Jan paced the living room, phone in her hand, waiting for the police. The officer who’d taken all the details had said they’d send someone straight away. Five minutes passed, then ten. Jan summoned her courage and opened the back door a little, just enough to hear, but the woods remained eerily quiet. There’d been that one cry, then nothing.

She closed the door and another five minutes passed. Where the hell were the police? Tinder was at her feet staring up at her, concerned. She patted him and he looked back with large enquiring eyes.

It was now twenty minutes since she’d called the police. They’d said a car was on its way. Surely it should be here by now, together with an ambulance? Perhaps they’d gone straight into Coleshaw Woods, Jan thought, and, kneeling on the sofa, gingerly parted the curtains. She couldn’t see any torch beams in the woods or flashing lights suggesting a police car or ambulance was there. She went upstairs into the second bedroom at the rear of the cottage from where she had a better view. But there were no lights in the woods. That poor woman could be lying badly hurt, even bleeding to death. Jan returned to the living room.

A few minutes later she was startled by a sharp ring on the doorbell, followed by a loud knock on the door. Tinder shot under the table. The police? She hadn’t heard a siren. With mounting unease, Jan went down the hall and to the right of the door where there was a small lattice window in an alcove. You couldn’t see who was at the front door from it, just the lane in front. She eased back the curtain and saw a police car parked in the lane. She opened the door to two uniformed officers.

‘Thank goodness you’re here,’ she said. ‘Have you found her?’

‘Yes, she’s fine. We’ve spoken to her,’ the lead officer said.

‘You have?’ Jan asked, amazed.

‘She was driving out of Wood Lane as we were coming in. We thought you’d want to know she was safe.’

‘Well, yes. So she’s not hurt then?’ Jan asked, confused.

‘No. She was shouting at her dog.’

‘Really? What was she doing in the woods after dark?’

‘She was walking her dogs early this evening when one chased after something and disappeared. She’d been searching for him ever since and then caught a glimpse of him through the trees. That’s why she shouted, “No! stop!” She has him now and is sorry she caused you worry.’

‘Oh,’ Jan said, relieved. ‘I thought she was being attacked.’

‘No harm done. Always best to call us if you hear anything suspicious. You’re isolated out here.’

‘Yes, I am,’ Jan agreed, not really appreciating the reminder.

‘We’ll be off then.’

‘Thank you. Sorry to have wasted your time.’