Page 110 of The House Swap

Keira pulled back slightly and Poppy could see her friend’s hair was tangled, her usually tanned face pale with dark circles under her eyes. And was that bruising on her cheek?

‘It was him,’ she said angrily. ‘That maintenance man from the villa. He took my phone and brought me here.’

‘I know.’ Poppy could feel her eyes pricking with tears. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault.’

They hugged again and for a moment neither of them spoke or moved, as relief took hold.

Poppy glanced past Keira’s shoulder at the thin mattress with no cover and at the screwed-up food bags. In one corner was a bucket and from the stench she could guess what it was. Had Keira been trapped down here living like an animal for the last week?

Guilt sat tightly in her chest. She should have pushed harder instead of simply accepting the emergency explanation. She had known it was out of character for her friend.

She wouldn’t let her down again.

Gently easing back, conscious that the clock was ticking, she urged, ‘We have to go. Before he comes back.’

Keira nodded, releasing Poppy, though her grip lingered for a second longer than it should have. ‘Let’s get out of here,’ she agreed, following her up the stone steps.

The exertion seemed to take it out of her and she swayed slightly, her eyes narrowing against the daylight.

Poppy grabbed hold of her. ‘Take it easy, okay?’

‘I’m fine,’ Keira insisted, even though she clearly wasn’t.

Leading her to one of the sofas, Poppy insisted on making her sit down, fetching both of them glasses of water, which they drank greedily.

There was no way for them to call for help. The villa was too remote and they didn’t have their phones. She couldn’t see a landline either. They were going to have to walk back down to the coast.

‘Are you ready?’ she asked, once Keira had been given a couple of minutes to rest.

Her friend nodded, standing again on trembling legs.

Poppy linked arms with her, keeping her close as they left via the patio doors.

Already the sky was filling with the early hues of sunset. It would be dark soon.

‘Come on.’

Whatever happened next, they needed to get to safety and raise the alarm.

36

MARTIN

The plastic of the suitcase doesn’t catch straight away. It takes a few minutes before it starts to melt, bubble and shrink from the heat of the fire; thick, black smoke rising as it softens into something unrecognisable. The contents take hold quicker, and the flames pop and flare.

I feel nothing as I watch them. No guilt. No hesitation. Just a quiet sense of necessity.

Burning plastic is prohibited, but I don’t give a shit about that. I’m far enough away from the coastline and from anything that might draw attention. There are places out here where people seldom come. Dry scrubland, uneven ground. The kind of place where things can disappear without anyone noticing. And I just need for it to be gone. It’s too distinctive and would be too easy to trace. But by the time the fire eventually simmers down, there is nothing left but a charred, unrecognisable mass. I nudge it with the toe of my boot and watch it collapse into ash and twisted metal.

It’s another job taken care of and one less thing to worry about.

I brush my hands together and head back to the van. The air still smells of smoke, but it won’t last for long. Out here, nothing does.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, I go over my mental checklist. Cameras removed. Case destroyed. She’s been fed.

It will be the last meal I give Keira, as I know I can’t put off dealing with her any longer. I just wish she’d never found me snooping in the first place, then none of this would have been necessary.