‘You can’t buy anything but you’re welcome to a tea and a bacon roll if you want one – and if you’d like to put a donation in the tin we’d be very grateful but there’s no obligation at all.’

‘Thanks a lot.’ Vince slipped a pound coin in the slot. ‘You people are saints.’

She laughed. ‘I don’t know about that. Sugar’s on the counter.’

He stood next to one of the guys in heavy-duty gear. ‘Smell of smoke gets into everything.’

‘Takes twenty-four hours and a lot of water to get rid of it, and even then. At least this one’s not oil. Oil’s the real stinker.’

‘Explodes as well.’

‘Oil. Chemicals.’

‘Looks as if it’s out now though.’

‘Pretty much. Walls and beams and are still hot.’

‘How long will that take?’

‘Depends. Few days.’

‘So you can’t get inside yet?’

‘Oh yeah, we’ve been in but nobody else though, so don’t even think about it, mate.’

‘As if. Electrical fault?’

He shrugged. ‘Not my call.’

‘Everyone safe?’

‘You a reporter or something? Because if so –’

‘Do I look like a reporter? I’m a bouncer at the Moon Cat, aren’t I?’

‘Right, sorry. How’s that for a living?’

‘Could be worse. Biggest job is telling kids of thirteen going on twenty to get home to Mum.’

‘Right.’ The fireman threw his paper cup into the bin. ‘Better get back.’

‘Ambulance gone, has it?’

‘What ambulance?’

‘Heard there was someone trapped inside. That not right?’

‘If you’re not a sodding reporter you’re doing a good job of behaving like one.’

Fifty-Five

They had left the house in darkness, and saw few cars until they hit the motorway going north. The car was packed full with every last thing they might need.

‘How long will we be there for?’

‘Why are we going?’

‘Can’t we just go in the morning?’