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‘We spent the afternoon with Mrs Teh an old time capsule, from when she was headmistress at Forest Green I think the hts was that she wanted all the houses in Maple Drive to look the same, like a real, connected community Don’t you think, Holly?’

Holly had nodded sagely at that ‘Community is very important to Mrs Templeton’

‘So if all the houses have lights, I’ for her to object to’

Then he’d flashed that siven in Every time

‘Where did you learn to do that?’ she’d asked, somewhere between numbers 9 and 7

‘Do what?’ Jack had replied, his forehead creased in confusion

And Holly had realised that it wasn’t a trick, wasn’t so he’d studied or learned It was just who he was

She s on the top of the ladder, affixing a twinkly snowman to Kathleen’s roof Well, it would sparkle, once they had it plugged in They were running it froreed that she wanted the lights up

Holly glanced back across the road The only houses that were still dark were numbers 11 and 13 – the McCawleys and Mrs Templeton She wondered if the McCawleys would really hts … but she supposed Jack was right They’d better wait until they came home

And as for Mrs Templeton … well They’d just have to see what she made of the rest of the street, first

‘Okay up there?’ she called, and Jack nodded, the gesture barely visible in the darkness, despite the lights

‘Nearly there … Done’ He ain, and Holly let out a s us in before I come down? Just in case?’

‘Will do’ Hopping across to her own garden, Holly flicked the switch and for a ht

Then the whole street plunged into darkness

‘Damn it,’ Jack said, fro’

Holly felt her heart sink into her stomach So much for the perfect Christmas surprise

‘Shall I check the fuse box?’ She ht not be a qualified electrician, but she’d learned a lot since becoood at DIY or home maintenance, anyway

‘Hang on,’ Jack said ‘I think it’s going to take a bit more than that Let me come down first Hold the ladder?’

‘Sure’ Holly stepped back over the low hedge into Kathleen’s garden, and grabbed the ladder firmly ‘Okay, ready’

As Jack began his descent in the darkness, Holly realised that people were already coure out as going on Her sto panic Oh God, this was all their fault And any moment now, Kathleen would come out too, and the whole Christ

Why was nothing going right this week? First they’d lost Claude, now they’d screwed up Christmas

Just then, as if he’d heard his na out froe between the two houses, followed by – of all creatures Perdita, her tail bushier than ever They must have been startled by the sudden darkness, she realised

‘Claude!’ she cried, and the little dog stopped

‘Claude’s here?’ Jack called, from halfway down the ladder

‘He just ran in!’ Holly tried to bend down to Claude’s level, without letting go of the ladder It was harder than it sounded ‘Here, boy Everything’s okay now, Claude We just want to make sure that you’re somewhere safe for—’

At her words, Claude launched hiined he was capable of ‘Claude!’ she cried again, letting go of the ladder to try and catch hi forwards – and sht into the ladder

‘What the—’ Jack yelled And then he wasn’t saying anything at all

Because then he was sprawled on the grass beside her as the ladder crashed down and hit the ground

The sound of the ladder crashing down besidebackwards in the darkness, and it took round was Jack