The Watchful Neighbour - Debbie Viggiano Page 0,87

lock. On impulse, she tried the handle. As it moved down, she instantly realised the door wasn’t secured. It was one thing to go off to work believing she’d failed to properly lock up the front, but no way had she left the back door open too.

Jade’s heart began to pump unpleasantly as her mind whirred. Not so long ago, she’d had the fanciful idea that Greg Good possessed a skeleton key. At the time, the notion had seemed preposterous but, bloody hell, she’d been right! How else could the guy have otherwise opened this back door?

Her brain was now working flat out, rapidly joining up the dots. Greg must have used a fine wire to poke the key out of its usual resting place… then used his personal master key to gain entry… before walking through the kitchen to have another good nosy around the house.

Jade wondered if she would once again find the contents of her wardrobe reeking of Mother’s perfume. Exactly what had the man got up to this time?

Shock was now giving way to anger. This time Greg had messed up. Firstly, he’d failed to lock the back door after letting himself in. Secondly, he’d neglected to shut the front door on his way out.

Jade turned the key, heard the deadlock click into place, then once again levered down the handle. The door was now secured. She paused. Something didn’t stack up. Why would Greg let himself in through the back door, but leave via the front? Why not simply go out the back again?

To rattle you, said Jade’s inner voice. He wanted to leave a big clue that he’d been in your house. Think about it. You might not have spotted the key on the kitchen doormat until tomorrow, or possibly even later. After all, you rarely go into the garden. Opening the front door and leaving it “just so” is a mind trick. Greg Good is hoping you’ll freak out when you realise that he can let himself into this property whenever he likes, irrespective of how many times you change the locks.

And then another thought occurred to Jade. If Greg had been in this house, he would have also had access to Puddles. Oh my God. She’d known all along that he’d been behind the incident. Had he slipped in to do more horrible things to her beloved cat? She must go upstairs and immediately check.

Jade spun round… and jumped with fright. She had company.

The visitor was standing quietly in the kitchen doorway. Strong arms were tightly holding a wriggling Puddles.

‘W-What’s going on?’ Jade stammered.

The visitor smiled.

‘Lots,’ said Dee Parker.

Chapter Sixty-Four

‘I don’t understand,’ said Jade, her brow puckering.

‘Really?’ said Dee, letting Puddles go.

The cat fluffed itself out and immediately fled back upstairs. Jade stared after him in confusion. He only did that to people he didn’t like.

‘Is Greg in my house?’

‘Of course not,’ Dee tutted. ‘Why are you so obsessed with Mr Good?’

Jade shook her head. What the hell was going on?

‘Why don’t you sit down?’ Dee suggested, moving over to the kettle. ‘You were just about to make a cuppa, weren’t you? Let’s have one together and I’ll fill you in.’

Jade opened her mouth to say something but then shut it again.

Perhaps something catastrophic had happened while she’d been at work. Was it to do with Greg? Maybe Dee was here to divulge tidings of doom, hence her offering Jade a cup of tea in her own home.

Busying oneself with teabags and pouring was such a British way of helping smooth and soothe when it came to delivering bombshells. But, then again, hearing something awful about her neighbour wasn’t going to upset Jade too much. It wasn’t like the man was a relative. After all, other than replacing a few smoke detectors, he’d done Jade no favours.

‘Did you use Greg’s master key to get in?’ asked Jade in confusion.

She pulled out a chair and sat down heavily. How ironic. Only yesterday she’d considered asking Dee to join her for coffee because she’d felt uncomfortable about being alone with Greg. Jade had dismissed the idea, but now here Dee was, acting all cosy and wanting a chat.

‘I don’t know anything about a master key,’ said Dee conversationally. ‘Sugar?’

‘No thanks.’

‘Sweet enough, eh?’ Dee grinned, giving both cups a quick stir. ‘Here we are.’ She set the mugs down on the table, before pulling out the chair opposite Jade. ‘I’m not sure tea is appropriate. It might have been better to have had a bottle