‘To do what?’

Muriel sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically. ‘To make sure the police get him, obviously.’

‘How? We don’t have any evidence he took her, Muriel.’ Wendy, one of the members who was usually very compliant, shook her head and the noise started up again, a loud buzz of conversation filling the lounge.

‘Well, that’s where you’re wrong!’ Muriel raised her voice.

The women all stopped their chatter and stared at Muriel.

‘If you have evidence, why haven’t you told the police already?’ Allison asked.

‘Tomorrow. I’m taking her tomorrow.’

Nell stood up and went to the lounge door.

‘What’s going on? Taking who?’ another woman piped up.

‘Come in, sweetie, it’s okay.’ Nell grabbed Bella’s hand and pulled her inside the room and positioned her next to Muriel.

‘As you are aware, my daughter is best friends with Jonie. And she was with her.’ Muriel smiled at Bella, stretching her arm out to embrace her. ‘Good girl, it’s going to be fine. Don’t worry,’ Muriel whispered in her ear before turning to address the women. ‘She was in shock. She wasn’t able to tell me until just before you arrived. Bella, darling. Just tell them what you told me.’

Bella began to cry, and Muriel squeezed her shoulder tighter. ‘It’s fine. Go on,’ she said more firmly.

‘I – me and Jonie …’ Her bottom lip trembled. ‘We were playing all afternoon …’ She snivelled and wiped the back of her hand across her nose. ‘Knock, Knock Ginger. As usual. He chased us.’ Her voice rose. ‘We got away, but Jonie thought it was funny and wanted to do it again.’ Bella paused, her eyes looking to Muriel.

‘Go on, tell them what happened next.’

‘I— ca … can’t,’ Bella sobbed and broke away from Muriel’s grip, running out of the room. Her footsteps crashed loudly as she bolted up the stairs. Her bedroom door slammed shut moments later.

‘She’s distraught, poor thing. It’s taken ages for her to open up – she’s barely uttered a word until now; my darling Bella was traumatised and in deep shock,’ Muriel said, accentuating the word ‘deep’. ‘I can’t get her to speak to the police just yet – she’ll freak out. And she was witness to it, so her statement will be important; she has to get it right first time.’

‘What did she see, Muriel?’

A hushed silence fell on the room.

Muriel allowed the pause to stretch before answering. ‘Bella saw Jonie getting into Billy’s truck.’

‘Christ! Is she sure?’ Wendy said.

‘Of course she’s sure. That truck’s not exactly common, is it? She knows what she saw.’

‘Then you have to let the police know now, Muriel. You can’t waste time with this. He might be doing awful things to poor little Jonie as we speak and there’s already been too much time wasted.’ The women all muttered their agreement with Allison’s statement.

‘I know, I know. But I have to protect my daughter too, don’t you see? This could ruin the rest of her life. She feels so guilty that she left her best friend when she needed her most, running away in fright and not telling anyone what she saw. I can’t allow her to come to harm because she was in shock and afraid. I won’t have people saying it’s her fault. I won’t let that happen, do you hear me? And anyway, we are the adults. We will take care of this. The village will pull together as it always does. And it’ll get through this.’