This time, she drove into the close and parked right outside the house. Enough: if there was someone here to be afraid of, she wanted to see them. The dog whose sordid patch of concrete she’d noticed last time was at home today, a huge German shepherd that lunged to the extent of its chain as the car passed. Its guttural barking, barely domesticated, echoed around the close, trapped under the marbled sky. The light felt sharp, tinted a queasy yellow that promised the snow Christine said was forecast.

The curtains in the downstairs bay were drawn again. As she rang the bell, she felt eyes on her and turned to see the front door three houses further round shut silently. The barking continued, alarm at the prison perimeter, doing nothing to allay her unease. She’d been calling Ana all morning, six times in total, leaving two voice messages, the second, an hour ago, apologizing if she was being alarmist. ‘Could you text, Ana, just to let me know you’re okay?’ No response.

She rang the bell again, shaded her eyes and peered through the hectic patterned glass. A pale blur at the top left corner, moving – she stepped back. A tug on the chain, the clunk of the deadlock, and the door opened on a woman in a light-blue dressing gown, her hair in a towel turban. Not Ana but her friend, Marta. Just as Ana had, though, she scanned the close over Robin’s shoulder.

‘Sorry to disturb you. I hope I didn’t get you out of the bath.’

No answer. The door stayed at the same narrow angle, the chain at chest level between them.

‘Is Ana in?’

The woman shook her head.

‘Is she at work?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Marta – that’s right, isn’t it? I’ve been trying to reach her but she’s not answering her phone. I think something’s going on. I’m worried.’

Marta’s brow furrowed, but strangely, it made her look younger. In her Tesco fleece, glancing up from her stew at the table, she’d looked the same age as Ana – as her: thirty-four, thirty-five. Now, bare-faced, pink from the bath, she didn’t look more than late twenties. She hesitated a moment then slid off the chain. When Robin was inside, she locked the door behind them.