Holly focussed on the split wood of the door. Penny sounded like she was struggling for breath. ‘She OK in there?’

‘Doctor says it’s an allergy. I worry it might be asthma.’

‘I thought Abigail had a bad reaction to dust mites, but it turned out to be the paint I’d used in the nursery. She on any medication for it?’ Holly asked.

‘There’s Zyrtec in the nursery.’

Holly glanced back at the room. ‘You want me to go fetch it?’

Penny kept snuffling but Maggie said nothing.

‘Did you hear me?’

‘Yes. She’s fine,’ Maggie replied, brusquely.

Holly felt anger balloon. ‘Jesus, I’m trying to help her.’

Maggie didn’t respond.

‘Sounds like she needs it. Look, I won’t try anything.’

‘She’ll be OK.’

‘Let me go get it. I’ll pass it in through the door. You’ll only have to open it a crack.’ Holly reversed a pace to the nursery.

‘Don’t waste your time. I’m not opening it.’

‘But she sounds like she’s having real trouble.’

‘She’ll be fine,’ Maggie said finally.

Holly rubbed her face. To Maggie she was nothing but a threat, the enemy and a monster. ‘I don’t want Penny to suffer.’

‘Then leave.’

‘You know I can’t do that.’ The gun felt heavy in Holly’s hand.

‘I did. And I have my daughter back.’

Holly so wanted Maggie’s story to be true. But even if Babysitter had relieved her from killing Janet Braun, Holly had still been sent to silence her.

‘What are your alternatives? You going to sit out there until sunrise? No. And I’m not coming out until I’m a hundred per cent positive you’re gone. So, at some point, you’re going to try and get inside my bedroom, and I’m going to shoot you as soon as you do.’

Holly raised her arm and pointed the Browning at Maggie’s voice but it was difficult to calculate if she was directly in front of the door. If she tried to shoot her through it, would she also maim or even kill Penny? She couldn’t live with herself if she harmed an innocent child. And if she fired and missed, Maggie would know she had a gun and be ready for her when she entered. She would have the cover of the bed and have her barrel trained on Holly as soon as she did.

‘Or you can message him right now. Tell him… tell him I called the cops. Tell him I’m locked up here and they’re on their way. Ask him what to do. He’s the one who sent you here.’

Maggie was going to do anything to avoid the confrontation neither of them wanted. But Holly had to concede that maybe it was a legitimate way of playing for time. ‘OK.’ She imagined Maggie’s weapon aimed at the panel and turned her back against the banister to take out her phone.

‘Are you going back out of the nursery window?’

Holly frowned. ‘Why?’

‘Because your phone’s in the car.’ But Maggie’s sceptical tone said she knew it wasn’t.

Holly didn’t react but tapped a message to Babysitter.

Maggie Walsh has locked herself in her bedroom and called the police.

‘So what’s your next move?’ Maggie demanded.

Holly continued to ignore her while she waited. The phone buzzed in her hand.

Where’s the child?

In the room with her.

Maggie had gone quiet. Holly assumed she knew what she was doing.

You’ve still got plenty of time, Holly. Figure something out.

Cold, heavy dread clambered over her. Her fingers rippled over the keys.

The police will arrive very soon.

Surely he wouldn’t want her captured if she hadn’t disposed of Maggie?

She won’t call the police.

Holly knew he was right but she had to play ignorant.

Am panicking. Need to leave.

Holly counted the seconds while she anticipated his decision.

Maggie shifted around the bedroom; board creaking and soft thumps as she patted Penny’s back.

Holly’s phone vibrated.

You don’t look very panicked…