He stepped over to the customer, greeted him by name. There was a short conversation before Lucien directed the man to browse and instructed his assistant, a fair-haired lad of about fifteen, to help if needed.

He led me back to the counter and opened up the wooden hatch. ‘Come through here.’

I hesitated for a moment. Going behind the counter meant entering Lucien’s home. It would be difficult to explain away to Vincent if I needed to. But you asked Vincent to help and he wouldn’t. I looked into Lucien’s eyes. I found him hard to read, but one thing I was certain of: he wouldn’t compromise me, even if there was a part of me that wanted him to make an advance. I was doing this for the Leopard Lady. But I’d be lying if I told myself it was the only reason.

Lucien parted the beaded wooden curtain behind the counter. The strands knocked against each other and he smoothly captured them in one hand to clear the way. The room he showed me into was small but cheerful, with a low table and two armchairs arranged before a fire.

‘I’ll be with you shortly,’ Lucien said.

He didn’t give much away in his person, so I had hoped maybe his home would tell me more about him, but here again were few clues. The furnishings were modest, nothing out of place. Then I saw it. The thing that marked him out as different: a floor-to-ceiling bookcase that covered the whole of the far wall. There were at least ten dozen books here. Not far off the number Crillick had. I had not realised there was so much money in groceries. After the Leopard Lady I thought I’d struggle to be in a library again, but the similarities between the two rooms started and ended with the books. I ran my finger along their leather spines.

‘Sit down, Zillah.’

I hadn’t heard him come back in. His tone was gentler than before, but suddenly I was unsure of myself. Cosy as the room was, the air felt different. Yet I could hear the assistant opening and closing drawers not three feet away. The bell tinkled as another customer entered. I couldn’t walk out of his private space now, not if the shop was full. I took a seat and he did likewise, folding his legs one over the other. I pushed away the thought that it was how Vincent sat too.

‘Do you read a lot, Zillah?’

‘Mrs Bradley taught me,’ I said without thinking. There was silence for a minute and I raised my eyes to his, realising that he wanted me to say more. ‘She was the woman who brought me up.’

‘Very good. Not many of our people have been educated.’