Muriel shot Anna a disgusted look.

‘What?’ Anna shouted, rolling her eyes at her mother.

‘You’re beginning to irritate me.’

Anna bit her lip, suppressing the urge to fire back ‘not as much as you’re irritating me’, but knew it would get her nowhere. She got up and walked away without saying anything further. She would go into Sandie’s – it might actually give her a good opportunity to find out what Muriel’s behaviour had been like over the past weeks and months. She’d quiz her about whether she’d seen anything strange in the neighbourhood too.

Anna unlocked the front door. Stepping outside she glanced back, her heart sinking as she noticed what was pinned to it. Another limb.

‘Jesus Christ!’ she said, reaching forwards and ripping it away from the wood. The single nail came away, the plastic leg attached. Anna walked to the top of the path, eyes searching up and down the road. Of course, no one was there. Must’ve been left in the early hours of the morning; they hadn’t even heard it. Anna pulled the nail out and examined the leg. Inside the hollow, the same as before, was a piece of paper. She couldn’t reach it with her finger, so she used the nail to hook it out. For the moment, she pocketed the leg and paper, not wishing to read its contents outside, and then carried on up the path. She’d check it after she’d spoken with Sandie.

Sandie’s house was slightly smaller than Muriel’s as it was mid-terraced. The neighbour to her other side was an elderly man who’d moved into the property after Anna had left Mapledon. Sandie, however, had been Muriel’s neighbour since she moved in with Eric just after they’d married. Anna remembered Sandie well – she’d always been popping in and out while Anna had lived there – coming in for a cup of tea and a chat with Muriel, leaving several hours later with her mug still in her hand. Nobody knocked on doors back then, they merely called ‘cooee’ as they let themselves straight in. Anna almost did the same now as she stepped up to Sandie’s front door. She gave a small laugh. Funny the things you remembered, and strange how years later old habits were still strong. Anna rang the bell, and as she waited, studied the door for nail holes. It was intact. Clearly, Sandie hadn’t been the recipient of any doll parts.

‘Yes?’ Sandie’s face, small and heart-shaped, peeked around the door.

‘Hi, Sandie. It’s Anna, it’s been a while.’ Anna smiled but realised there was no recognition in the woman’s eyes. ‘Muriel’s daughter,’ she added.

‘Oh, my goodness. Little Bella!’ Sandie opened the door fully and burst from behind it, her arms open wide. She grasped Anna in a tight hug, then, still holding on to her, extended her arms again. Sandie looked her up and down, appraising her. ‘I’d seen you coming and going the last few days – I did wonder who you were. I was moments from nipping in to have a nose.’ She gave a wink. ‘Gosh, I can’t believe it’s you. How long has it been?’