Page 48 of The House Swap

It hadn’t been there earlier.

‘I wonder who that belongs to,’ she said aloud.

Jem slowed slightly. ‘Probably a visitor for one of your neighbours.’

Possibly, but the closest villas were some distance away. There would be nearer spots to park.

Still, there would be a simple explanation.

She watched it as they passed. The windows were dark and there was no movement inside.

As Jem pulled to a halt outside her villa, he turned off the engine.

‘I know it’s pretty safe around here, but it’s also remote,’ he said to her. ‘Now Keira’s not here, I’ll feel better if I walk you to the door.’

Whether he sensed she was a little nervous about the car or not, she appreciated the gesture, getting out of the passenger seat and joining him by the front gate.

As they reached the front door, she fished in her bag for the keys.

‘Thank you for tonight,’ she told him. ‘I really enjoyed myself.’

Jem tilted his head. ‘Me too. I especially enjoyed your singing,’ he added, teasing.

He leaned closer and for a second she thought he might kiss her. Instead, he brushed a strand of hair back from her face, his fingers grazing her cheek.

‘Are you going to be okay out here alone?’ he asked.

‘It’s my third night without Keira,’ Poppy reminded him, her tone light. ‘I’ll be fine.’

Of course, he had no idea about the little things that had been spooking her. Although she still had no explanation, she couldn’t bring herself to voice her fears aloud. It was easier to try to dismiss them.

‘Well, you have my number, just in case you need me,’ Jem told her, and the way he said it, Poppy couldn’t help but wonder if the empty parked car was bothering him more than he was letting on.

For a second, she picked up on a hint of tension, but then it was gone, replaced by that easy warmth again.

Should she invite him inside for a coffee?

She liked his company and it would make going inside the dark, echoey villa less intimidating. But she didn’t want to push things too fast or give him the wrong impression.

Although she liked him, having friends in Crete right now was more important to her than having a holiday fling.

‘So, Sunday,’ he said, changing the subject. ‘Dinner at Sue and Ian’s. I’ll check what time they want us and then sort out a time to pick you up.’

‘That sounds like a good plan.’ Poppy smiled. ‘Thank you.’

He waited until she was inside the villa before he said goodnight, and she watched him retreat to his car, making sure she heard the gate latch before she shut and locked the door, flipping on lights to banish the darkness.

Her sandals clacked against the tiled floor as she crossed the main living space and moved into the internal hallway that led to the bedrooms. It was there that she came to an abrupt halt.

The underwater lights in the pool were on. They cast a dense, honeyed glow through the water, illuminating the tiled floor and throwing up rippling reflections. In the surrounding darkness of the terrace, it looked glowing and alive.

For a moment, she simply stood there, listening. Her feet unwilling to move.

Through the window, she heard the wind stirring the olive trees, the sound like a dry whisper, and then somewhere in the distance the faint cry of a bird. Beyond that was the hush of the sea, as the waves rolled in, steady and indifferent.

Her throat tightened, and a chill crept up her spine.

She knew with absolute certainty that she hadn’t switched the lights on.