Fools rush in

Flaherty flew through the open doorway to Nicole’s flat, stopped, scanned the hallway then piled straight into her bedroom. What he saw was exactly what Paolo had seen and photographed.

“Fucking bitch, fucking whore!” he shouted so loudly that Nicole stirred. He leapt on the bed and went to punch her in the face but for some reason stopped himself to put both hands around her neck and start to strangle her.

He would have succeeded but for the adrenalin rush Nicole experienced as she stirred and realised what he was doing. What came next took him quite by surprise.