‘Did you get a good look at him?’ he asked Stacy.

‘Yes. He looked wild-eyed.’

‘On drugs, I should think. Or high on excitement. I wonder what he was running from.’

Adam set off again, approaching Saffron Lane from the rear of Dennings.

Once again he braked hard, swearing under his breath as he saw the obstruction. He sniffed. ‘I can smell petrol.’

The truck looked grotesque, almost standing on end like that. Its metalwork was battered and its engine was still steaming with something hissing faintly.

A siren behind them made him get out of the way. He passed the truck by going along the grassy verge and stopped his car further up the drive. They got out and watched a police car pull up.

Two officers got out, and one waved to them to stay back, shouting, ‘There’s been a petrol spill. Don’t come any closer, please. You’re lucky you got your car past it safely.’

Angus and Nell were on the other side, and he shouted to the police.

‘We’re waiting for the fire and rescue services as well, because of the spilt petrol.’

‘Stay well back. We can’t do anything till that’s been made safe.’

The other officer had been getting out a roll of blue and white police tape and the two of them fastened it to bar off the rest of Saffron Lane, then came to string it across the main drive just below where Adam had parked.

‘Never seen anything like it,’ the policewoman called cheerfully. ‘There must be cellars under those houses for the truck to sink down like that.’

Adam remembered Angus saying the houses didn’t have cellars, but what other reason could there be for the hole? He looked at Stacy as a thought came to him. ‘You know what? I reckon that lad we nearly ran down might have been involved in this. I could identify him, I’m sure. He was right under a lamp post.’

Stacy nodded. ‘I was wondering about that, too. Actually I could draw him. That might help them identify him.’

‘I thought you were into metalwork.’

‘I’m into art generally as well and I often sketch out my pieces before I put them together. I’m pretty good at faces. I’m sure I can do a recognisable sketch.’

‘The police might appreciate that.’ He gave her a wry look. ‘I’d better ring Gemma and tell her about this latest event. It’s been quite a day – and night, hasn’t it?’

She shuddered eloquently, one hand going up to her throat.

Adam explained to his daughter about the truck, then waited for the police to secure the site and the fire and rescue service to make everything safe. He was as nosey as the next person when something strange happened.

Stacy took a small sketch pad and soft pencil out of her backpack and rested the pad on the car roof. ‘I’ll sketch him while his face is fresh in my memory.’ She bent her head and began work.