Page 105 of The House Swap

By the time the sun began to rise, Poppy had given up on sleep altogether.

She checked her phone, even though it was far too early for Greg to have any news.

He had promised he would speak with Keira’s mum. She just had to be patient.

That was easier said than done and she found herself pottering around the villa unable to settle.

At least Tom would be here later on today. She would have asked him to go round and see Greg, but it seemed unfair when he had to pack. And she didn’t want him to miss his afternoon flight. Instead, she messaged him with a quick update on the Keira situation and said she would fill him in on the details when he arrived this evening.

Knowing she was running low on groceries and not wanting Tom to return home to an empty fridge, she decided to head down to the mini-market. At least it would pass some time and stop her keep looking at her phone.

The walk felt longer than usual and there was a crispness to the air that she hadn’t felt during the daytime before, as if Crete had finally decided to fully embrace autumn. Although the sun was out, there wasn’t as much warmth in it, and it did little to lift the heaviness in her chest.

Inside the mini-market, she grabbed water and bread, cheese and ham, and a few bits of fruit. Enough to see them through the next couple of days. Before heading back, she checked her phone. Only a couple of bars, but there was nothing from Greg.

Irritation sparked, cutting through her anxiety. He had said he would call Keira’s mum this morning and it was already gone eleven. She didn’t think it was unreasonable to expect an update.

What if he changed his mind? They didn’t like him, so maybe he’d decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.

Her stomach twisted. No. She had to believe he wouldn’t do that. For all of Greg’s faults, he loved Keira. Poppy was sure of it.

She logged on to Messenger and their chat thread.

Have you spoken to Keira’s mum yet?

He wasn’t online, but hopefully he would see it and reply soon.

Lugging everything back to the villa was a chore. Her legs were leaden and her thoughts were spiralling. It was making her nauseous.

By the time the villa came into view, sweat was beading on the nape of her neck and she was getting thirsty. A long drink and a shower were first on the agenda, she decided, stopping in her tracks even as she had the thought.

Recognising the van parked in the driveway just inside the gate, her stomach roiled with sudden nerves. The side panel caught the sunlight, highlighting the familiar lettering: Martin Roe Maintenance.

Why was he here? Had he come because of the cameras?

Poppy slowed her steps, instinctively keeping her distance, her grip tightening on the heavy bags in her hands. The last thing she wanted was to walk straight into him.

She edged backwards, moving slightly off the path and behind the hedgerow. Here she could see the front of the villa without being immediately obvious.

There was no way she was going inside while he was there, but she was desperately thirsty now. Setting the bags down, she reached for a water bottle, uncapping the lid and taking a few big chugs.

As she was putting it back in the bag, she heard movement. Glancing up, she saw the front door open and Martin appear.

Poppy quickly stepped back.

He carried a black case in one hand – hard-shelled and compact – the kind you’d expect to see holding tools or equipment. Under his other arm was a smaller cardboard box, partially open, with what looked like wires or components visible inside. Had he been installing new cameras?

She half expected him to look straight at her, but he didn’t. He didn’t even look around. Instead, he walked round to the back of the van.

She watched as he set the items down and opened the doors. Now they were on the ground, she had a clearer view, and in the box she could see cables, but also white shell cases. She recognised them as the devices she had removed that looked like smoke alarms.

As he hopped up into the back of the van, her pulse began to thud in her ears as realisation dawned. He hadn’t been installing new cameras. He was taking away the old ones.

Whistling to himself, he climbed back out, this time leaving the van doors wide open as he headed back into the villa.

If he was removing evidence so nothing could be linked back to him, Poppy and Tom would have no proof to show the police. It would literally be their word against Martin. She couldn’t let him get away with it, but how much time did she have before he came back out again?

All she had to do was find the box and remove it. It would take seconds. Then she could hide it somewhere until Tom arrived.