What little light that had been coming into the house from the recently awakened streetlamps was immediately extinguished. In the sudden darkness, Nicky’s instinct was to head back outside and find a way to call through for that backup. She knew she was taking a risk coming here on her own, and that however Melissa had come across on the phone, she was still a suspect. But Nicky could just imagine the reaction down at the station if word got out that she’d failed to bring in a key witness just because she’d got spooked by the dark – all the sexist, misogynistic bullshit she’d have to deal with once again, after all the years she’d already spent proving her worth. And Rob wouldn’t have turned back. Maybe if he was obliged to climb a ladder, he might hesitate momentarily, but even his phobia of heights wouldn’t stop him from doing his job.

Nicky switched on the torch on her phone, and slowly began to pick her way into the gloom. Two steps further along the hallway, her foot came down on what felt like a glass bottle, and her ankle twisted beneath her. She swore again, and berated herself for not bringing a proper torch. She wasn’t even sure how much battery life she had left on her phone. When she checked, the bar was just under halfway full, which in theory was more than enough. But it was an old phone, and the battery had a habit of giving out when it still had a quarter of a charge remaining.

The better news was that she now appeared to have a signal. Only a single bar, but it was something. She decided to fire Rob a text – but before she could open the app, she heard the unmistakable sound of movement, and then a noise like someone catching their breath.

‘Melissa?’

The shuffling sound stopped. ‘Hello?’ came the reply from up ahead. It was Melissa’s voice, Nicky was certain, and she sounded just as petrified as she had on the phone.

‘It’s me, Melissa. It’s Nicky. I’m alone, just like I promised.’

Melissa, in response, gave a whimper. Nicky couldn’t tell whether it was desperation or relief.

‘Melissa? Where are you? It’s safe to come out. Whatever trouble you’re in, I guarantee we’ll be able to set things straight.’

From what Nicky could tell, the house seemed to have a fairly standard layout. Living room at the front, dining room in the middle, and then what would once have been a kitchen at the far end of the hall. There was also a staircase ahead of her and to the left, but it looked to be pretty much impassable. A discarded mattress covered the bottom steps, and further up there was a tangle of wires and broken banisters.

‘Melissa?’