The report shows the media stationed outside the dead woman’s house. Red brick walls, a big tree in the middle of the garden and beautiful plant pots decorating the porch entrance. The blinds on the windows are closed and there’s crime scene tape across the driveway. Late thirties. Poor woman. That could have been me. Well, except for the lovely pot plants, I don’t have time for that sort of thing.

Shit, that actually could have been me. The person in the garden. This happened yesterday, the same day I saw the intruder. Dublin 15… which means it’s not far from here.

‘Tom.’ Adrenaline pushes me up the stairs to where Tom is lying fully clothed on the top of the bed. ‘Tom, a woman was killed yesterday.’ He turns on his side facing away from me. ‘Tom, the same day someone came into our garden. I’m calling the police.’

Rushing back down the stairs I grab my phone about to ring 999 when Tom follows me into the room.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m calling the police, Tom, I’m going to tell them about the person who came into the garden – they could have something to do with the murder. The police should know about them.’

‘Don’t be so silly, Sally, the cops will think you’re mad. They get all sorts of weirdos ringing them with suggestions, and sightings and whatnot. Do you really want to go there?’

‘But Tom…’

‘It’s up to you, Sal, but you’re gonna look like a fool.’

‘They said Dublin 15.’

Walking over to my side, Tom puts his hand on my phone, pushing it away from my ear, sniggering. ‘Why don’t you wait and see what happens? They probably have their suspect already, Sal. Just wait and see.’

Tom has a special way of making me feel small when he wants to. That smarmy look on his face like he’s dealing with an idiot.

‘I thought you were sick,’ I say, but he doesn’t answer me.

When Tom goes back upstairs I dial the emergency services and get directed to the cops. A woman answers, takes the details and thanks me for notifying them.

‘It’s just with the murder in the area, I thought it was best to call it in.’

‘You did the right thing,’ she says, telling me she’ll pass it on to the relevant section.

So I did the right thing. I’m not even going to tell Tom I called them. He’ll probably say I was being stupid, panicking, making a big deal out of it. All the things I’m quite prepared to do to keep my family safe.