Page 127 of Serenity Falls

I walk up the steps and tap briefly on the half-open door. Without waiting for a ‘come in’, I step inside. Jerry is sat at his desk, staring at his phone, probably playing Tetris or Animal Crossing. He looks up as I enter but doesn’t put the phone down right away.

‘Mr Barker? I feel like I’ve seen more of you than my wife these past days.’

‘Well, trust me, I’m sorry about that myself.’

He reluctantly lays the phone down on his desk and swivels in his oversized chair to face me.

‘So, what can I do for you today?’

‘Have you found out anything about who left the balloons?’

Jerry stares at me. He’s done nothing about those balloons, I think. He left our house and completely forgot about it.

‘Actually,’ he says, ‘I called into the gift shop first thing this morning. I took the balloons and asked Corrine if she could check and see who bought them.’

‘And?’

‘I’m waiting for her to get back to me.’

‘Well, surely it can’t take that long to check. This isn’t a big town.’

‘No, it’s not. But right now, Corrine is a little busy, what with the fiftieth-anniversary celebrations coming up.’

I’d forgotten about that. ‘Right.’

‘She’s looking into it, but she’s sold a lot of balloons recently, so I’m just waiting for her list.’

‘Okay.’ I sag, a bit like a deflated balloon myself.

‘Look, Mr Barker. You’ve had a bad start here, and I’m sympathetic.’

‘Really? Because you didn’t seem it when I first told you about the intruder.’

‘You had no evidence.’

‘And I told you yesterday, our cameras were hacked. That’s what the guy from home security said.’

Well, he didn’t in so many words. In fact, he worked very hard not to use that word, but I got the implication. Glitch, my arse.

‘Both nights I saw the intruder in our yard, footage is missing,’ I continue. ‘And yesterday when someone left those balloons.’

Jerry has the good grace to look a little sheepish. ‘Well, maybe someone is trying to make you feel unwelcome. I’m not ruling it out. Even in a place like Serenity, you get people whose noses get put out of joint by newcomers or teenagers who think they’re being clever by playing pranks. And if that’s the case, then we’ll come down hard.’

I nod. ‘I’m worried about my daughter. She’s had a tough time. I want to know she’s safe here. You got kids?’

‘No.’ But I see him glance at the picture on his desk – the young, blonde-haired woman. ‘But leave it with me, Mr Barker. If someone is harassing you, I’ll find them.’

I think I believe him. But then I remember that note. Alert LH. Can I really trust Jerry? Do I have much choice?

‘Thank you.’ I pause. ‘One more thing.’

I see him tense.

‘The house across the road from us.’

‘Number 31? That’s been empty years.’

‘And it’s definitely empty? You’ve never had problems with people breaking in or squatting?’