Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
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The silence in the car was unsettling and Jan was relieved when they turned into Wood Lane. Nearly home, she thought. Moody bugger. One minute Chris had been all over her and the next he was sullen and uncommunicative. And all because Tinder had rearranged some of Camile’s belongings!
Sitting upright in her seat, Jan kept her gaze straight ahead as they continued along the potholed road surface of Wood Lane. The car’s headlamps were the only light, on full beam and illuminating the road ahead. The brightness of the lights seemed to emphasize the darkness of the woods either side, making them even more unnerving, Jan thought. Although she was inside a car, she didn’t feel especially safe surrounded by the dark woods and with Chris beside her not saying a word. She realized she barely knew him.
The last bend in the lane appeared and Jan took out her front-door key, ready. She wouldn’t ask Chris in for coffee, but she supposed she should thank him. She’d just say a quick formal thank you as she got out of the car, and that would be it. She doubted she’d see him again.
They turned the bend and the car’s headlights picked up the outline of the cottage. But as they did, something shot out of the front garden, across the lane, and disappeared into the woods.
‘There!’ Jan cried. ‘Did you see it?’ She thought he had as his gaze had momentarily tracked its movement.
‘No, what?’ Chris asked, looking ahead again.
‘That … that shadow, that person. You must have seen it.’
‘No.’
He continued to drive steadily towards the cottage.
Jan’s heart was racing and her mouth had gone dry. She looked all around, but there was nothing to be seen in the lane or woods now. She was sure Chris had seen it. It was the same figure she’d seen earlier when she’d returned from the village. It had been in the front garden then, just as it had now. Whatever it was seemed to be getting braver. Jan shuddered.
Chris stopped the car outside the cottage but left the engine running. There was nothing in the front garden and as far as Jan could see nothing in the surrounding woods either. She gingerly opened her car door, ready to get out. As she did, Chris turned in his seat and for a moment she thought he was going to apologize, but his voice was flat and his face was set and serious when he spoke.
‘Jan, if you’re so nervous about living in the cottage, why don’t you move out? I can speak to Camile if you like. She won’t keep you in the tenancy if you want to go.’
‘No, thank you,’ Jan said tersely. ‘I’m fine.’ And got out.