sportsfan52: The thing is, I don’t like cyber, in fact I hate it. I’m asking you real questions about your experiences, cyber is when you make it up and pretend to have sex and stupid crap like that. It’s childish and doesn’t make you feel good cos it’s all fake

shygirl351: so what do you want?

sportsfan52: I’m interested in the real thing. One on one

shygirl351: wow

sportsfan52: I have been thinking about you a lot. What it would be like to be with you in person.

shygirl351: really

shygirl351: I worried in case I was being too forward

sportsfan52: not at all. Well it depends …

sportsfan52: how far do you wanna go?

shygirl351: dunno, what do you think?

sportsfan52: well, how much do you wanna learn about SEX and everything?

shygirl351: I don’t want to get into trouble.

sportsfan52: You won’t. It’s me that gets into trouble and goes to jail if anyone finds out … it’s your body and you can do whatever you want, when you want. You don’t have anything to worry about. I’ll be gentle and considerate.

sportsfan52: I’d like to give you some homework

shygirl351: what kind of homework?

sportsfan52: sexual homework

shygirl351: lmao you’ll have to explain.

shygirl351: hello?

shygirl351: are you still there.

sportsfan52: sorry, phone ringing. brb

shygirl351: k

The phone wasn’t ringing, of course. Instead Jason Bevan had heard the sound of footsteps heading up the stairs towards the attic room where he had set up his office.

His hands swiftly moved the mouse to the task bar at the bottom of the page, replacing the open page of the chatroom with that of iTunes.

‘How’s it going, darling?’

Cynthia Bevan was wearing well for her age by most people’s standards but all her husband of fourteen years could see were the lines on her forehead, the crow’s feet beside her eyes and rolls of sagging flesh around her belly. He forced a smile.

‘Just sorting out our music collection. I found a few more old CDs that I’m loading into the computer. Once that’s done we may as well take them down the charity shop.’

‘But I might want to listen to them again.’

Bevan’s smile grew wider. His wife had never got to grips with modern technology and probably never would. ‘You’ll still be able to, Cyn. They will be right here on the computer.’

‘But that means if I want to hear an album, I’ll have to come up and sit in front of the computer. But supposing you’re working? Why can’t I just stick with the CDs?’

‘They’re old-fashioned. And besides CDs take up loads of room. The great thing about a computer is that it stays the same size no matter how many albums you load into it.’

‘I’d still rather have my CDs.’

‘Well, if you really want some songs to play downstairs, I can burn off a few tracks for you.’

‘You what?’

‘I can make another CD for you, using the music that I’ve stored on the computer.’

‘Then why don’t I just keep the original CD in the first place?’

Bevan sighed. He was getting impatient and this conversation was going nowhere. ‘Did you want something?’

‘The girls want to show you their homework. The pictures are lovely, really adorable.’

‘Okay, I’ll just finish off here and I’ll be down in a minute or two.’

‘Okay. Love you.’

‘Love you too.’

Bevan watched as his wife’s head disappeared down the trapdoor in the attic floor and vanished out of view. When he was absolutely sure that she had gone, he flicked the cursor over the task bar again until the chatroom returned. He saw with enormous relief that shygirl351 was still there.

He had to work fast. He had been interrupted at a crucial point and now needed to regain the momentum. He typed as fast as his fingers allowed.

sportsfan52: back

shygirl351: hi

shygirl351: I need the loo

shygirl351: you ok for a minute?

sportsfan52: yes

shygirl351: brb

Bevan watched the minutes ticking by on the clock in the bottom-right-hand corner of his computer screen. Any minute now his wife would begin calling him, wondering why he had not yet seen to his children. ‘Come on, come on,’ he hissed under his breath. ‘Hurry it up for fuck’s sake.’

shygirl351: back. All peed out.

sportsfan52: lol

shygirl351: so who were you talking to just now?

An ice-cold shiver raced down Bevan’s spine. His fingers were trembling above the keyboard. His head was filled with thoughts about his whole world crashing down. He could manage only a single character.

sportsfan52: ?

shygirl351: on the phone, dummy

Bevan’s relief was palpable.

sportsfan52: just the office, checking on the schedules for tomorrow’s meetings.

shygirl351: sounds dull

sportsfan52: like you would not believe

sportsfan52: listen, I have to go soon. have you given any more thought to us meeting – where & when

shygirl351: um

shygirl351: dunno

shygirl351: if it’s day, it’s hard during the week

shygirl351: Saturdays any good?

sportsfan52: sometimes – not this weekend – going away

shygirl351: um

shygirl351: so, when?

sportsfan52: I am reasonably free later this week and next week at the mo

shygirl351: wow

shygirl351: u want me to get my diary?

sportsfan52: how about Monday for Lunch

shygirl351: can’t

shygirl351: Friday maybe

shygirl351: or Thursday maybe

sportsfan52: Yes that could be good

shygirl351: which?

sportsfan52: thurs

shygirl351: ok

sportsfan52: next Thursday

shygirl351: tomorrow silly

sportsfan52: ok

shygirl351: wow, I’ve got butterflies in my stomach now

shygirl351: say we meet, yeh

shygirl351: tomorrow

sportsfan52: yes

shygirl351: what happens then?

sportsfan52: let’s wait and see – you may not like me!

shygirl351: but supposing I do?

sportsfan52: well let’s just take it as it comes …

shygirl351: fine by me

sportsfan52: tomorrow it is then

sportsfan52: hello?

sportsfan52: you still there?

A neatly manicured hand reached out and lifted the chilled glass of Pinot Grigio Blush that sat on the side of the computer monitor. There followed a long, slow sip, savouring the flavours and cooling sensation against the tongue, before the glass was lowered and placed down directly on top of the ring of condensation it had already left behind.

Finally he’s on the hook. I love it when a plan comes together. Sportsfan52 has been well and truly fooled and is now ripe for the picking. The sick perverted bastard doesn’t suspect a thing. How delicious is that?

Fingers flexed before they began to type a reply to sportsfan52’s last message.

shygirl351: still here.

shygirl351: I can’t wait to meet you.

shygirl351: We really do have so much in common.

shygirl351: I know I’m going to like you

shygirl351: I feel you could be my soulmate.

13

‘So, ladies, are you ready to order?’ The chisel-jawed waiter with the Hollywood smile and faintest trace of an Italian accent looked eagerly from one to the other in anticipation.

‘I know what I want; how about you, Stacey?’

‘You go ahead, I’ll make up my mind while you’re ordering.’

Jessica Matthews’s eyes flicked up and down the menu, coming to rest in the centre. ‘I’ll have the filet steak, French cut. Rare.’