And now my mother has
     had a fall and can’t look after herself for a while. She’s broken her elbow, apparently, and it’s in a cast. She can get around,
     but she needs someone to keep an eye on her. I need someone to—well, to do the things for me that a wife would do for her
     husband.” Saffron giggled and took a sip of her wine, and Frankie was astonished to see Alex blush a little, but she talked
     on quickly. “I have a very demanding job and I can’t give her the time she needs… she deserves at the moment.” There
     was a pause and Alex looked down. “I don’t even have time to shop for food. That doesn’t really matter when it’s just me,
     but my mother will need three meals a day. I’m not sure she’s been eating properly.” She paused. “And she’s very demanding.”
    “Oh.” This explained it all.
    Saffron laughed again, her cheeks a little flushed. “Don’t worry, she’s lovely. You’ll absolutely love her. She was an actress
     herself once.”
    Alex shot her a sharp look. This wasn’t the done deal Saffron seemed to think it should be. “Apart from that, it would be
     a question of keeping the place clean and tidy. Putting the odd load of washing on. Being in for deliveries. Picking up my
     dry cleaning. That kind of thing. It would only be temporary, of course. Just until my mother is well enough to go home. Could
     you manage all that?”
    Frankie nodded, trying to appear more confident than he felt. He had to make some ground here. “Absolutely. Sounds right up
     my street. And I could start as soon as you like. I don’t have anything penciled in for the next few weeks