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Jesus Christ, where did I even begin listing the things to do?
I knew.
I started with writing down that I needed to open the electric and water accounts in my name, then scratched a very satisfying line through them.
There? See—job done.
I wasaccomplished, thank you very much.
I wasn’t, but it made me feel a bit better. Getting something on the list, even if they were already achieved, made it easier for me to open the mental gates and keep going with what needed to be done.
Like seeing if Stan was still willing to come out to check the electrics. Checking the water and getting a water test. The fireplace needed a chimney sweep to clean it out properly—all of them did, actually. I needed a window cleaner for outside. A conveyancer to run a full survey and tell me what needed to be done. Potentially a structural engineer. Trees needed cutting back. The grass was desperately in need of mowing. Bushes needed a trim.
So did my hair, but that wasn’t going to get this place fixed up.
Bulbs needed to be replaced. Floors needing sweeping and vacuuming and mopping. Walls needed wiping.
Oh, who was I kidding? Every single inch of this place needed scrubbing.
I had nothing here with me, so it would require me heading to the nearest shop that sold all the cleaning equipment in the world. I’d also need a gas mask with all the dust in this place.
Some Benadryl at the very least.
I wasn’t very good with dust.
It was a lot, but the list made it somewhat bearable. Having it all laid out meant I could figure out what to do in an orderly manner.
My phone dinged from inside my bag. I frowned as I reached for it and pulled it out—what was the damn thing doing with the sound on? What charlatan had changed it from silent?
Ugh.
This whole situation had me losing my mind.
I immediately changed the sound settings back to silent and opened the text message that was the reason for me picking it up in the first place.
JADE: When were you planning on telling me you were a murder suspect????
I froze.
Um, never?
ME: I can’t say it was something I was going to bring up in casual conversation.
ME: How the hell do you know???
JADE: That company was building a ton of houses near here. It’s all over the news because they paused construction.
ME: Oh, shit.
JADE: Yeah. The boss knows. He’s not happy.
Oh, balls.
I’d forgotten about my job.
Of course, she’d know if that arsehole knew. She was a dental nurse at the practice I was a receptionist at.
ME: Would it help if I said I didn’t do it?
