Page 111 of The House Swap

I have told myself for days that I am not that kind of man. That keeping her quiet is different from hurting her. That there will be another way, if I only give myself enough time to think. But time has run out now. She has seen my face. She knows my name. And if I allow Poppy to go home, everything I have built will collapse.

Keira can wait until tomorrow. Tonight I have other plans, and they can’t be changed.

I picture Poppy’s face now as I start the engine and I imagine her reaction when she sees me. I expect she will be shocked and scared at first and I know I have to be prepared for both emotions.

Fear makes people pull away. It makes them say things they don’t mean. Reject things they don’t understand. But once she calms down and realises I don’t want to hurt her, that we are meant to be together, then it will be different. It will have to be.

If she hadn’t discovered the cameras I had hidden, then perhaps we could have continued this charade for a little bit longer, but unfortunately she has now forced my hand, bringing everything to a head sooner than planned.

Knowing she is waiting for Tom to arrive so they can go to the police gives me an immediate problem. I need to deal with her tonight.

The drive is quiet, giving me time to go over everything. I keep my speed steady and unhurried. There’s no need to rush. I am confident of my plan.

By the time I reach the villa, the light is already starting to fade and the sky is streaked with orange and pink.

This time, I don’t park inside the gate. Instead, I pull off the road, leaving the van behind a pocket of trees. I don’t want to spook her.

As I approach the villa on foot, I notice there are no lights on.

Is she home?

Circling the property, I keep my footsteps light and my ears peeled for noise, but there is none. The blinds are all open, but there is no movement inside.

This is good. Better, actually.

I had expected to find her here and knew I may have to force my way in the house. But now I will be there waiting for her when she returns and ready to deal with every eventuality.

Unlocking the door, I step inside, moving through the space slowly, taking everything in. There’s still a trace of her in the air and her presence lives in the small details. The glass left on the side. The Kindle and her laptop, both sitting on the dining table.

I set my keys down on the counter and glance out towards the darkening sky.

She’ll be back soon. I’m sure of it.

While I wait, I prepare the villa, moving with purpose. Windows and doors secured, and all keys removed from the locks.

I don’t want her noticing anything sinister when she returns. This is all about making sure she can’t leave. I don’t want her going anywhere.

In my head, I play the moment out.

She will let herself in, probably sensing something is off.

Of course she will. She’s perceptive. It’s one of the things I like about her.

I will reason with her, make her understand that we need to be together, but if she refuses to listen to me or tries to go, then I will stop her. I don’t need to think beyond that. I exhale slowly, aware that she needs to be handled carefully.

For now, I switch off the main light, letting the room fall into shadow. The last of the daylight is enough. It’s softer and less intrusive. Better for my purpose.

I move to the far side of the room, close enough that I can block the doorway when she steps inside and sees me. There I take a seat and wait patiently.

She will be here soon.

And when she is, everything will finally fall into place.

37

The walk back seemed to take forever, and the adrenaline that had carried Poppy out of the villa was already beginning to ebb, leaving behind exhaustion and a dull ache in her limbs.

Keira stumbled beside her and she instinctively tightened her grip, steadying her. The box tucked under her other arm shifted as she moved, its hard edges digging into her side, and she adjusted her grip, holding it tighter. Unwilling to let it go now she had it.