I stand back and throw the shard of ceramic at the window, gasping as, with a crunching sound, the whole pane breaks into hundreds of spiderweb cracks. I pull a folded bedsheet out of my bag and drape it down through the open top light, dropping the material as best I can so it lies on the floor in the bathroom beneath the window. Then, I wrap my torch in a small towel and use it to gently push the cracked glass out of its frame and onto the sheet below. The majority of it comes out easily, in random sized chunks, luckily not making too much noise as it lands on the sheet.

I have to admit, I wasn’t at all sure this was going to work. I had no opportunity to test out the method beforehand so I’m both relieved and nervous that I’ve actually managed to do it. Before attempting to climb through, I nip back along the building to glance out onto the road and check that the sound of breaking glass hasn’t brought any of the neighbours running.

All is quiet and still. Just the sound of distant traffic from the main road beyond.

When all the pieces of glass are out of the lower frame, I unwrap my torch and lay the towel on the sill before hoisting myself up and through the window, landing on top of the glass fragments below with a noisy crunch. I freeze and cock my ear, listening. There’s no sound from within. I exhale and tiptoe across the bathroom floor towards the door. The hall beyond lies in darkness. I switch on my torch, walk through and take a moment to get my bearings. The front door is to my right and Bella’s bedroom is all the way along the hall at the end, to my left. That’s where I’m headed.

My heart is thudding double-time now. I’ve actually done it. I’ve broken in, and I’ve also broken the law – something I’ve never done before. Something I never thought I’d ever do. My biggest regret is that when the children get home and discover the broken window, they might be scared by the fact that someone’s been in their house. They might have sleepless nights worrying about the break-in. Unfortunately, I can’t avoid that happening, as there’s no way for me to reassure them.

Bella’s door is firmly closed. I grip the handle and push open the door. I shine the torch around the small space and see that there are two beds in here. Amy and Bella must share a room. I hope that’s not going to be a problem for me.