Burrow’s eyes light up. ‘Finally. Get Forensics in.’
I can’t help but touch the Moroccan carpet. It’s soft. Very soft, and oddly warm.
Neal is allowed inside and looks around, dazed.
‘Is the heating on?’ I ask.
He looks confused. ‘Heating?’
‘Do you have it on?’
‘Only low.’
‘This rug is very warm.’
I lift a corner of the rug and see the hinges of a trap door. One hinge is broken.
Chapter Forty
Joanna. Before the kidnapping.
The house is finished. The only problem is that the pool cover they sent is too small, and I can’t risk Joel playing around there. Nev said he’ll get the right cover ASAP.
It’s odd, but I’m going to miss seeing Nev. I sometimes wonder if I think about him too much. I tell myself it’s because Danny is working such long hours these days, and I miss talking to him about the house, and Nev seems as in love with it as I am.
We’ve decided to have a little celebratory party this evening. Danny is meeting Nev at a nearby pub to pay the final invoice. Alice, the interior designer, is going to meet me at the house after my shift. I’m so excited. I’ve invited a few friends, and my parents are coming to see what we’ve done. If only Gil could come this evening, but she’s on call.
We have all the keys back. I’m probably being neurotic, but since the death of Lila, I’ve always expected some comeback. So, Danny had the locks changed and an alarm installed.
I bought Nev two bottles of good champagne. I know we’re paying him, but I’m thrilled he’s built the perfect home I’ve always dreamed of.
Just as I’m about to leave the hospital, a last-minute emergency comes in. I’m part-way through treating her when Gil arrives.
‘Want me to carry on?’ she asks. ‘I know you’re dying to get to the house tonight.’
I fill her in on the patient and hug her gratefully before showering and heading to the house. Alice opens the front door.
‘Ta-da,’ she says, handing me back my key.
As I step through the grand entrance of my new home, my breath catches in my throat. The opulence that unfolds before me is like a scene from a dream. The expensive furniture pieces stand like silent sentinels of luxury, each item a testament to exquisite craftsmanship. The light fittings cascade from the ceilings like waterfalls of crystal, casting a warm, inviting glow over the entire space.
The rugs underfoot are a mosaic of colours and patterns, so plush and soft it feels like walking on clouds. Every detail, from the ornate frames of the artwork to the delicate vases of fresh flowers, speaks of a beauty that is both intentional and effortless. This is more than a house; it’s the realisation of every hope I’ve held close to my heart. It is home. It is a sanctuary. It is mine.
‘Oh, Alice,’ I say, tears threatening to dampen the new rugs.
Alice hugs me. ‘You have paid me, remember.’
I laugh and cry all at once.
‘Let’s open that champagne,’ she says, and smiles.
***
Daniel
‘Isn’t Nev with you?’ Jo asks, looking behind me.
‘He said he would feel out of place,’ I say.
