The ringtone was familiar – the same as the cheap phone he had found in the boot of his car. He spun away – away from the sight on his bed, away from the sound of the ringing phone – and clumsily clawed at the blind covering the window, pulling it from its housing in his desperation to get to the window latch. It would only open a few inches. He leaned forward, sucking air that he thought would be fresher, trying to stave off a panic attack. He shut his eyes and tried to focus on the booming sound of passing cars – something that was steady, reliable. A reminder that there was a world carrying on as normal outside this room. He pushed his forehead against the cold glass and lingered there. Finally, he stepped back and held his breath to turn round. He was calmer now. He told himself that this was all silly – a joke. Maybe even something that his mind had conjured as part of his exhaustion.

But it was still there, and the phone was still ringing. It had been cutting out and starting up again. The sound was muffled, coming from down to his left. The top drawer of a bedside cabinet revealed a bible and nothing else. He shut the drawer firmly and moved his search to the bed, where he lifted the pillow to reveal the phone underneath. The handset was spotted with something brown and another substance that looked stringy to the touch. He kept hold of the pillow, stripping the pillowcase to push his hand through and pick up the phone. It cut out again but the silence that followed only lasted a few seconds. The smell was suddenly overpowering. He walked the ringing phone into the bathroom, dropping it into the sink and running the tap to wet the pillowcase that he then wiped over the phone. It had fallen silent again. When the inevitable ring returned he was able to pick it up in his bare hands.

‘Yes?’ Danny’s voice was meek.

‘Mr Evans!’ The suited man. The familiar voice seemed more jovial than usual. ‘I trust you found a rather significant piece of the puzzle?’

‘Puzzle? What the fuck is going on!’ Danny shouted, his fear and panic bubbling out as rage.

‘There is now a puzzle and the police have made a start on putting it together. You really don’t listen to the local news, do you? They’ve issued an update on the body they found. Seems it was missing a significant part and they are now asking if anyone has any information. They’re putting out a phone number if you think you might know something.’

‘Why is it here?’

‘That is exactly what the police will be asking, Danny. They won’t really need you to answer, however. That item rather tells its own story.’

‘You set me up!’

‘You set yourself up. I gave you the option, I told you what would happen.’