I knew this would happen, there was no way Amber was going to heed our request that she stay in her room until the detective left. She’s probably being earwigging outside the door since the cops arrived. Wrapping my arms around her, I tell her that there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding and I will explain everything when the cops have left. But I’m feigning this confidence, just like Tom was with me a few minutes ago.

‘Do you want me to wait in the kitchen with you Amber?’ Michael Dunne says. ‘I could do with a cuppa.’

Looking to Tom before moving her vulnerable stare back to me. Amber slowly walks out the door beneath the shadow of a six-foot-tall man.

‘What do we do?’

Burke is asking us to sit back down.

‘It could be a coincidence, Sally, the woman in the back garden, but we’ll get a drawing done from your description and show it to Cian. See if it’s the same woman.’

I wonder if she thinks I’ve made it up. The mystery woman who appears on the scene after I’m questioned. She probably thinks it’s all a sham.

‘I called the police, I told them about the intruder.’

Tom looks at me. ‘You what? You never told me you called the police.’

‘Well, I did, and I’m glad I did, now it’s on record. She could be the woman who was at the house that day, isn’t that what Kenny told you, Tom, that he saw a woman? Surely he can identify who it was.’

‘He never said he saw her. He said he heard her.’ Tom sighs, moving to the sofa, sitting down and putting his face in his hands.

Burke whispers something to her colleague before turning her attention back to me.

‘Even if this woman exists, it doesn’t make her the killer, Sally. Kenny didn’t see the woman do anything and she wasn’t the only visitor to the house that day.’ Burke slowly turns her gaze to Tom.

‘Tom, were you there that day?’ Tom is still holding his face in his hands. Good grief, man, grow a pair. ‘Well?’

Burke breaks the silence. ‘I think I’ll leave you two to talk, in the meantime if you have any sightings of, or contact from this woman, get in touch with us immediately.’

‘But are we safe?’ I say, my voice cracking.

‘I’ve no reason to believe you’re not safe but if you have the slightest worry or concern about anything or anyone at any time, call us on this number and we will have a car out to you in a jiffy.’

Burke hands me a white card with two phone numbers and an email address.

‘Either one of these numbers will be answered immediately, just be on alert.’

‘But why would she want anything to do with us? Why would she come here?’