Midnight for Charlie Bone. Jenny Nimmo

the, er . . . I’ll have a look. You’d better come through to my, er . . . Or people will think we’re open again.’ She gave a flustered laugh and disappeared through the curtains behind the counter.

      Charlie and his uncle followed. The little room behind the bookshop glowed with mellow colours, and Paton’s eyes roamed excitedly over the rows of books. Miss Ingledew had obviously been reading when they arrived, for a large book lay open on her desk.

      ‘The Incas,’ observed Paton, reading the chapter heading. ‘A fascinating subject.’

      ‘Yes,’ said Miss Ingledew, still agitated. She had found a small tin of keys which she proceeded to empty on to the desk. Most of the keys had labels attached to them, but some did not. ‘How am I to tell?’ she said. ‘There are so many. Charlie, I think you’d better take all the keys that aren’t marked and see which one fits. I’m afraid that’s all I can suggest.’

      ‘All that could be expected,’ said Paton.

      Miss Ingledew frowned at him, put a pile of keys in a plastic bag and handed them to Charlie. ‘There. Bring them back when you’ve tried them,’ she said.

      ‘Thanks, Miss Ingledew.’ Charlie took the keys and, as there seemed to be nothing left to say, or do, he led the way back through the curtains.

      Miss Ingledew came after them, to bolt and lock the door, but as Charlie and his uncle stepped into the street, Paton suddenly asked, ‘May I call again, Miss Ingledew?’

      ‘Of course,’ said Miss Ingledew, taken aback. ‘It’s a shop. I can hardly stop you.’

      ‘No.’ Paton smiled. ‘But, after dark?’

      Miss Ingledew looked rather alarmed. ‘On Fridays, I’m open until eight,’ she said, and closed the door.

      For a moment Paton stared at the door as if he were transfixed, and then he turned, suddenly, exclaiming, ‘What a very charming woman.’ And his huge, soundless humming caused the nearest lamp to burn so fiercely, a fine shower of glass fell out. It landed on the cobbled street with a soft, musical tinkle.