The Magpies A Psychological Thriller - By Mark Edwards Page 0,10

by a spate of bad luck. Kirsty told him he was crazy. ‘So if you won a million in the Lottery you’d then be convinced that it would be stolen from you?’

‘Either that or something worse would happen. Like I’d get cancer. Or have a horrible accident.’

She shook her head. ‘God, you’re so morbid.’

‘I think the word is paranoid.’

‘Oh, look, it’s Lucy.’

Jamie turned to look. They had just back from the supermarket.

Their neighbour was coming up the road in her care assistant’s uniform, her head down, the sun beating on the back of her neck. She reached Jamie and Kirsty’s car and stopped, clearly waiting for them to get out.

‘Do you think we should apologise for disturbing her the night we moved in, when Chris asked us to turn the music down?’ Kirsty whispered. She had yet to meet Lucy. She worked odd shifts, and she assumed Lucy did too, so their paths hadn’t crossed.

‘I don’t know. I didn’t get the impression they were too upset about it. And we turned it down straight away.’

They got out of the car and Kirsty came around to the pavement, offering a smile to her neighbour.

‘Hello, I’m Kirsty. You must be Lucy.’

Lucy nodded. The transforming smile she had shown Jamie materialised, lighting up her face. ‘I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. It’s nice to have somebody my own age move in.’

Kirsty was seven or eight years younger than Lucy, but she didn’t point that out. She didn’t really know what to say.

Lucy elaborated. ‘I was worried we might have some really young people move in, with all the problems they bring, if you know what I mean.’

Kirsty said, ‘Well, yes.’

Jamie could tell she was perturbed by Lucy’s assumption that they were the same age, and he tried not to smile.

‘Or a deaf old couple, with their TV turned up to full volume day and night.’

‘Yes. You wouldn’t want that, I guess.’

Lucy smiled and touched Kirsty’s forearm. ‘Maybe we could get together some time. Go shopping, or go for coffee. What do you think?’

Kirsty was taken aback. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lucy got in first, saying, ‘And the men could get together too, talk about cars and football, or whatever it is men talk about.’

Jamie said, ‘Yes. We must.’

Lucy looked at Jamie and Kirsty’s car, and a troubled look replaced her smile. ‘Oh. I don’t suppose you’d mind backing up a bit, would you? It’s just that Chris always parks in that spot and he’ll be home soon.’

Jamie wanted to ask why Chris couldn’t park behind him, but he didn’t want to be the cause of any tension between them and their new neighbours. ‘Sure,’ he said instead.

He climbed back into the car and reversed into the space behind. Lucy said to Kirsty, ‘So, we’ll meet up soon for a chat and a coffee, yes?,’ then she headed up the path and down the steps to her flat.

Jamie got out the car.

Kirsty’s eyes were wide. ‘That was a bit off, wasn’t it? Asking you to move the car.’

Jamie shrugged. ‘I guess they’re just used to always parking in the same spot. Their car is always parked right there, and you know what some people are like about routine.’

They carried their shopping up to the front door and Jamie noticed a piece of white card on the doormat. It was from Parcel Force, addressed to Mr J Knight.

‘Somebody’s tried to deliver a parcel,’ he said, coming back inside.

She looked up. ‘Been on eBay again?’

‘No! Hey, maybe someone’s sent us a housewarming present. It’s been left with the neighbour in the first floor flat.’

‘Mary.’ Kirsty stood up. ‘Well, now’s your chance to meet her. Today is obviously the day for meeting neighbours.’

‘What did you think of Lucy, then, apart from the car-parking thing?’

‘Hmm. I don’t really know if she’s my kind of person, but, yeah, I thought she was alright. It’s nice to have neighbours who seem keen to get to know you – as long as they don’t want to interfere with your life.’

‘It’s better than having neighbours who ignore you completely. My mum’s lived next to her neighbour for fifteen years and they’ve barely even said hello.’

‘Yes, but that’s your mother.’

‘Don’t start.’

‘Hadn’t you better go and see what the postman left you?’

Jamie went up the stairs to the first floor. Halfway up the stairs was a frosted window with an air freshener on the sill. The window was open a couple of inches and Jamie peeked through the gap. He