‘Have you checked the front door?’ Muriel asked.

‘No. I was gearing up for it. I didn’t sleep much, kept jolting awake at every small sound. I didn’t hear any loud banging or anything, though. Maybe there’s nothing. Yet.’

‘I glanced at the doormat first thing but was waiting for you to check the door. Not sure my poor heart can take any more, if I’m honest.’

‘Ditto,’ Anna said. ‘And if there’s going to be a “big one”, it’ll be today. I feel it.’

‘Should we check the security camera first?’

‘Yes, good idea. We’ll be prepared then.’

Muriel and Anna both made their way upstairs to the spare room – the box-room at the front of the house where the recorder and monitor were set up. Anna peered out through the curtains. No one was about.

‘Do you know how to work it, Anna?’ Muriel took her glasses off her head, perching them on the end of her nose, and stared over them at the blank monitor screen. Anna smiled. Why put glasses on and then look over the top of them? She didn’t bother to voice the question.

‘I had a practice; it’s very straightforward,’ Anna said.

‘Well, it is for you youngsters, not so much for me.’

‘Don’t worry. Let’s hope you don’t need to become an expert …’

Anna pushed a few buttons and the image of the front door popped up on the screen.

‘Damn.’

‘It’s the body,’ Muriel said, her tone defeated. ‘I didn’t hear it. Must be going deaf as well as daft.’

One of her mother’s favourite sayings.

‘Okay, well we can at least go back through the recording. Maybe we’ll catch them in the act and be able to identify the fuc—’

Muriel shot Anna a hard stare.

‘Sorry. I stopped myself, didn’t I?’ Anna protested, feeling like a child again.

‘I’m scared to see,’ Muriel said quietly.

‘Don’t watch then. I’ll find the right bit, see if there’s anything helpful. You can make your mind up if you want to know afterwards.’

For a moment Muriel looked confused, but then she straightened and agreed it would be better if Anna checked first. She backed out of the room.

Anna went to the beginning of the recorded footage. She watched minute after minute of the infrared grey-white, non-moving image of the front door. Then, with the time showing at 2.13 a.m., Anna noticed a shift in brightness. A torchlight on the door? She sat forwards, her heart racing at the thought she was about to see someone. The person who’d been leaving the doll’s parts, leaving the notes. She held her breath as a dark figure approached the door.

A gloved hand reached up, steadying what must be the doll’s body, as the other hand pushed something against it. They didn’t appear to have a hammer; it must just be a pin. But Anna’s attention had left the gloved hands. It was focused on the hooded figure. She’d known she wouldn’t be able to tell the identity of the Knock, Knock player – they would’ve been prepared and covered themselves as much as possible. But Anna could distinguish their build, as she’d hoped would be the case.