She was trying hard to concentrate on the television news, but her thoughts kept drifting to poor Lorna. What had happened to the woman was so wrong and tragic and despicable. She had been a good person, a kind person, a person who always put others before herself. It made no sense to Annie that someone had felt compelled to take her life in such a brutal fashion.

Unless, of course, she was picked at random by a killer who was so deranged that he or she thought it would be fun to flag up their evil intentions in a Christmas card that was placed in a parcel alongside a dead bird.

It was like being trapped in a never-ending nightmare that began three months ago when Andrew Sullivan was released from prison. Then came the gruesome murder of Charlie Jenkins, the man who she’d had a crush on in their youth. After that, the cancellation of family Christmas. And now this. Annie’s boss stabbed to death in her own home.

A memory came to her suddenly, of when she’d first met Lorna. She went to the school to let them know that she was a supply teacher and had moved to Kirkby Abbey. Lorna invited her into her office where they chatted for a good hour before the woman offered her regular shifts. They hit it off immediately and Annie was struck by how committed Lorna was to the campaign for keeping the school open. She knew for sure that the staff and the children were going to be devastated by Lorna’s death.

An image on the TV screen snapped her back to the present. It was mobile phone footage of the scene outside Lorna’s house in Willow Road. The newsreader was explaining that it had been sent to them by their correspondent, Gordon Carver, who lived in Kirkby Abbey.

‘Police have yet to confirm the identity of the victim or the manner of her death, but have told us that a murder investigation has been launched,’ the newsreader said. ‘Locals say the house is owned by a Miss Lorna Manning, headmistress of the village primary school. This is the second murder in Kirkby Abbey in just twenty-four hours. On Saturday night pub landlord Charlie Jenkins was stabbed to death while walking his dog in a field less than a quarter of a mile from Lorna Manning’s house in Willow Road. Police insist that at this point there is no obvious link between the two killings.’

There was no mention of the threat contained in the Christmas card and Annie was anxious to know what would finally convince James and his colleagues to make it public.

Would it be a third murder?

Annie stayed at home for another half an hour, by which time it felt like the walls were closing in on her. The pounding in her head filled her ears and her heart was in overdrive.

She had to get out of the house and talk to someone. The news about Lorna had made her forget what she’d been planning to do this morning. But now it came back to her that she was going to visit Uncle Bill before attending the church service for Charlie. The service wasn’t due to start until two but she supposed there was a good chance it would now be cancelled.