‘Mum! There’s been another murder. It’s just flashed up on Facebook. One of my friends just sent me a video someone’s posted showing all these police cars and CSIs in blue suits in a garden in Saltern. Do you think it’s him? Has he killed someone else?’

Annie shivered. Her son was looking at her anxiously. ‘I have no idea, but it could be, I guess.’ Little point in lying to the boy, he was bright enough to know it was perfectly possible.

‘Then why don’t you ring this other lady now, rather than drive there? You’ve got her number from Sylvia. You’re always telling me not to put things off. I reckon you should get all those ladies round here this afternoon. This psycho is dangerous!’

She smiled at his enthusiasm. ‘Okay, skipper, good idea.’ She placed a plate of sandwiches in front of him. ‘Eat up, and I’ll go and ring her.’

It wasn’t an easy call to make and it was pretty strained at first. Then Natalie began to see what she was trying to achieve.

‘I’m sorry if I seemed a bit negative at first,’ Natalie said. ‘I’m still trying to come to terms with the thought of that beast being locked inside the house with me. It just keeps going round and round in my head. If Patsy hadn’t come and stayed with me, I’m not sure how I’d have got through the night. I’m a bit of a wreck, I’m afraid. What you’re saying does make sense though. I’ll happily come over today if the others are going to be there. I think we have a lot to discuss. I just want to be home before nightfall.’

‘Oh, naturally. I fully understand that. Let’s say two thirty, and I’ll let you know if there’s any changes, okay?’

Natalie agreed, then asked tentatively, ‘Could I bring Patsy with me? I have a back injury, so she’ll be driving.’

Annie said that would be fine. She gave Natalie the address and her mobile number and ended the call. She then contacted the others, who all said they would come. She glanced at the clock. She had an hour and a half to tidy the house.

She went back into the kitchen, bolted her sandwich and made them both a drink. She then raced around, hoovering the lounge and tidying away the scattered books and magazines. She worried that she had no cake to offer, then remembered some chocolate biscuits she’d been saving. Those would do.

Sylvia was first to arrive, pleased to hear that her sister-in-law Patsy would be joining them. ‘Now, there’s a lass with her head screwed on,’ she said. ‘If we get too bogged down, our Patsy will get us thinking clearly again.’