He watched the cottage for a while, noting the position of the windows, the layout of the rooms.

Another lover of fresh air. The windows on the upstairs floor were partially open, as well as a smaller one on a latch downstairs. He would enter through the one above that very conveniently placed conservatory. It even had a tiled roof instead of the usual glass.

The nearest house was two hundred yards away, a blank wall turned towards the cottage. No dog barking, no toys, no drinking bowl in the garden. No warning sign on the gate. He went in, crept around the single garage and peered in through a small window. One car, and at the back of the garage a bike. He saw no crossbar, so it was probably a woman’s.

Having made his decision, he had no need to roam further tonight. He’d be back with his mother before she even noticed his absence. Mind you, she wouldn’t have objected even if she had. They had spoken about it once, never mentioning it again. She had spent her married life confined at home by Ratty’s abusive father and understood all too well his need for escape.

* * *

Ratty drove home in his borrowed car, singing happily to himself, basking in the joy of being back out again, free and alone in his secret shadowy realm.

Across the Fens another man, who never sang, was watching a different property. He knew exactly who lived there and what he wanted. His decision was already made.

He took a breath, opened the bedroom window and slipped inside.

* * *

Natalie Miles put her book down, uneasy. It happened sometimes, especially if she’d sat up late with a glass or two of wine and a scary film. This time the book was to blame. She’d been off work for a while — a back injury caused by a machine left unguarded at the factory where she worked. Nowadays she was bored and unable to concentrate.

Now she stood on the patio, a torch in her hand, staring into the dark, having let the cat out into the garden for a last pee before bed. Where was that bloody cat? An owl hooted, causing Natalie to jump. ‘Arthur! Get a move on!’ she hissed. The long back garden was full of close-growing trees and shrubs, and mostly in shadow. She had never got around to installing that garden lighting.

Finally, she saw him, sauntering in her direction as if he hadn’t a care in the world. She shooed him inside, locked the door and checked it. She began to relax. With Arthur weaving around her legs, she made herself a hot drink and took some strong painkillers. Time to call it a day.

Still a little nervous, Natalie shut all the windows and settled into bed with Arthur and her drink. She tuned her bedside radio to an easy-listening station and turned the volume down. Leaving the bedside lamp on, Natalie finally drifted into sleep.