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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

‘Do you know where she lives?’

‘No, but I’ll be able to find out.’

‘Oh, Ian, that’s not a good idea. We don’t want any more upset. We’ve had enough to cope with this year. And Anne hasn’t done anything wrong as far as we know.’

‘Don’t worry. I just want to ask her some questions.’

FIFTY-ONE

‘Thank you for returning my call,’ Jan said to DC Matt Davis.

‘You’re welcome, although if it’s an emergency you should call 999.’

‘It’s not, or rather it isn’t an emergency now. It happened last night. I had another intruder come into the garden.’

‘Yes. It was Bill Smith.’

‘Really? Are you sure?’

‘Positive. He’s safely home now. If you’d told the duty officer what your call was about when you phoned this morning, they could have reassured you then.’

‘I wanted to speak to you because you’d been here when it had happened before,’ Jan said.

‘No problem. Anyway, the mystery of your intruder has been solved.’

‘Where was Bill found?’ Jan asked.

‘In Wood Lane. Chris Giles found him and phoned us in case anyone had reported him missing.’

‘I see,’ Jan said, wondering why Chris hadn’t texted her to let her know. ‘Well, I’m glad he’s home safely.’

‘Yes. Was there anything else concerning you?’

Jan hesitated. She no longer had the video to prove her claims. ‘You remember you saw those track marks in the garden? Whoever made them was here again last night,’ she said. ‘They came right up to the window looking for food.’

‘They seem to be getting around,’ Matt replied lightly. ‘A family in the village has reported seeing a “strange figure”, to use their term, in their home.’

‘They did!’ Jan gasped.

‘Yes, it gave them quite a shock. It seems it had come in through a window in the kitchen they’d left open to clear the smell of cooking. The couple’s teenage daughter came down in the night for a drink. They heard her scream, but by the time they arrived it had gone. So don’t leave any windows open.’

‘No. I won’t. Did the girl say what it looked like?’

‘Not really. She only caught a glimpse of it as it disappeared out of the window. It was most likely a fox.’

‘Was there just one?’ Jan asked.

‘Yes. Try not to worry. Just remember to keep your windows and doors closed.’

FIFTY-TWO

It had been very easy to find Anne Long’s address. Ian hadn’t had to hack into a database. Her name and address were on the public Electoral Register for all to see – 45 Dells Lane, Melton, CP29 1DA. It was about three miles from Merryless.