‘Mina?’ I peer into the room where she sits on the floor, the TV blaring a nonsensical tune as creatures dance across the screen. ‘Are you OK?’

Mina nods, seemingly oblivious to anything but the television. ‘Watching the lady,’ she says, pointing at the screen.

‘OK. OK.’ Looking down at the small bundle in my fist, I resist the urge to wipe my hands, moving into the kitchen away from Mina. I feel dirty, the bones in my hand giving off a thick, clinging aura that makes saliva spurt into my cheeks. Wrapping them back up, I call Rav on instinct, cutting the call before he gets the chance to answer. He won’t see any threat in it. He’ll just tell me that I’m exhausted, that it means nothing, that it’s a prank by local kids to try and psych me out, but the goosebumps rising so hard on my arms that it is almost painful tells me otherwise. Instead, I dial Naomi, forgetting about her sitting with Rav in the pub, calling The Daisy Chain directly instead of her mobile.

‘Good morning, The Daisy Chain. Evie speaking.’ The voice on the other end of the line is unfamiliar and I stumble for a moment, before remembering what Naomi had said about taking on a new girl.

‘Can I speak to Naomi, please?’ My voice is thin and reedy, and I have to clear my throat before the words will come out. There is a pause, a muffled exchange of words and then Naomi’s voice rings out in my ear.

‘Hello?’

‘Naomi, it’s me.’

‘Allie? How are you? You sound—’

‘Are you busy?’ I ask, cutting her off. ‘I need to talk to you.’

‘Well, busyish …’ I hear her murmur something to someone in the background. ‘I can come over in an hour or so, if that helps? Is everything all right?’ She lowers her voice. ‘Al, are the kids OK?’

‘What? Yes, of course they are. They’re with me. So, you can come over?’ I turn the bundle over in my hands, almost expecting it to burn my skin. ‘I found something. Something horrible,’ I say before she can answer me.

‘Something horrible? Al, you’re not …’

‘Naomi, I found bones. Bones. I told you … remember I told you I found the keys? Well now, there are bones.’

‘Yeah, you told me. But what—’

‘The bones were tied together, in the yew tree in the front garden. Just now. Whoever was in the trees, whoever was watching me from the woods has been to the house, right into the front garden. Maybe even while I was here, while I was asleep.’ Spinning around, I peer into the sitting room to check on Mina, who is sitting just as I left her. I press the baby monitor to my ear, but there is no sound. ‘They left it here so I would know.’