Emily joins a boy of about ten who is digging a moat for his sandcastle. Bleached twigs and razor shells decorate the turrets. Emily digs down and soon reaches the bed of gluey mud underneath. Maddy leaves them to it and strolls on until she reaches a small pool of water. She crouches down and dips her fingers in. It’s warmer than she expected. Warm like blood. So much blood. She doubles over and tips onto her side, landing in a puddle. I need you here, Max, I can’t do this on my own. Emily calls to her but she doesn’t respond. She doesn’t want to move. She wants to stay here and lose herself in the vast sky.

Chapter Fourteen

On Monday morning, Maddy drives back to Lawn End. The roads are busy but she arrives at 8.30 a.m. The woman with blonde hair leaves with the boy at 8.35 a.m. At 8.45 a.m. a woman with chestnut-coloured hair and an empty laundry basket walks from her house across the cul-de-sac and lets herself in. Five minutes later she comes back out. The basket is so full, the woman can just about see over the top of it.

At 11.30 a.m., the neighbour brings the clothes back on hangers and a neatly ironed pile. There is no sign of Adam Hawkins or any man come to that. Maddy checks her watch. The longest she dares stay today is midday because of getting back for the school run.

She’s about to leave when the Nissan whizzes past her and parks on the drive. The blonde woman gets out, slams the car door and goes in the house. Is she Adam’s wife or girlfriend or maybe sister? Maddy’s been toying with the idea of putting a note through the door, explaining her situation. But now she may as well go and speak to her in person.

She stands on the doorstep for a moment thinking through what she’ll say. She taps lightly, but no one comes. She knocks louder. The dog starts barking and the door swings open causing another out the back to slam. The blonde woman is still wearing her coat. Maddy’s eye is drawn away from her to the flowery wallpaper, so similar to theirs at home. How odd. Her mind goes blank.

‘Yes?’ The woman scowls in a husky voice. She’s younger than her, fierce red lipstick perfectly fills her pouty lips. Maddy’s eyes are drawn away from the woman’s made-up elfin face, towards the carpet on the stairs and its crimson border running all the way up. Identical to the carpet in their house.

‘Erm… could I speak to Adam Hawkins, please?’ she manages to ask.

‘What do you want him for?’ The woman taps her long painted nails on the door frame.

‘I think he knows my husband.’ Maddy focuses back on the woman. ‘He’s gone missing.’