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Back The Cottage Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

‘You’re not worried, are you?’ Camile asked.

‘No.’

‘Good. Well, hopefully Chris’s repair work has done the trick. It was nice of him to give up his Saturday to fix it. He’s a good guy. Someone you can trust.’

‘Yes,’ Jan said, while thinking, if he’s that wonderful, why did you two separate?

‘Thanks for all you’re doing,’ Camile said. ‘I don’t know what I would have done without you. Tinder can’t be left in kennels. I’ve tried, but he pines so badly he stops eating. I’m very grateful to you.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Jan said.

Camile wound up the conversation. Coward, Jan scolded herself. It would be even more difficult now to give notice when the time came. Doubtless Chris had told her she was anxious and imagining all sorts of ridiculous things. Without proof it was just that – ridiculous. Jan needed concrete evidence and then she’d give notice. The ball of twine and muddy footprints on the car hadn’t convinced Ruby – rightly so. She’d had to hear them before she’d believed her. What Jan needed was a photograph, or better still a video clip. But how to get that? They were fast, and as soon as they saw her they bolted.

Suddenly a noise came from outside. Tinder shot off the sofa and ran to the back door, barking. Surely they weren’t here already? It was barely dark. Could this be the opportunity she needed to get a picture? Grabbing her phone and with her heart racing, Jan rushed to the back door and opened it. But there was nothing there. No movement. No shadow in the dark. Tinder ran to the bottom of the garden but couldn’t get out. Chris’s repair work must still be in place. ‘Come on,’ she called him. ‘Tinder!’ The night was cold and she wanted to close the door.

He came out of the hedge and trotted up the lawn towards her. ‘Good boy,’ she said as he came in.

She was about to close the door when suddenly she heard a woman’s voice cry out in the woods. ‘No. Stop!’

Jan froze. Someone was out there in the woods at night. A woman. She sounded as though she was in trouble. ‘Who’s there?’ Jan called into the dark. There was no reply. Not a sound. She waited a moment longer, closed the back door, then pressed 999 on her mobile for the emergency services.

‘Police,’ she said, as the call handler asked her which service.

‘Putting you through now.’

‘I live in Ivy Cottage. Wood Lane. It backs onto Coleshaw Woods,’ Jan began as soon as she was connected. ‘I’ve just heard a woman shout in the woods. She sounded as though she was in trouble. Please hurry. I’m sure she’s in danger and could be hurt.’

THIRTY-SEVEN