The noise from the basement had stopped. Werner had hopefully heard the bell and was keeping quiet, but she couldn’t be sure. She broke into a sweat. What if the reason for the silence was that he had finished his gruesome task, and was about to step into the hallway in his filthy scrubs—dazed, wild-eyed, with a bloody saw in his hands? Helen could scarcely resist the temptation to look over her shoulder.

“So, you haven’t seen anything strange either? Anything out of the ordinary?”

“Out of the ordinary,” she whispered. A shiver ran through her body. She quickly recovered and glanced at the police officers. “I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”

“There’s been a break-in at your neighbors’ house.”

She exhaled almost imperceptibly.

“The thieves forced the back door open; they probably got into the garden through the woods. The cat sitter noticed this morning that some of their possessions were missing.”

“How terrible. What did they take?”

“Unfortunately, we can’t share any details.”

The woman adopted the same line as her colleague. “We haven’t managed to get ahold of your neighbors yet. The cat sitter told us they’re due back tomorrow from their vacation.”

“Vacation,” Helen echoed. She raised her hands and produced an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t know they were gone. Otto and Frank often go away for a few days, but they don’t always tell us. We don’t actually have very much contact with them.”

Suddenly, the house was filled with a high-pitched, piercing noise that was slightly muted by the basement door. The sharp screech of toothed metal grinding its way through solid material. The sound stopped briefly, and then the appliance squealed to life once again.

The policewoman peered into the house. “Doing some home improvement?”

Helen looked behind her. Her whole body was shaking. She feared that the tremor was audible in her voice too. “Oh, you know, there’s always something that needs fixing in an old house like this.”

The male officer coughed. “So, you didn’t notice anything last night? Or early this morning? We’re trying to establish what time the break-in took place.”

“I’m sorry I can’t help you. I didn’t notice anything. My husband and I have a lot on our plate at the moment.”

“Oh?” asked the woman.

Helen gave a start. Why am I talking so much? She made a dismissive gesture. “Nothing in particular. Work. And stuff with the kids . . .”

“Teenagers?” asked the policeman.

She nodded. “Thirteen, fifteen, and seventeen.”

He shot her a sympathetic look, then handed her a card. “Perhaps your husband or somebody else saw or heard something. It’d be very useful if you could give us a call to let us know.”

“OK, I will.”

“Oh, and Mrs. Möhring?”

Helen looked at the female officer.