Nix didn't bother looking through the kitchen cabinets for pain killers. He took himself to the utility cupboard and unzipped the vacuum cleaner bag, pulling free a sealed metal tin.

From the array of pills he kept in there he found two aspirins which he palmed before replacing his stash safely. He went into the bedroom, getting a rolled blunt from the same collection in there and pocketing it.

In the kitchen he boiled water and filled a hot water bottle, and then without knocking he opened the bathroom door, moving to the cabinet to get a glass of water. "Take these aspirin."