He tapped the front of his trousers suggestively and she felt literally sick with fear and disgust at the thought of him doing that to her.

But she couldn’t see any way of stopping him.

As Janey’s visitors were starting to put their coats on, the doorbell rang and Winifred popped out to see who it was.

Her friend Dan gently moved her back so that he could get in. He brushed aside her introductions to the visitors and asked urgently, ‘Have you got Angus’s phone number, Winnie, love? I can’t find it and I need to warn him quickly.’

‘Warn him? What on earth about?’

‘My neighbour came to see me, because he knows I’m friendly with the Dennings. The council held an emergency meeting tonight. He happened to be passing and saw the lights, so wandered into the hall to see what was going on. They have to be open to the public, but there were only a couple of other spectators there.’

He looked angry. ‘My neighbour was surprised when a structural engineer gave evidence that some of the houses in Saffron Lane were in a dangerous state, especially the ones nearest the rear entrance to the estate. They voted to take preliminary steps to put a compulsory demolition order on the whole of the row, because new tenants had been let in and they could be at risk. Someone suggested the tenants might even be able to sue the council for allowing it.’

‘And the motion was passed? I know a couple of councillors who’d want more information than that before suggesting demolition.’

‘Yes, it was passed, and with only one vote against. Only about half the councillors were there, though, probably because it was held at such short notice.’

‘But the houses aren’t in a dangerous state,’ Adam protested. ‘I was working on them today and they seemed very solidly built and well preserved to me. We were putting in a security system because Angus was worried those particular developers might try to damage the properties. He’d been told they have a reputation for using dirty tricks to get their way, and were even suspected of burning one place down.’

‘That’s what my neighbour said and why he came to me, though I had to promise to keep his name out of it. He doesn’t want them coming after him and he knows I’m acquainted with the Dennings. He reckoned they were going to make sure some houses were in a dangerous state before the council reps come to inspect the street tomorrow, which is why he wanted me to contact the Dennings tonight as a matter of urgency.’

Adam, who was still facing the open front door, aghast at what he was hearing, saw two people striding up the hill and realised it was Angus and Nell, so he called out to them.

They stopped, looking happily relaxed. ‘We’ve just come back from the pub. Great food and—’

‘Never mind that—’ Adam began but just then Angus’s phone made a strident sound.