Close Call

Chapter 8

Philip left Peony at the gate of her home and with a nervous half wave and some mumbled excuse, walked out of The Close. Peony waited for him to be well out of sight. She didn't go home. Instead, she turned back towards the Dump.

The wind picked up as she walked, huge billowing gusts literally stopping her in her tracks. She brushed a strand of hair from her face and stopped to tie the lace of her boot, and to check that there was no one in sight. The wind had cleared the street of stray kids and none of the curtains twitched nearby. In one smooth movement, Peony had lifted the latch to Kelly Baxter's back yard and slipped inside. She peered in through the window, the house lay still. She tried the door but it was locked. With a quick glance up and down the street she slipped out and proceeded round the side of the block and followed the narrow path that lead to the back gardens. Kerry's house was a few along. The truth was that no one would probably think twice of seeing her hop over the fence as most of the neighbours knew that she babysat for Corey once in a while. The thing was, she still felt like she was trespassing as she knew Kerry wasn't in.

The net curtain that hung over the French windows was billowing out like a ships sail in the wind; Kerry had been in such a rush she hadn't even bothered to close the door. Peony stepped inside being careful not to touch anything. She felt like a criminal although there was no real reason.

"Hello?"

Of course, there was no reply.

Her heart beat eased a little. She looked around the living room, the TV was turned off, and an open magazine lay next to Kerry's tea mug, the tea now ice cold, on the coffee table. Corey's toys were piled neatly, untouched, in the corner. There was nothing she could see that was what she was looking for.

Ever since Philip had remarked on her bobbin, her mind had been going over the possibility that the bobbin was a huge clue that she'd not even considered.

She scanned the surfaces, the floor next, the gap under the stairs. That's when she felt it, as if she were being watched.

"Is there anyone there?"

There was silence but not quite, she could hear breathing coming from beyond the turn in the stairs. Touching her hand to her amulet she called out again,

"Who's there?"

The doors to the hall and dining rooms were firmly shut, she'd hear clearly if someone were to try to enter through there. Peony didn't want to go upstairs but felt compelled to do so. There should be no one else in Kerry's house. Her breathing sounding as loud as a chain saw in her throat, she moved up the open plan staircase step by step, keeping her back to the outer banister to allow the intruder space to escape. She didn't really want a confrontation, just to know who was there. As she reached the landing the intruder revealed himself. He was a short wirey man with oily brown hair.

"Who are you?" She didn't need to ask, most of the neighbourhood despised Gary.

"I might ask you the same." he retorted.

"I'm Kerry's neighbour, I saw the door was open. Seeing you wandering around here, it seems I was right to be worried about her."

"I don't get what you mean." Gary advanced towards her and she backed down the stairs.

"Really? Does Kerry know that you are in here when she'd out?" Peony tried to sound calm but the man was edging towards her in a way that was not at all comforting. She had passed the coffe table and was almost at the French window.

"I'm just doing my job; calling in the debt." He brandished a handful of what could have been jewellery or money, Peony couldn't see because he swung it towards her, sneering "What are you going to do about it?"