Holly retreated to the kitchen, pushed the door closed but left it cracked. ‘OK, you’d better hurry.’ She heard Maggie open the bedroom door then come down the stairs and aimed her Browning through the gap. But she knew Maggie wouldn’t surprise her, not with Penny in her arms and the police standing outside.

Maggie reached the bottom of the stairs, and the door was suddenly pulled shut.

Holly lunged for the handle, but it was too late. The top bolt slid quickly into place. ‘Open this!’

‘Just a precaution. I’ll unlock it when they’re gone.’

Holly bit down on her anger. She doubted that but couldn’t yell at her now.

‘Stay quiet.’

Knuckles rapped on the door.

‘Just answer it,’ Holly snarled. She kept her weapon on the panel but backed away a few paces. Then she could make out Maggie crossing the lounge and unlocking the front door.

‘Officers?’ Maggie faked grogginess.

‘Sorry, ma’am,’ apologised one of them. ‘Did we wake you?’

‘I was up with my daughter, and we were just getting back to sleep.’

‘We’ve had a report that a shot was heard from this address,’ said the other, whose voice was younger and a little more businesslike.

‘A shot?’

‘Yes. Did you hear anything?’

‘No. Are we talking about a gun?’ There was believable alarm in Maggie’s reaction.

Holly guessed she had her gun in the pocket of her robe.

‘Don’t be alarmed,’ reassured the first voice. ‘We just have to check these things out. It could have been a car backfiring.’

‘Are you alone here, ma’am?’ enquired the other.

‘Yes. Except for this one.’

‘Hello, sweetie,’ the first babytalked to Penny. ‘You’re looking a bit dazed. Don’t be scared, honey.’

‘Say hi to the officers,’ Maggie whispered.

Holly put her ear closer to the door.

‘How old is she?’ the first asked.

‘Eighteen months.’

‘Got two myself. Given up on sleep. Second has picked up the baton from the first.’

‘I think she needs to be fed,’ Maggie explained. ‘Don’t you, Penny? Gonna make Mommy sore again?’

Nice touch, Holly thought. She looked down at her boot and saw the spots of blood on the toe. Momentarily, she’d forgotten her injury.

Neither of the officers responded.

‘Do you want to come in?’

‘No, that’s fine. I think your neighbour was more eager to know you’re OK.’ The first seemed happy with the situation.

‘If it was Mrs Serafina then I know she can be a little jumpy. She’s eighty-four, and her husband died last year.’

‘Maybe we’ll just take a quick look around.’ The second wasn’t ready to leave. ‘Just as a precaution.’

‘Sure.’

‘Can we access the yard down the side?’ His boots crunched on snow as he took a few steps back.

Holly turned to the window behind her and the darkened yard beyond. The falling flakes were vaguely lit by the glow of a string of solar-powered fairy lights in a tree.

‘Yeah. Just open the gate. Are you actually looking for somebody then?’ The trepidation was back in Maggie’s delivery.

Holly considered what a good actor she was. How much of what she’d told her about Janet Braun had been a performance?

‘No, no. As we’re here… My fellow officer likes to be thorough, ma’am.’ The first sounded irked. ‘Nothing to be alarmed about.’

‘OK. Can I get you both some coffee?’

Don’t push it, Holly thought.

‘No, we’re good, thanks, ma’am,’ the second answered.

‘Apparently so.’ The irritation hadn’t left the first’s voice.

‘OK. I’ll leave you to it. You might want to look in on Mrs Serafina next door. I’m sure she’ll want to know what’s going on.’

‘We will do. And we should be out of here soon,’ the first promised.

‘OK if I close this?’

‘Sure, and sorry for disturbing you.’

‘No problem. Just doing your job.’

‘Bye bye, sweetie. Take care of your mom.’

‘Say goodbye…’ Maggie kept her voice steady.

The front door closed and was locked before Maggie padded back to the kitchen.

‘Open this now.’ Holly booted the door.

‘You’ll have to hide first. They’re coming around back.’

The officers’ boots clumped past the alley wall to her left, and then a flashlight flitted across the white lawn. She left the light on but crouched behind the breakfast bar.

‘Are you out of sight?’ Maggie was right by the door now.

‘Yes.’ Holly’s grip tightened on the handle of her Browning. She could shoot Maggie through the panel, as she’d done to her. But the officers would definitely know about it. She had to wait until they left.

‘Come on, Reynolds.’ The first officer was still peeved.

The second officer didn’t answer him.

Holly peered over the counter and beyond the dried flower arrangement on the windowsill and saw the yard illuminated. The beam arced around the snowflakes, and the first officer appeared and stood with his back to the kitchen window.

He sighed. ‘Let’s go next door and see if this old girl’s all right.’

Holly looked at her watch but didn’t register the time. How long were they going to be around? She darted her head back to the door expecting Maggie to be standing there. But the bolt was in place. It would crack if she tried to come in.

‘Can’t see anything.’ The second officer joined the first.

‘Really?’ the first said sardonically. ‘Come on. You get on the radio, and I’ll go speak to the old lady.’

They traipsed back along the alley to the front of the house. Holly immediately relocated to the other side of the breakfast bar and pointed her gun at the door with both hands. She could still pick up their voices at the front of the house, then low thumps as they knocked the neighbour’s door.

‘Wait.’ Maggie’s voice was right by the panel.

She still had Penny in her arms. But this might be the only chance Holly had of a shot. The first officer greeted Maggie’s neighbour. How long would they take to leave?

Holly’s finger rested gently on the trigger.