‘Do you think you’re in danger? Or that Muriel is?’ James’s voice was edged with concern.

‘I change my mind about that almost hourly, James. I’ve spoken to an ex-copper about it, but still haven’t gone to the police officially.’

‘I think you should. Couldn’t they place a patrol car outside the house? At least you’d feel safer.’

‘Possibly.’ Anna became lost in her thoughts. It was the obvious solution – get the police involved. The doll parts, together with the notes, were surely evidence enough someone meant them harm? The police would do something. ‘Mum still seems keen to avoid police involvement.’

‘Why?’ James’s voice was incredulous.

‘She believes it would aggravate the situation, make it worse. Maybe she feels he’ll up his game, or just find another way of getting to her. I don’t know. But there is the possibility she’s still not telling me everything. She’s holding back key information, I feel sure. And that’s why she doesn’t want to call the police – because it’ll bring up the past she’s been trying so hard to keep buried.’

‘Then I think it’s about time she came clean, at least to you. For your sake, Anna. For Carrie’s. Currently her behaviour is putting you at risk. Does she really want that?’

James’s words rang inside her head as she walked back to the house. The front door was bare. No new body part had been hammered to it overnight. Anna wondered when it would come. When Pat had come over the previous evening and Anna had shown him the doll’s parts and the notes, he’d offered to sit outside in his car and watch the house. Muriel had declined, of course.

But it’d made Anna think that maybe she should stay up – keep a vigil – see who was leaving them. She should’ve set up a camera as soon as the second item had been left, to catch them in the act herself, as Sandie had suggested. But she supposed whoever it was would be clever – they would’ve factored in something like that, and they’d be disguised. Still, having any kind of visual evidence would be helpful to them – at least it might be possible to tell if it were a man or woman. Being able to eliminate Lizzie as the suspect would allow Anna to fully confide in her. Realistically, she was the only one Anna could work with to get to the bottom of what happened to Jonie Hayes.

Anna felt buoyed at the thought of doing something more constructive. She hadn’t even ventured out of Mapledon since getting there – a trip into Bovey, the closest town, to buy a security camera would be a relief. Allow her some release from the village, which in some ways was beginning to feel like a prison.

Anna had enjoyed the few hours away from Mapledon – and her mother. It was as though a stormy cloud had been lifted the second she left. Anna remembered that feeling – it was the same she’d experienced twenty years ago. But Anna’s light mood darkened the moment she pulled her car into her mother’s road. Even from a distance she could tell there was something on the door. If only they could’ve waited until she’d set the camera up. It’s as if they knew what she was planning.