Page 64 of She Saw What He Did

Maria says something, but I can’t make out what it is. There is a high-pitched scream and my blood curdles.

‘Please, we don’t have it,’ pleads Kristof. ‘They came and took it.’

I’m barely able to breathe. What if they search this room?

‘Who came?’ asks the voice.

Please don’t say our name, I beg. Please.

‘Some people, we thought it was you,’ says Kristof shakily.

There’s the sound of crashing like furniture being overturned. My wide eyes meet Jared’s terrified ones and I feel tears run down my cheeks.

‘You’re lying,’ yells the voice.

Maria cries out again and I want to cover my ears, but I’m terrified to move. There’s a crack followed by a thud.

‘Where is it?’ asks the voice.

Loud music vibrates through the house and Jared points to the window. I force my shaking body slowly towards it. Every step is fraught with danger. I’m afraid the floor will creak or that at any moment the door will be flung open. I finally reach the window and Jared then follows. I try to ignore the horrifying screams that pierce the music and gently open the window. It sticks. I swallow down the bile that had risen up in my stomach and try again. It shifts and finally opens, and I climb carefully out of the room. I wait anxiously for Jared to follow and at his signal we creep around to the back of the house. I lean breathlessly against the wall while Jared peeks at the kitchen window.

‘There’s no one in the kitchen,’ he whispers. ‘We have to climb that fence. I’ll go first and then help you over. Don’t come until I nod.’

I watch as he creeps towards the fence and then in one quick movement jumps over it. I won’t be able to do that. I know I won’t. My whole body is one quivering mess. I search for a pocket, but I don’t have one in the dress I’m wearing. I daren’t drop the box. Jared waves frantically at me from the next garden and I walk carefully towards the fence. Once I’m close, I throw the box over to Jared and then grab the top of the fence to lever myself up. It’s easier than I thought it would be and Jared grabs me as soon as he can and then lifts me over. I take his hand and we hurry through the neighbours’ back gate just as a dog begins to bark excitedly.

‘We shouldn’t leave Maria and Kristof,’ I say anxiously.

‘There is nothing we can do,’ says Jared, starting the engine. ‘You can phone the police anonymously but that’s all we can do.’

He brakes sharply at a phone box and I fly into it.

‘Police,’ I say, trying to disguise my voice. ‘There are armed men at 51 Gloucester Road, Fernsea. Please hurry. It’s an emergency.’

I hang up before the police officer has a chance to ask me any questions and rush back to our car. I know it’s too late, but I had to do something. I look down at the box and let out a long sigh.

‘We have it,’ I say.

‘Yes,’ says Jared, his voice flat.

I know what he’s thinking. How do we hang onto the box and get it to the man before someone else tries to get it from us?

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Abby

‘I think someone is following us,’ says Jared.

‘Maybe it’s him,’ I say. ‘We should give him the box.’

‘I think these people have followed us from Maria’s house.’

I twist around in my seat and see close behind us is a blue van. It’s difficult to see the driver.

We’re close to home but instead of turning into our road Jared takes us down a narrow country lane. He takes the bends so fast that I have to clutch the door handle to stop myself being thrown forward.

‘It’s still behind us,’ says Jared, pushing his foot down harder on the accelerator. We screech around another bend and I squeeze my eyes shut. An oncoming car hoots at us. Suddenly we are back on the main road. Jared weaves dangerously in and out of traffic in an attempt to lose the blue van but it stays with us. I’m blinded by the glare of oncoming headlights. Jared is pushing the engine to its limits. I glance at the speedometer. We’re doing 60 miles an hour. Adrenalin pumps through me. We swerve around a Mini at an insane speed. Ahead of us are traffic lights.

‘Jared,’ I scream.

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