As the days go by, I start to hope that maybe April hasalready been here and discovered that John and Andrea have fled the UK. Shemight have heard about it on the grapevine. There must have been a week or sobefore I moved in when the cottage was lying empty. Perhaps April pitched upthen? In which case, I’m probably worrying for nothing because she’ll beunlikely to come back, if she knows her victims have already vanished.
But then on the fourth night after Hamish’s body blowannouncement about my predecessors here, all my worst fears are realised...
It’s late – almost midnight – and I’m in bed trying to reada book but finding it hard to concentrate on the storyline because every littlehoot of an owl or creak of the cottage sets my nerves on edge and myimagination spinning out of control.
And then I hear it – the soft purr of a car gliding along inthe distance.
My heart pounding, I quickly switch off the bedside lamp andlie there, listening, willing the car to continue along past the turn-off. Butas the sound of the engine gets nearer, I can hear the vehicle slowing down andthen turning into the potholed lane that leads to nothing else but my door.
Oh, hell, it’s her.
No one else would visit at this time of night. Would they?
I swallow hard. No, of course they wouldn’t. Everyone whocould help me right now will be tucked up in their beds literally miles awayfrom the cottage. If I phone Adam, he’d leap in his car immediately, but itwould take him half an hour to get here along all the winding country lanes –even going at the speed he drives.
I’m going to have to do this all on my own.
I lie there, frozen with fear, listening to the car bumpingsoftly over the potholes and coming to a stop outside the gate. The driver cutsthe engine and the silence seems even more terrifying. Then a car door opensand the gate is pushed open.
Footsteps are tapping their way to the front door...
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
The bell shrills into the night. Once, twice, thenthree times in quick succession.
Holding my breath, I cower beneath the covers. Why doeseverything seem even more frightening at the dead of night?
Go away! Just give up and go away!
April’s voice slithers into my ear, making my heart lurch.‘I know you’re in there, John. You know what happens to people who don’t keeptheir end of the deal.’ A brief pause. She’s calling through the letterbox.‘Take care of that lovely wife of yours. I’ll be seeing you soon. Very soon.’
I hold my breath, listening to her footsteps walking away.
The car starts, three aggressive revs of the powerful enginesplit the night air, then I hear it bumping away, back along the track.
A huge wave of relief rushes through me and I break down intears.
It’s over. For now.
But I know she’ll be back...
*****
‘You didn’t have to come over straight away. You have toget those boxing hares finished.’
Adam, perched on a stool at the island watching me make coffee,shrugs. ‘The deadline for delivery is Monday and I’m on track. And anyway, yousounded terrible when you phoned first thing. Not like you at all.’
‘I was terrified.’
‘I’m not surprised.’ He sighs. ‘Oh, Krystle, why the helldidn’t you come to me for a loan instead of throwing yourself at the mercy ofthat scumbag woman?’
I frown at him. ‘Adam, it wasn’t like that. I thought Aprilwas my friend.’
‘But weren’t you suspicious of her offering you a loan whenyou hardly knew each other?’
‘Well, no. Obviously not,’ I tell him grumpily. ‘And isthere any need to make me feel stupid? I feel stupid enough already, withoutyour help!’
I’ve told Adam everything – including the fact that it wasApril who arranged the brick through my window – and now his opinion of me willhave sunk lower than a pair of builder’s bum jeans. Which is exactly why Ididn’t tell him of my troubles before now.
