‘Do you have a buyer yet?’ asked Kate.

‘Oh, I meant to say. Had an offer this morning. Couple with a young family. I’ve accepted.’

‘Congratulations.’

‘They seem very nice. I’m sure you’ll get on with them.’

‘Won’t be the same, though,’ Kate couldn’t help saying.

‘Give over. We’ll see each other all the time.’

‘Can I get you ladies a cold drink?’ called Tim from Kate’s open kitchen window.

Iris raised her stick in acceptance. ‘You’ve got a good man there,’ she said.

Kate glanced across at her. Wondered if her neighbour had detected any of the growing tensions between herself and Tim, but Iris was waving her stick at the bearded removal man.

‘Be careful!’ she shouted as they lugged her sideboard across the front lawn, dodging the postman.

‘Nothing for me, I hope,’ said Iris.

‘Nope. Seems Royal Mail haven’t cocked up your redirection,’ said the postman, stopping to hand Kate a pile of envelopes. ‘Bit for you though, darlin’.’

She took the stack and sifted through it as the postman moved on. A statement of her water account, a couple of pieces of junk. Then, at the bottom, a small padded envelope, the kind used to send something fragile. She turned it over. Her address had been printed out in bold, black type and stuck on the front.

Curious, she opened it and peered inside. There was something shiny and metallic at the bottom of the envelope. She frowned, not comprehending. Then recoiled as she saw what it was.

‘Here we go. Two lemonades with ice,’ said Tim, carrying a tray with two glasses over from Kate’s house. He’d put a tea towel over his arm and held out the tray with a flourish. The ice chinked as it rolled and melted in the sun. Two cocktail umbrellas stuck out the tops, each speared into a strawberry. His smile fell when he saw Kate.

‘What’s wrong?’

Unable to speak, she handed over the envelope. Tim placed the tray down on the grass, took the envelope, put his hand inside and pulled out the contents.

‘What the . . .?’

‘What is it?’ asked Iris, shifting forward in her chair to get a better look. ‘I can’t see.’

Tim paused. ‘It’s a bullet.’

‘A what? Bullet? What, you mean from a gun?’

‘Yes.’

‘A real one?’

‘Yes.’ Tim looked the envelope over. ‘There’s no note, no address, nothing.’

‘Who the hell would send something like that?’ asked Iris.

Kate looked at Tim. ‘I . . . we don’t know.’ She rubbed her face with her hands. Then her head snapped up with an idea: ‘What if it’s Rob? He’s got reason to stop me.’

‘Stop you doing what?’ asked Iris. ‘Has this got something to do with your investigation?’

Kate hesitated.

‘Yes,’ said Tim.

‘Someone wants to stop you so much they’re sending death threats?’ exclaimed Iris. ‘What in the world . . .?’

Kate pulled her phone from her bag and stabbed at the keys, searching for Rob’s number.