Pam’s house was immaculate. In the hallway she asked me to remove my shoes. ‘I hope you don’t mind,’ she said. ‘Since Mum died I’ve been trying to put the place to rights, bless her. But it’s lonely, isn’t it, rattling about on your own? I expect you miss the companionship.’

I was going to reply about lodgers, how I’d thought about getting one, but she was busy uncorking a bottle of wine.

‘So what were the kennels like?’ she asked.

‘What?’

‘Their kennels. Andy and Prisha’s. You must have gone there when you chose your puppy.’

‘Oh, I didn’t go there.’

‘What?’

‘It came by post.’

‘The puppy?’

‘What?’

‘In a parcel?’

‘No—sorry. I mean it was delivered.’ I paused. ‘You know, in a delivery van.’

She poured out the wine. ‘That makes sense. I’d heard they were a scandal, those kennels. Faeces everywhere. Have a Pringle.’ She passed me a bowl. ‘I reported them to the RSPCA—anonymously, of course—but nothing happened. I think they must have been paid off.’

‘Who?’

‘The RSPCA.’

‘Surely you can’t pay them off.’

‘You’d be surprised. Same thing with the council. I reported number five for contaminating their recycling, and not a dicky bird. Same thing happened with the noise from number twelve. I tested it on my meter—’

‘You’ve got a meter?’

‘—and sent that off but answer came there none. I’m thinking of taking them to court.’

‘The council?’

‘But then half of them have got their snouts in the trough.’ She munched a Pringle. ‘And did you know that Elaine next door is a sex worker?’

‘What?’

‘Men coming and going at all hours.’

‘But she’s at least sixty. And isn’t she married to that nice man who works for Amnesty International?’

‘He’s her pimp. It’s all a front. You can’t hear what I can hear; the walls are that thin.’

‘Goodness. This street has always struck me as rather respectable.’

‘Oh, Prudence, get real.’ She sighed. ‘You’re a lovely person. I’ve always liked you. I hope you don’t mind me speaking my mind but that’s just the way I am.’ She drained her glass of wine. ‘I’m so glad we’ve become friends, after all these years. Isn’t it odd how you can see somebody every day and just say hello and never know a thing about them? We’re funny that way, aren’t we, us British? Stiff upper lip and all that.’ She got to her feet. ‘But I’m a Yorkshire lass and, to be honest, it’s not my style.’

She led me into the dining room.

‘Better late than never, anyway,’ she said. ‘Now we’ve broken the ice, and we’re both on our tod, it’s so nice to know we’re there for each other, don’t you agree? And you must tell me where you got that skirt …’

The next day I felt trapped in my own home. If I stepped into the street I knew that Pam was waiting. But I needed to go to the shops. The only solution was to escape through the back alley.