Grant got up from his chair. He moved over to Mary and planted a kiss on her lips.

‘You, my dear, really are quite something.’

Mary said nothing to that. Grant made his way to the front door, slipped on his loafers then headed out into the cold and clear night, not bothering with his coat. Across the street Francis’s car was parked up on the drive. Lights were on in the house. Grant was almost surprised not to see Ed Francis’s face stuck up against one of the windows. When he reached the front door Grant rang the bell and waited. After a few seconds he wondered if his call would go unanswered.

Should he ring again or head back home?

He turned and looked across at his own house. He was sure he could see Mary’s outline in their bedroom window. Just then the door opened and Grant spun back around.

‘Ed, how you doing?’

Francis looked slightly annoyed, as though he’d been rudely interrupted, but on seeing Grant he quickly brushed his agitation to one side.

‘Steven, what a surprise. What can I do for you?’

Francis had on a pair of jeans and a buttoned shirt that was half hanging out of his trousers. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His cheeks were flushed from exertion.

‘Bit of an embarrassing one,’ Grant said.

‘Need some sugar?’

‘Almost, but not quite. Light bulbs.’

‘Light bulbs?’

‘Yeah.’

Grant fought hard to keep his manner passive and relaxed. Light bulbs? He wasn’t quite sure where that bright idea had come from. He’d initially thought about saying screwdriver, but what if Francis kept all his tools in the garage? Mary wanted him to snoop in the house. Light bulbs had been a spur of the moment thing.

‘What kind of light bulbs?’ Francis asked, looking a little suspicious.

Grant moved his hands together, indicating the size.

‘You know the ones. About this big. Don’t know the name. The ones you get in table lamps and that.’

‘Have you got the old one so I can see?’

‘No, it broke.’

‘It’s only seven o’clock, you know. You’d probably find them over at Tesco.’

‘Yeah, probably. Just thought if you had some, would save the bother.’

‘Right. Well, I may do. Come in and we’ll take a look.’

Francis seemed less than impressed with the disturbance but he moved to the side and ushered Grant through nonetheless. It was the first time Grant had been in the house, and his first impression was that it was sparsely furnished. From the hall he had a glimpse of the kitchen, a dining room and a lounge. All the furniture you would expect was there, but little in the way of the knick-knacks that normally cluttered family homes; paintings, picture frames, ornaments.