He was led into a small room, and a man who looked like he didn’t normally wear a suit cleared his throat. Without preamble, he opened a plain brown file and took out three large photographs. He turned them round to show Saif, and time slowed down.

In many ways Saif told himself he’d been waiting for this, or something like this.

But, he discovered, he had not. For this was beyond imagining.

Chapter 41

C olton having the best of everything had more or less panned out for them, and they lit up the second generator until Hamish, a handier electrician than his huge meaty fingers would suggest, managed to change out the plug. But there was no doubt. The sculpture was going to have to get wired into the council main if they weren’t to blow the fuse for the entire island.

“What’s it going to look like?” said Innes. “A disco?”

“How much wattage does it suck up?” said Charlie.

Konstantin looked absolutely blank. He had totally no clue what they were talking about.

So the next day, while Saif was heading to Glasgow, Innes had gone down and had a word with Bert the Councilman, or, to be more specific, took a couple of very good fat hens down to Bert the Councilman, which isn’t to say Bert wouldn’t have been immediately amenable but is to say it might have cut through a bit of the red tape involved in waiting for the next council meeting, and a debate, and having to deal with Malcy, which nobody liked if they didn’t have to, and sure enough, Bert lent them the skeleton key to open the supply on the promise that they’d do it carefully in the dark and not tell anyone, and that only Hamish would do it, and that if they all killed themselves they weren’t to come running to him, and Flora was furious because Innes had nicked two of the best layers and the demand for eggs in the Seaside Kitchen and the Rock combined was absolutely massive—didn’t he ever think?—and Innes looked defiant and very like Agot, whereas Hamish hung his head, but it didn’t matter, it was too late now, and this Big Special Project better be very worth it, said Flora.

The boys could hardly wait until dark, though. They even (and Flora rolled her eyes like you wouldn’t believe) got all togged up in balaclavas and scarves over their faces. She pealed with laughter when she saw Joel with his best Burberry cashmere pulled up.

“You are kidding. This isn’t a heist.”

“Legally,” said Joel in his studied way, “it absolutely is a heist. We’re hacking into the council electricity supply.”

Flora frowned. “If you get killed, I will absolutely kill you.”

“Roger that,” said Joel, looking at her, and she laughed again and kissed him full-on.

“What was that for?” said Joel, confused.

“Joel Booker, since I have known you, I have loved everything about you. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen you have much fun.”