Out on the drive Grant headed to his car and pressed the unlock button on his key fob. He was intent on getting in and getting warm, until he heard a voice call out.

‘Morning, neighbour!’

The cheery voice riled Grant. He looked out across the street to see Francis standing at the edge of his driveway, his set of pristine golf clubs propped up by his side. Grant had his hand on the door handle as Francis stepped forwards and crossed the road.

‘Morning,’ Grant said, deciding it best to at least play along for a few seconds rather than blank the guy. ‘Another day, another game of golf, eh?’

Did the man never have anything else to do? Work, for example?

‘Got to get the practice in,’ Francis said, stopping at the edge of Grant’s driveway, much to Grant’s relief. ‘I know you didn’t enjoy yourself much last time, but you’re always welcome to join me again.’

‘Thanks. I’ll bear it in mind. You waiting for a lift or something?’

Grant noticed there was still no sign of the Range Rover that Julie had taken off in a few days ago. He felt a slight satisfaction at the thought that she’d absconded with it for good. Though Mary had suggested a far more ghoulish explanation for her sudden disappearance.

‘Car’s in for a valet,’ Francis said. ‘Nice to keep it as new.’

‘Yeah, I’m sure. You have a good one.’

‘You too, mate.’

Grant turned and got into his car. As he made his way off the drive he nodded and smiled at Francis, who was back next to his clubs. Francis nodded in return, but the look he gave Grant was far from friendly.

What was going on with that bloke?

Grant arrived on campus in good time and spent the first couple of hours of the day reading through the research paper of one of his PhD students. He’d hoped to get through it all in that time, but it was in such a muddled and confused state that he managed less than a third of it before the clock wound around to eleven a.m., when he had a meeting scheduled. The meeting overran until nearly one, and after that it was back-to-back lectures, and he had no chance to get back to the research paper before the clock ticked along to four p.m. and his final lecture of the day.

The lecture theatre was already filling up when he arrived with thirty seconds to spare, and he quickly got himself set up and ready, feeling a little flustered and underprepared.