‘Oh, my goodness sweetheart, well of course I’ll ask,’ exclaimed Sue in her easy way, a few minutes later, ushering Esther, still in full breathless flow about the reason for presenting herself on the doorstep, into the house. ‘Right this minute. Come on through. I hope we haven’t been making too much noise. What about a drink? You look all shook up.’

‘No, thanks, Sue, I’m okay.’ Esther followed her neighbour through to the room at the back of the house, where open sliding doors led onto a handsome square of crazy paving. On its left under a rampant tangle of honeysuckle was a large barbecue, its rack greasy and blackened, the embers beneath it smoking gently. Opposite, leaving a wide corridor for access to the garden, were two trestle tables, loaded with used plates, bottles, glasses, and dishes of half-eaten food. ‘I just thought it worth asking before I decide whether to call the police,’ Esther muttered, embarrassment overcoming her as Sue marched past the tables and clapped her hands, causing the occupants of the picnic blankets to turn their way.

‘Of course, pet, of course,’ Sue said mildly, clapping again to stop the final threads of conversation. ‘This is Esther, who lives next door.’ She spoke clearly, but in a slightly lowered tone, mouthing the words in an exaggerated way. ‘She thinks someone might have been in her garden…’ she paused, to point in the relevant direction ‘…and was wondering if anyone had noticed anything.’

There were murmurs. A couple of people trotted over to spy through the gaps in the fence; but then a lanky youth scrambled to his feet, looking anguished and uncertain. ‘Actually, I kicked a ball over,’ he confessed in a sheepish staccato voice clearly still in search of its adult register. ‘I used the fence post to climb in and get it. Sorry, Sue.’

‘Sorry Esther, more like it, Justin, love.’ Sue had at some point taken hold of Esther’s hand, and was continuing to hold it in a way that should have felt odd, but which was actually rather comforting. ‘And that happened just now, did it? Because Esther here has had the fright of her life and needs to know whether to call the police.’

‘Yeah, like, maybe ten minutes.’ The boy was cringing more visibly thanks to jokey boos and hisses now emanating from his audience. ‘That’s right, isn’t it, Ewan?’ he croaked, directing the appeal at a smaller teenager who was sitting nearby, cross-legged and head bowed, busy plucking at bits of grass.

‘Yep… I guess…’ The younger boy broke off to swipe back at a girl who had poked him in the ribs.

‘Okay, thank you, boys,’ trilled Sue. ‘Mystery solved. As you were, everybody. And Justin and Ewan, a big sorry to Esther please, for scaring her out of her wits.’

The two boys mumbled meek apologies.