Page 119 of The House Swap

His words were cold.

‘Poppy, what’s going on? What does he mean?’

Before she could answer Keira, Martin reached into his pocket and pulled something out. A knife, Poppy realised in horror, as he held it to Keira’s throat.

Everything seemed to narrow to this single moment.

‘Please don’t,’ she begged.

Martin looked at her, still so steady and certain. ‘Then don’t make me.’

Don’t make him? What the hell was he even talking about?

‘I don’t know what you want?’ she whispered.

‘Yes. You do.’

For a second, no one spoke, then a sound cut through the tension. A knock at the door.

Realising someone was outside, all three of them froze.

A few seconds passed before it came again, then a voice.

‘Poppy?’

Jem? Relief surged so quickly, she almost cried.

She was about to call out, but then she saw Martin’s look of warning and the panic on Keira’s face.

‘Poppy? It’s Jem. I know you didn’t reply, but I wanted to make sure you were okay.’

Another knock followed.

‘I need you to answer that,’ Martin said quietly, glancing towards the door, then back to Poppy. ‘Get rid of him.’

Her immediate reaction was no and she shook her head. ‘I can’t.’

She would never be able to hold it together to be able to convince Jem everything was okay.

‘You can,’ Martin corrected. ‘Don’t test me, Poppy. You want him gone, so do exactly as I say and he leaves. No one gets hurt.’

The knife pressed harder against Keira’s throat and she cried out, her eyes widening in horror as her body went rigid.

‘Poppy?’ Jem called again, louder this time. ‘I heard a scream. Are you okay?’

She wanted to warn him. To beg him to get help. But the sight of the knife held her frozen. If he hurt Keira…

‘Go,’ Martin instructed.

Realising she didn’t have a choice, Poppy forced her legs to move.

As she stepped towards the door, her knees trembled, and she searched for something, anything, she could use to turn things to her favour.

She didn’t dare think about what he would do next.

Behind her, she was aware of his presence and all she could focus on was the knife at her best friend’s throat.

She reached the door, drawing in a deep breath and wondering how the hell she was going to convince Jem everything was okay. Aware Martin was watching and waiting, she pulled it open.