Page 54 of The House Swap

Martin’s words came back to her and again she remembered the parked car from last night.

She glanced to the front of the villa. To the gate now closed and latched. Beyond it, the dirt track lay empty beneath the wide Cretan sky.

Nothing moved and no one was there watching. But what about at night?

What happened while she slept?

As she stepped back inside and locked the patio doors, a chill came over her.

And she had the creeping feeling that this villa was no longer a retreat.

20

SUNDAY 8 NOVEMBER

The smear on the garden wall seemed more noticeable on Sunday morning.

Poppy hadn’t expected it to vanish overnight, but a small, irrational part of her had hoped that in the morning light it would look less noticeable, so she could convince herself that maybe it had been there all along and she just hadn’t spotted it before.

It didn’t. Instead, her eyes were drawn to it immediately and as she stood on the terrace in her bare feet, the stone cool beneath her soles, she knew it was too deliberate to be random.

The sea in the distance beyond the low wall rolled in steady bands of silver-blue, the sky washed thin with early-morning sun, and a light breeze lifted the ends of her long cardigan. She wrapped the garment a little tighter around herself and drew in a deep breath of fresh Cretan air.

This was what happened when you spent too much time alone with your thoughts, she decided, convincing herself she was starting to create drama where there was none.

Inside, her phone vibrated on the kitchen counter.

The sudden burst of noise made her jump, reminding her that her nerves were more on edge than she liked to admit.

She turned quickly and went back inside, snatching up the handset when she realised it was Tom.

‘Hi,’ she greeted him, aiming for brightness.

‘Good morning,’ he replied, steady and grounding, and a familiar warmth threaded through her at the sound of his voice. ‘Did I wake you?’

‘No, I’ve been up for a while. How was the wedding?’

‘It was good. I’m a little bit hungover, though. I might not make it down to breakfast.’

‘Room service?’ Poppy suggested, before changing the subject. ‘Is there any news on James?’

‘Yes, he’s awake, thank God. I was supposed to stay in Paris all week, but I’m going to head back to London tomorrow and see him. The doctors say he has a long recovery ahead of him.’

‘I’m not surprised, but I’m so glad he’s going to be okay, Tom.’

‘How are you, anyway?’ he asked, already moving on.

‘I’m okay.’

‘You sound tired.’

Poppy moved towards the bank of windows overlooking the terrace. It looked so peaceful, the sun reflecting off the pool. It made the idea that someone might have been sneaking around outside at night seem even more unnerving.

‘I didn’t sleep that well,’ she admitted.

‘Are you still getting used to being there alone?’ he asked. ‘It’s a big house for one person, I know. It even took me a while to get used to the space.’

‘It is big,’ she agreed, before quickly adding, ‘but lovely too. And I’m fine. I miss Keira, but I did come here for a quiet break.’