After about five minutes she started to look back over her shoulder because she had the strangest feeling that she was being watched. This continued as she walked past the church and into the square. But she didn’t spot anyone following her.

In the store, she bought a jar of decaf coffee, a newspaper and some washing up liquid.

Peter King drew her into a conversation for a few minutes and asked her if James was close to catching the killer.

‘I can only hope he is,’ she told him. ‘But he’s not allowed to share details of the investigation, even with me.’

‘Well, it’s all anyone is talking about,’ King said. ‘Some of our customers are even stocking up with provisions so that they don’t have to leave their homes. They’re so scared.’

‘I can understand that,’ Annie said.

‘Do you think there will be any more murders?’

‘I don’t know, but I hope not.’

When she left the store, she decided to walk across the village to the garage to see how far they’d got with repairs on her uncle’s car.

She was halfway there, walking along a cobbled street between two rows of houses, when she heard someone call out her name. She stopped and turned, and saw a man hurrying towards her.

When she realised who it was her heart leapt in her chest.

‘I saw you crossing the road,’ Daniel said when he got to her. ‘I thought I’d catch up so we can have a chat.’

Annie’s breath suddenly roared in her ears. ‘Have you been following me?’ she said accusingly.

He shook his head. ‘I just happened to spot you from a distance. I was on my way to my dad’s place.’

She didn’t believe him and was tempted to walk away, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

‘Please just spare me a minute of your time, Annie,’ he said. ‘I realise I’m the last person you want to talk to and I understand why. But there’s something I need to know.’

Annie didn’t flinch from his gaze. It was strange for her to see him again after all this time and it occurred to her that he hadn’t aged as much as he probably should have. Yet, where once she had felt a warm glow when they were this close, now she felt nothing but revulsion and contempt.

‘I know what you want to ask me because you’ve already put the question to my husband and my uncle,’ she said. ‘And the answer is no. You did not make me pregnant, thank God. What Janet told your father wasn’t true. It was probably a misunderstanding on her part because I told her once back then that I was worried that you might make me pregnant. But believe me, it never happened. She made a mistake. Now I would ask you not to go around talking about it, and also to stay the fuck away from me.’

She started to turn her back on him but he reached out and put a hand on her arm to stop her.