‘I’ll fight him,’ says Ernest boldly. ‘Ha-ya!’

‘Luke,’ I say quietly. ‘Get the stun gun out of the crate.’

‘Are you out of your mind?’ Luke rolls his eyes. He takes a piece of toast out of the toaster and calmly spreads butter on it, then takes a bite. I stare at him in indignant disbelief. Is he heartless? Doesn’t he care about our safety?

‘Let go!’ A male voice is shouting from outside. Oh my God, it’s the intruder. ‘Call off that dog! Call it off!’

‘Identify yourself!’ Mitchell’s voice is booming through the air, and Echo is barking more loudly than ever. I can’t help feeling terrified and exhilarated, all at the same time. This is like something off the TV!

‘The burglar’s here!’ Clementine bursts into fresh, terrified sobs, and after a nanosecond, Minnie joins in.

‘For God’s sake!’ says Suze, and glances balefully at me. ‘Happy now?’

‘Don’t blame me!’

‘He’ll get us!’ Clementine wails. ‘He’s coming!’

There’s the sound of scuffling coming from the hall and men’s shouts, then a thump and a furious exclamation from one man, who suddenly sounds just like—

Hang on a minute. That’s not—

‘Dad?’ I yell incredulously, just as Jeff and Mitchell appear at the kitchen door, manhandling my father as though they’re cops in a movie and he’s the double-crossing vice-president who was found trying to climb out of a window.

‘Becky!’

‘That’s my dad!’

‘Grandpa!’

‘We found this suspect prowling in the drive—’

‘I wasn’t prowling—’

‘Let go of him!’

We’re all speaking at once, and poor Wilfie has put his hands over his ears.

‘Let go of him!’ I yell again, above the hubbub. ‘He’s my father!’

Reluctantly, Mitchell lets go of Dad’s arm, which he had twisted behind his back. I mean, honestly. How could they think Dad was an intruder? You couldn’t see anyone less suspicious-looking than my dad. He’s wearing summer trousers and a blazer, and a panama hat, and he looks as though he’s about to go to a cricket match.

‘How’s my Minnie?’ he says in delight, as Minnie throws herself at him. ‘How’s my little sweetheart?’

‘Dad, what’s going on?’ I demand. ‘Why are you here? Mum’s so worried!’

‘Are you sure this is your dad?’ Mitchell says mistrustfully to me.

‘Of course I’m sure!’

‘Well, he’s not on the list.’ Jeff gives me his reproachful look again. ‘Rebecca, we need comprehensive information to work effectively.’

‘I didn’t know he was coming!’

‘So how did he access the drive? How did he open the gates?’ Jeff is still frowning suspiciously at Dad.

‘It’s the same code as the garage at home,’ says Dad cheerily. ‘I thought I’d chance it, and hey presto.’

‘I always use the same code,’ I explain to Jeff. ‘It’s the same as my pin number, too. And my mum’s. That way, we can get money out for each other. It’s really handy.’

‘You use the same code for everything?’ Jeff looks aghast. ‘Your mother has the same code? Rebecca, we talked about code safety.’